The American Beagler Forum

Ok lets hear some opinions What do you think about hunting or trialing a house dog. Do you know of a house dog that has become a FC? Can it be done?

My buddy has a female that just needs 15 points to have enough points to certify as a champion. In arha pp. His wife spoils her and keeps her in the house.

Just because a dog is kept in the house, doesn't mean SQUAT! That is as old a wive's tale as they come. If your dog comes from hunting stock, it should hunt reguardless where it is kept.

I agree with Emery. I LPH trialed my show bred beagle. Of course she didn't get a title but I learned a whole lot. She still hunts most days and sleeps in my bed every night. Carolyn

Years ago there was a Brace Fellow who was a Lawyer that made a Field Champion,it was his house companion, he lived on Madison Ave,New York City.................
We now have a ARHA GR BC, In our club, Clair lives in center city, philly............

One of the finest LPH field trial champions ever to finish in Canada, FTCH Kingwood Stormie Day, was a house pet. Raised with a passel of kids in the house, she never knew quit, yet was easy to catch and handle. Another fellow from Toronto, Jack McClure, finished two 15" males that lived in his house in the heart of the city. They rode with Jack to trial in the front seat of his car. I agree that with the proper bloodlines, plenty of handling can only serve to improve most hounds.

Boomerx wrote:One of the finest LPH field trial champions ever to finish in Canada, FTCH Kingwood Stormie Day, was a house pet. Raised with a passel of kids in the house, she never knew quit, yet was easy to catch and handle. Another fellow from Toronto, Jack McClure, finished two 15" males that lived in his house in the heart of the city. They rode with Jack to trial in the front seat of his car. I agree that with the proper bloodlines, plenty of handling can only serve to improve most hounds.

Anyone who thinks otherwise doesnt know much about handling dogs or dogs in general. Just like the pet owner who kills their buddy with kindness feeding the hell out of their dog never letting it venture further than the couch, they only know half the dog......the houndsman who appreciates his dog soley as a hunting tool, only knows half the dog as well.

I have been running beagles for over 40 years, the best dog I've ever owned was raised and lived in the house. She passed away 7 years ago at the age of 13 years old.

cant see how the house hurts the hunt

i have 5 beagles they all are easy handling hunting house dogs and one does ok at the trails she can make the winners pack and has several places at spo trials everyone coments on how good that litte gyp looks and she runs as clean as she looks

if she holds up as good as my 12-1/2 year old male she will be in better shape than most kenneled dogs that are half her age

i cant wait to get back in the states and run my dogs

Thanks for all the replies I sure feel more confident now. I took my young dog to a trial last weekend in the front seat of my van. She is very young and I did not expect much from her. She hung with the pack and that impressed me enough for a five month old pup. I only have one other dog and wanted to see if she would pack. There were some older fellows that kind of yukked it up and were saying that a house dog would never win a trial. I hope to show them different in a year or so. They also said you should not get so close to a dog because you may have to get rid of it if it cant win trials. Later I wondered what percentage of their dogs they get rid of just to get a winner. If you fellas happen to be reading maybe you should change breeding. I also have another question what age should you start a trial dog? The funny thing about it was she was up the next morning when I left for work waiting at the door to see if I was going to take her again.

Well Trevor, lets hope your young beagle makes those fellows eat their words. If she does, it'll be based on her skills at running a rabbit, and how many rabbit tracks you feed her, not where she's kenneled. Good luck and I hope you enjoy trialing her.

This is my house dog and these are all trophies from trials, he has enough points for rabbit champion in PP I just have not had him certified yet. So I guess the answer is keeping a dog inside does not effect his hunting abilities. The age of the dog when you start trialing depends on the dog and how it performs. I have only been trialing 2 years now, but I have seen 9 month old dogs out that won. Seen the same dog a year later that couldn't hold the line, just running with the pack. IMO make your dog a rabbit dog first trial it second. I do it for the hunt, but in the summer when I can't hunt trials are nice. You meet some nice people and get to see some different bred dogs and how they do.

Nice looking dog trackman. I would say thats all the proof I need to show a house dog can hunt. Thanks for the advise, that runs right along with my plan. I will hunt her this season and maybe enter one or two trials. I see where to many trials and not enough hunting could hurt a dog. I took her out last night and her and my older dog ran rabbits like crazy. She is real quick to open and runs cold a little can I pick your brain further and ask if this is typical for a young dog? She is very determined and I had to lead her off a cold track last night. Will she learn what she can and can't run out?

My sister keep's one of her dogs in the house but we dont run him or field trial him...he was born in the house, but my sister is afriad of loosing him so he doesnt get to hunt any.

Rocky Hill Kennel

my nephew has a dog that is a house dog.he hunts him first and trials second.he has three wins and just needs points to finish.this dog handles like a dream.when out hunting he doesnt need to use a lead at all he just keeps talking to the dog and he walks right out of the woods with him.i also believe if you have them in the house they are more likely to try to please you more because they get more attention.also this dog sleeps with him on the same bed.if my nephew happens to go to bed before his wife does the dog will growl at her when she comes to bed like to say this is my spot and you cant have it.