The American Beagler Forum

I just love it when a post comes up regarding trialers vs. hunters as it applies to beagles. I read every word and every time I wonder why it matters to anyone. Why is it so important to convince other people of your way of thinking? If you are a hunting beagle type and you think that trialing almost killed the beagle world some 50 years ago, so what?

I had beagles 50 years ago. I never saw a trial or knew that they existed. I didn't care then and I don't care now but I will buy a dog with a FC pedigree anytime just to try it out. I would also buy a poodle if it ran a rabbit like I like and, as a matter of fact, I once did.

My conclusion when I ponder this quirk is that people simply like to proselytize. That is, get other people to think or do as they do. It is simply a waist of time and sometimes insulting. But. don't stop doing it. It is fun to read.

JMO

B0b-Michigan

I used to know a guy who used a poodle for bird hunting. The thing wouldn't point but it would cover a lot of ground and stay close enough to flush the birds in shooting range. I wouldn't recommend it or anything but Buck started it.

Ok genius, i hear ya, whays ya point? Buying FC peds...............watch em run............its more productive. That FC before their name don't mean much. I've seen studs advertised with 9 wins, yadah yadah yadah 2nds............ what kinda classes were they winning? 7 dog minimums..................

i am pretty sure the poodle was originally a retrieving dog. but i could see it being a good flusher. all i can say is labradoodle...lol shoot i have seen tons of grouse and woodcock flushed while the beagles were running a rabbit.
but anyways yeah i have never watched a beagle field trial and i have not seen everyones beagles run. as long as one is happy with what they own and feed i am happy with it too. i guess i am just a optimistic guy who can find the glass half full for most dogs. of course though my beagle is the best so why would i trial him...lol

later, dave

Da,that thar word had more than 4 letters in it. And I cant find it in my hillbilly dictionary.

Buck I`ll drink to ever thing you said. Don`t know if it`s still there but In walked in on a dog sounded like he was flyin by his mouth ,on the sylvan beagle club prop.Many moons ago.I sat n sat n sat n then I just left,Dam thing never got any where.
Remember Mr. Hunters Bingo dog? Field trial dog, took him a week to track a rabbit across the side walk, he loved him to death,that is all that counted.I`m sure there still runnin bunnies in the great beyound.
I like to read all that stuff to, better yet I`d like to run my funny colored dogs against them. Matter of fact I have.

"My conclusion when I ponder this quirk is that people simply like to proselytize. That is, get other people to think or do as they do. It is simply a waist of time and sometimes insulting. But. don't stop doing it. It is fun to read."

JMO

B0b-Michigan[/quote]

Sounds kinda like the Democrats do!

There you go CentMo., bringing politics into a perfectly fine discussion. I am a true save the world democrat that loves his guns, booze, women, and beagles and not necessarily in that order.

Bub

I think part of the reason guys are so passionate about promoting trials is:

1. It gives more credibility to the FC title if more people support it.
2. In hopes that more people will take to field trialing and keep the sport alive.
3. They get tired of hearing guys brag about how good their dogs are, but they wont ever compete with them.

I think part of the reason hunters battle with trial guys is:

1. They don't see the need to spend $250 every weekend for two guys to decide if their dog is the best.
2. They don't want to spend 30 hours a week conditioning thier dogs to ensure they don't run out of gas before the 4 hour trial is over.
3. Their dogs are really just average dog's that could never compete, so if they stay at home they can continue to believe they have the best.

I love to run dogs but have only limited interest in trials. I think I know what a dominate dog looks like in the trials but have not owned that special dog yet. I'm not interested in spending $5,000 to finish out a hound, but if I get one that can dominate I can see where it would be fun. I honestly could not care less what others choose to do, trial, hunt, condition.....I do respect the guys that attend trials week after week and support the local clubs. I don't think we should run them in the ground just because they like to trial and others don't. I also can understand when money is tight raising a family or in retirement why some think spending $1,000's on trials is not the best use of money. Getting too dramatic for one side or the other shows some mental instability and a need for some professional help!

Mybeagles

My beagles said,".I do respect the guys that attend trials week after week and support the local clubs. I don't think we should run them in the ground just because they like to trial and others don't"

Here, here! This is the essence of the trial vs. hunt discussions we always have. We should encourage people to pursue the positive.

bob

Mybeagles, you seem just a little one sided for a guy that isn't into trialing............or do you consider yourself one of those "hunters" that you just bashed the heck out of.

Your reason #3 for the hunters is as belittling of a statement as I've ever seen on here.......especially to those who do this out of the love for the sport but just choose not to compete.

mybeagles wrote:Getting too dramatic for one side or the other shows some mental instability and a need for some professional help! Mybeagles

You may want to consider finding some help if that's the case.........JMHO

I like to go to field trials that aren't too far away, I go to meet new people and run with other dogs just to see how they compare. Its a bonus if your dog wins but its fun to just run and talk hunting with other beaglers.

Bunnyblaster,

I love to hunt, I love to condition dogs, and I love to trial. There are times when one gets higher on the list that the others but I like it all. In my experience there are an awful lot of hunters that believe they have the "best" dogs but when stacked up against dogs in competition they don't do well. It's my opinion that some of them avoid trials because it would destroy the fairytail dream they live in. If that doesn't apply to you, move on. If your a guy that believes he has the best, no one will believe it till they see it. For me competition is a great place to show off your dominant hunting dog!


Mybeagles

mybeagles wrote:Bunnyblaster,

For me competition is a great place to show off your dominant hunting dog!

Mybeagles

........and IMO there in lies the problem and is why you will find that there are hunters that are put off by some trialers. It should be about the sport, the dogs and the people you meet...........not about "showing off" as you put it. I'm not trying to get into a pi$$ing match with you on this one but it's the same old story...........if people don't agree or do everything the same way then they tend to get dumped on. And maybe in the future instead of telling me to "move on" after you make a dumb statement you should consider using your head first before speaking in the first place. It amazes me that some of the supposed adults on here have no more common sense about choosing their words than my 5 year old does. And of course this can go right back around to the old "trial dogs aren't all hunting dogs" and vise versa bs but that's already been covered 100 times on here so let's not. You may do both but just from what you say I get the impression you place most of the emphasis on trialing and competition and I think that's great, your choice. But I'm willing to bet you would take a little personal offense if someone made a comment like trialers are only wannabe's that spend all their time going to and from trials just to try to get their dog a title so they can pound their chest and sell pups at a higher price. You'd be back on here telling them all about why trialing is important to you and if they've got such a good dog to bring it on over. That statement is about as ignorant as your hunter reason #3.

Some people would do better if they actually thought before they spoke(typed) and would probably sound a little more intelligent in the end as opposed to just sounding opinionated. Like I said before JMO and things like this will never change so honestly I don't know why I even waste my time ..............so I guess I'll just "move on".

T Hynes wrote:I like to go to field trials that aren't too far away, I go to meet new people and run with other dogs just to see how they compare. Its a bonus if your dog wins but its fun to just run and talk hunting with other beaglers.

Now this guy's got it right.