The American Beagler Forum

Hello to the board!
At what age do most of you retire a dog, when would you say he is to old to hunt?
thanks............

When they can't do it anymore. I would say usually that is greater than 10 years old. Just my opinion though.

Emery

I have an old coonhound that has bone cancer in her foot. Other than that she is perfectly healthy. If I hunt her, her foot gets very swolen and sore for several days afterwords. I left her in the kennel for over a year. I finaly decided that she was not happy unless she was hunting so I started hunting her again. I think she has a much better life even with the pain than if I left her home, and I believe she would chose to hunt every chance she gets even knowing that she will have to pay for it. I will hunt her as long as she still can and then I will have her put to sleep. I know I will remember every hunt I take with her from now on knowing it may be her last.
So to answer your question, I would hunt your dog up until his last day, that is what they live for.

When they die, simple as that.

If the dog is to old to even get out from time to time or to unhealthy, it's time to do what's best, IMHO.

I agree. If the best we can hope for is to die in our sleep. Then the best a beagle can hope for is to die on the line.

Well,
I don't know the answer to that yet!
I hunt my patch female twice a week, (she went out yesterday for two and half hours and was busy the whole time). She will be 15 in August, I've had her since she was a pup and she is slower now but she stands at the gate and begs me to go hunting. The oldest beagle I have ever had by three years, I been thinking for the last three winters this will be it but it's almost spring again!!! I have a hard time believing she can still do it or would want to still do it. I think good exercise, good food, fresh water and a nice warm house on clean concrete has been her secret to longevity. I tell myself I'm going to retire her but she won't have any of that thinking, many puppies has seen her tail end over the years and I got five new ones coming up. I guess I'll just let her live out her life as a hunting dog and when it's time it's time.