Running hounds solo

[JCM]

This is for all the gentlemen that say they dont need to solo or dont believe soloing does anything you ever wonder why your dogs dont win any hunts or dont get past the first round of any trial its because your dog is playing smell a$$ with the dog that is doing all the work!!!!

Maybe you are right. If I start to solo my dogs, I might win a hunt some day. In fact, I might try it this weekend in the UP running hare. Who really wants to listen to a pack screaming through the swamp anyway.

Carry the torch, Blair. It's about time for me to head north.

And I for sure agree with this:

But seriously, everyone should enjoy their dogs however they run em and train em. Blair

[J.C. Blair]

If you don't care Jim, solo Tom while you're up there for me... Tell your ol man that I will be up next Tuesday to get him, sure have missed the ol dog. Give me a call and we'll work out the details.

[sgc]

The question remains: how do you know what you got or if you should breed it, if its not been solo'd?

[Bunnyblaster]

Soloing can make an individual better---hmmm. OK, but the question remains, does it make your kennel better in the long run? Is the goal to make the dog you own better, or to find superior individuals that will reach their potential without special treatment?

Sticking to the sports analogy, watching Tiger walk 18 is just not as exciting as watching a run and gun basketball team press full court, putting on pressure until the other team loses their will to fight.

I agree JCM, but that doesn't negate the fact that all those team members spend time practicing individually. It's their responsibility as a member of the team to be the best they can as an individual and that requires alone time. Then they also need practice as a team to learn how to use their individual skills together with others to make the team better.

I'm sorry, and I don't mean any disrespect but that argument holds no water with me. Golfers cannot help each other unless you're playing a scramble. You may add their scores together at the end of a round if it's a team match but it's not like Tiger can hit his partners ball to help him out. If he could then I'd have him playing with me all the time. Bad anology, but I can see why you wouldn't use something that's a team sport because it would just help to make my point.

Like I said before, it's fine if you don't want to spend time on a dog that needs to be soloed, I would never try to tell you what to do. But to say that any dog that needs "special attention" isn't worth it is an ignorant statement. But I do get your point, solo time is not your cup of tea so to speak, and that's cool........their your dogs.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Whenever i am winning , I have been soloing. I think each his own, It has worked for me for years.Why stop? By the way all my dogs ride the short bus.

[bradadkins]

Jimbo I think I am riding the same bus.
I mostly solo my dogs when they are starting out.. I like them to develop more alone and have them ready before I introduce them to a pack..then its a pack of smiliar ability.

Blair- did ya really have to say (Ol Fred)

To each his own..what do I know..just a ol hillbilly from up a holler

yeehaw

[J.C. Blair]

Brad, I didn't think about ol fred til I hit the submit button lol....

But anyways, to each his own. I'm not gonna sit here and call someone a name because of their training methods. If you enjoy your dogs, then that's all that matters. See everyone at the trials this fall. I'm ready.....I just hope my dogs are too.

[hounddog]

But anyways, to each his own. I'm not gonna sit here and call someone a name because of their training methods. If you enjoy your dogs, then that's all that matters. See everyone at the trials this fall. I'm ready.....I just hope my dogs are too.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

[swing]

If you really want to see what you got, go run your dog solo for four hours and try to stay over the top of them as much as you can and see what you have got

[bradadkins]

yea i can't wait for it to get started actually..will be good to cut up with everyone again. Wish everyone the best of luck this year..time run what ya brung

[Buckeye Blues]

If your soloing to better an individual dog arent you in the long run helping the pack?

[eddywilliams]

I hope a lot of you dont solo your dogs much that only helps the ones who do solo all that much more on the sod

[rabbitearl]

i say put a gun in your hands and take the dogs hunting.I m just burnout in just watching dogs run.I m ready to smell smoke.

[sgc]

Yep, but wait for the 3rd circle before shooting.

[Beagle Huntsman]

I've always said it's not as important how you run them as it is that you run them often.

I thought JCM had a really good post on the first page of this thread. His point that what we really need are hounds that make good ones and can handle pack pressure is exactly what I have thought for years.

I never solo. I'm not interested in trials, or I may do things differently. My whole focus is on how the pack is running together. I want no leaders and no superstars doing it all. When you see my hounds come through the woods, you see a number of hounds up front doing the work, and the next time you see them, a different group may be up there. I run big packs, generally 14-18 each time out, in big, wild country where rabbits run big. My puppies start with the pack at 8-12 months and are never soloed. Most of them are contributing a little to the pack at 12 months. By the time they reach 5-6 years of age, they are as good as any hounds out there.

I can go into country where rabbits are plentiful and seldom have splits. My hounds are not happy running away from the main body of the pack and will leave to join the others, generally at the first check they have. It helps me keep them together. It they were all trained as individuals, I'm not sure I could do this.

As others have said, to each his own. I have a lot of fun with my hounds and that's what it's all about.