Overly Competitive Dogs

[Kevin Dowell]

Do most dogs that cheat, skirt, swing, or whatever term you want to put on it to get the front ever grow out of this trait?

I am down to 6 dogs right now, and i have one male that will do whatever it takes to get the front. He is not hardly 2 yrs old yet. He can solo a rabbit by himself as good as any i've seen, but when you put him down with other dogs, he gets a little craaaaaazy. He just wants to lead. Generally speaking, is this something he will always do, or will he settle down with more age?

Thanks for any replies!

[ohlinger]

he may settle down a bit for ya but he will prbly always show those tendencies i run the same type of dog.

[T LEE]

If he's a swing , grab and go with it type hound .......I'M INTERESTED!!!!!

[bluemouse]

feed him a three pound steak before you turn him loose he will slow down, hopefully he will calm down with age

[mike crabtree]

He will do this his whole life, and most likely do it worse as he gets older. Solo time will help for a little while, but put him in the pack for any amount of time, and he will go back to swinging and skirting. If you can live with it keep him, if not you may as well sell him.

[Dale L.]

i agree with Mike. If it is not a big deal to you then enjoy. But if you don't like it sale him to someone who does. My experience with this type of dog has been that they need more solo time than pack time. Even with the solo time they will begin to swing within just a couple times with the pack again. This has been my experience! Just out of curiosity what bloodline is this dog? As i do believe some lines have a tendency to do this more than others.

[Ark]

He will do this his whole life, and most likely do it worse as he gets older.

Thats been my experience.

There are lots of people out there that like that style though, especially if he can handle the front. The ones Ive had before with that problem, would fight for it but then couldnt handle it once they got there.

[ebag33]

I have one that is 4 1/2 that is just like you speak of he will do anything to get to the front. He will overrun and miss turns he will sometimes shoot ten yards in whichever direction he is pointed when he hits a track. He just wants to catch the rabbit and he wants to do it before anyone else does. Sometimes I think if a dog took off after a car he would chase them down just so he wasnt left behind on a race. But on the other hand when he is soloed he will tie on to a rabbit and not let go he will run it as to overtake it, and he on occasion will run them untill they give up or atleast make a mistake and get caught. He takes a lot of running to get him ready for a trial but when this dog is on he is hard to beat. If you dont trial little pack or dont want to put that kind of time and effort into a dog I would get rid of him to someone that does. Of course all dogs are different and he might grow out of it or get better, but that is not what I have encountered. Either way best of luck..

Gabe

[Casey Harner]

I have one that is 4 1/2 that is just like you speak of he will do anything to get to the front. He will overrun and miss turns he will sometimes shoot ten yards in whichever direction he is pointed when he hits a track. He just wants to catch the rabbit and he wants to do it before anyone else does. Sometimes I think if a dog took off after a car he would chase them down just so he wasnt left behind on a race. But on the other hand when he is soloed he will tie on to a rabbit and not let go he will run it as to overtake it, and he on occasion will run them untill they give up or atleast make a mistake and get caught. He takes a lot of running to get him ready for a trial but when this dog is on he is hard to beat. If you dont trial little pack or dont want to put that kind of time and effort into a dog I would get rid of him to someone that does. Of course all dogs are different and he might grow out of it or get better, but that is not what I have encountered. Either way best of luck..

Gabe

IS this Big ol' Chief your talking about???

[Big Dog]

Mike Crabtree hit the nail on the head, he will not get calm, he will probably get worse. Dogs like this can win in little pack, but will keep you looking for rabbits when rabbit hunting because they cause unnecessary breakdowns cut your losses now, there are many out there that will buy him off of you if he has good checking power and can hold onto it when he gets it.

[Anderson Upland Beagles]

I dont think he will get better you can run with a dog that he dont have to push sew hard to stay in front of one he can settle
in front of. one time i went to AKC trail and when my pack came up my dog and one where raceing after the rabbit
the judge picked up the other dog and mine settled down in front of the rest of the dogs and smoked the rabbit all day and won the trail wish i had the old back

[JCM]

Do most dogs that cheat, skirt, swing, or whatever term you want to put on it to get the front ever grow out of this trait?

I am down to 6 dogs right now, and i have one male that will do whatever it takes to get the front. He is not hardly 2 yrs old yet. He can solo a rabbit by himself as good as any i've seen, but when you put him down with other dogs, he gets a little craaaaaazy. He just wants to lead. Generally speaking, is this something he will always do, or will he settle down with more age?

Thanks for any replies!

Whether or not a dog settles more as they get older depends mostly on their breeding. I would try to see some older dogs from the same breeding. Some lines of dogs run more rabbit and swing less the older they get. Others will be rough and crazy throughout their life. If you can't see dogs from this breeding, I would try to find someone that has had this line for a few generations. This would give you an indication of how your male might turn out.

I have seen several lines of dogs that are the roughest at 2 years old, and with age, maturity, and hard running settle in to make excellent rabbit dogs. The fact that your male can run so well by himself could be a sign that he will settle more as he matures.

[Kevin Dowell]

i agree with Mike. If it is not a big deal to you then enjoy. But if you don't like it sale him to someone who does. My experience with this type of dog has been that they need more solo time than pack time. Even with the solo time they will begin to swing within just a couple times with the pack again. This has been my experience! Just out of curiosity what bloodline is this dog? As i do believe some lines have a tendency to do this more than others.

here is the males pedigree that i am talking about...... What would you guys expect from his breeding?



.....................................................................................................IFC Branko's Heli-Prop

......................................................................FC Turbo Powered by Prop

.....................................................................................................FC Elk Creeks Blue Babe

...........................RCH GBCH Dotson's Lil Joe by Turbo

.....................................................................................................IFC Mark V's Ace in the Hole

......................................................................Talkabout Blue Iris

.....................................................................................................FC Elk Creeks Blue Babe


2 yr old male


.....................................................................................................IFC Maravic's Blue Ninja

......................................................................NLPC FC Maravic's BlueBerry

.....................................................................................................FC Branko's Silvertone Belle

...........................Ally's Go Big Blue

.....................................................................................................Prater's High Jumper

......................................................................Asher's Missy

.....................................................................................................Prater's Pretty Girl

[bucks better beagles]

He will never change only get better at what he does. If you like to be on the front end, keep him, if not, find someone that does or get other dogs that do not challenge him. These type of dogs make excellent fox hounds or hare hounds because they will keep them moving at a high rate of speed. For cottontails, it is my opinion, that they are next to useless. Too many loses by running off the ends. JMO

I have owned a lot of this kind of dog when I was younger and competitive. I so liked to be on the front end that I did not care how they got there. Now, I like them fast still but I want them to run the track and not cheat.

Bob-Michigan

[sbadger]

Had a male dog at 7months old circle his own rabbit not just once 4 times when I bought him he had some hair hound in him great dog by him self or trialing but if a dog got ahead of him he would brake off and go find his own rabbit ,the day I sold him thats been 20 years ago he circle a rabbit 3 time and the rabbit come right up to me and the new owner he handed me the$100 dollars never said any thing else put him in his truck and he drove away ,he was happy,allin what a person wants my self I don t like the swinger or slashers want them to run the line but med fast