Take Pete to Run Hare or Not???

[Bunnyblaster]

Pete is my 8 month old male pup and is about 13" or so tall. He is started and has been shocked off deer twice already. Runs ok but it's been tough finding rabbits for him to run. He is gun broke and handles well and to be honest was just started when I got him at 7 months old. He is right there and just kinda putting it all together. He always goes with the pack and will get in some barking here and there as they run the track.

My question is this:

Should I take him up to run hare this Saturday with 3-5 other dogs that we will be dropping down? Normally I would just say no but IMO he is at one of those critical points where every track is gonna start to make him more and more confident and reinforce what he is starting to figure out. Rabbits to run around here have been hard to come by up until the 12" that got dumped on us a week ago so I don't imagine it's gonna be much better than it was. The week prior to the dumping was just one disappointing after another..........lots of walking and not many tracks let alone rabbits to run. I hate taking out a young inexperienced hound and not being able to at least find a rabbit for them to try and run. That is the only reason I am considering taking him up with us this weekend. I don't want him to get pushed to hard just yet but at this point I can't really see where it'll hurt. And it's not so much because we are going to be running hare, it's because of the extra company he's gonna have. I don't usually like to put that much pressure on that inexperienced of a hound.

So anyway, what do you guys think?

[BCBeagles]

We throw ours to the fire. He might have the track that sets him off!!

[hounddog]

I took two 8 month olds to the U.P. this fall and ran their guts out. As far as I can tell, it didn't hurt a thing.
On the other hand, I've never worried about blowing them up or anything else. If they can't handle a little pressure then they will never be able to handle what I throw on them later in life.
JMO

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

[mihunter]

I would not be affraid to drop him down at some point in the race. If these other dogs are more experienced and quicker, I may wait until the other dogs have run a while. I would make sure he's got a tracker and a shocker on, you never know up there. I have been thinking about going to the up myself at some point in the next few weeks, running sucks around here. Good luck Eric and have fun. Let us know how your trip goes.

[Mo. Beagler 5000]

I would do it but then again I wanted to trial my dog and everyone on the board told me not too... guess i just don't see how one or two trips is gonna ruin your dog.

[TallPaul]

Nope Wouldn't

Hounddog probably was running on bare ground. Not snow.

I have the same situation, heading over to the bridge to run with some friends Saturday, have a 8 month old in the kennel and she's staying home. She's started and running pretty good, but she's staying.

Unless your pup is showing better abilities than some of your older dogs, he'll probably be just following along behind the pack.

JMO Some habits are hard to undo

[bluegrass]

Nope Wouldn't

Hounddog probably was running on bare ground. Not snow.

I have the same situation, heading over to the bridge to run with some friends Saturday, have a 8 month old in the kennel and she's staying home. She's started and running pretty good, but she's staying.

Unless your pup is showing better abilities than some of your older dogs, he'll probably be just following along behind the pack.

JMO Some habits are hard to undo

[packmaster]

I would leave him back,and have fun with the seasoned dogs.with a warm up coming next week,we should lose a lot of snow.running is going to get good.plenty of time to work with him then.good luck.

[chapkosbeagles]

i dont think he is gona learn anything sitting at home in the kennel. if he shows independence good check work and can run byhimself i would not leave him at home. he is gona have to take the preasure one time or another.

I ALWAYS SAY I WOULD RATHER BLOW THEM UP AT 8 MONTHS RATHER THAN 2 YEARS OLD. I ALWAYS THOW THEM OUT THERE FROME TIME TO TIME JUST TO SEE HOW THEY HOLD UP UNDER THE HEAT

[DJC]

Do 7th graders play on the varsity team, he is very young and probably not able to compete on the same level with the adult hounds and is more likely to acquire bad habbits then learn good traits. I'd leave him home I always figure I have a long time to figure out how to ruin a dog why do it at that young of an age. You have a better chance of something bad occurring then any benifit he may get, especially since you have other hounds to run. Just my opinion.

[bluegrass]

Do 7th graders play on the varsity team, he is very young and probably not able to compete on the same level with the adult hounds and is more likely to acquire bad habbits then learn good traits. I'd leave him home I always figure I have a long time to figure out how to ruin a dog why do it at that young of an age. You have a better chance of something bad occurring then any benifit he may get, especially since you have other hounds to run. Just my opinion.

[Bunnyblaster]

The more I think about it he can't handle it IMO. He is right there on the cusp of having the switch flip the rest of the way on for him. On one hand I want to give him all of the opportunities I can and on the other hand I don't want to throw him into something he's not ready for and blow him up. I have spent almost zero time running hare so I'm not exactly sure what to expect, that's why I asked. If all he's gonna be doing is hanging on to his @$$ trying to keep up then that doesn't do him any good anyway so I guess I can't see the point in taking him along. I like a dog to be well started before I take them with more seasoned hounds on cottontails. I am guessing I should have them running even better than that before I throw them down with seasoned dogs on hare then huh???

[S.R.Patch]

We take pups along for the experience. Being hauled, staked out and fed, riding in the box... it really makes them comfortable with the whole process. We only run pups together or with a old steady hound.
Lots of factors involved, how far are you from home? nature of pup hunting? how does pup handle? some have good homing instinct and can find you, others wander away when separated from the pack or, can become independent to start their own hare and run at their own rate of ability, This habit formed early causes a pup not to pack-up as he becomes spoiled at having his own race without any pressure from packmates( it is no fun for him always running behind and he likes having his own "ball of fur" to play with).
I would take him along none the less and introduce him to some of what his future holds, if only a ride in the box, some good food and lots of pats on the head... Best of Luck

[Pete Tuck]

I really don’t feel like running a hare in the snow. I'm getting old and fat and I have lost a couple of steps. But seriously, its worth a try, if you don’t like what you see you can put him up. Of course this is my opinion and I'm in north carolina and have never ran hare.

[BCBeagles]

You won't find out if he is the next great snow hound you may have if you don't give him the opportunity. If he blows up he did not have it all in my opinion, but he is your dog and you do what you think best. We throw them in and if they are with a pack of decent dogs not making a bunch of foolish mistakes what will it hurt?? If he is tough enough to follow along then you know just that. He may get enough track to give some effort. I am not for conserving for a better day as you can tell. Cut them loose!! Good running to you!!!