The American Beagler Forum

I have a male that has started to back track. He'll roll along for a hour or two, then just lose it and oick on it running backwards ?? Is there a way to break him of that ?? or any other ideas ??

I've been running him solo, should I drop a slower dog with him ??

Thanks

I would put another dog with him that you know for sure that he does not back track,or you need to lay the juice to him when he does it,start out light and then trun the numbers up alittle at a time.But i would make sure,this time of year it is hard to see the rabbit.When i run now i might only get to see the rabbit 2 or 3 times in a houe or two.Just make sure he is doing wrong before you lay the juice to him.(JMO)IF he is young i would do it this way,but if he is older lay it to him

No offense Gun Runner, but I wouldnt shock my dog while his nose was in a rabbit track. I have a pup that started running a couple months ago and he was doing it from time to time in a hard check area, what I was told by a veteran trialer was stay with him and when he is doing it vebally correct him and get him going back the right way. I have since done this and also been running him with some other dogs and he is hardly doing it at all now. I also think age and experience is a factor.

It's better to pick him up an go home then let this progress.
If a young hound, when a area gets all tracked up and the mind grow weary, they are apt to confuse an go wrong (happens often in a starting or running pen).
Either move to fresh grounds or give him a rest. No running is better than allowing him to ignore his sense of direction on a track...jmho

Short answer to me is, No. A young dog or any dog for that matter, should never be trained with a dog that back tracks. If you are training them by themselves and you are young enough to keep up with them, you can do as Rabbit Buster suggested and may have some luck. The longer a dog is allowed to back track the worse he becomes. This is especially true if they are trained in the morning with all the food trails around.

I also believe a lot of back tracking tendencies are genetic. Some dogs are just born to back track. JMO

Thanks guys, I'll stay with him over the next few weeks and see how it goes. If that doesn't work, I may use the training collar...

None taken Rabbit Buster, that is way i say JMO almost every time,age does play a big factor.But i will not own one that back tracks i do not belive in it no way shape or form.That is why i run my young dog with dogs that will not do that or run off game.But always love running them young pups with a good dog.

There is a cheaper way....click click

BG: Do you mean "click, click" as in "Bang Bang? No hope for redemption?

I agree, click click or house pet.

It depends on how old the dog is. I have started a bunch of pups the last few years and one of the most common things I've seen is a pup that is just started and running pretty good soloing his own rabbit get so hyped up that when they come to a hard check, they turn around and run it back, backtracking. Most of the ones I've seen don't open up on the back trail but will wimper and follow the trail back. The best thing I have found to do with pups that do this is to do nothing!! I Do not shock them, I don't stand on the trail and scream, I don't do anything. I let them take the track back. Beagles are smart if you let them take the trail back and the scent trail gets weaker as they go and they eventually loose the rabbit they learn that is not the way to go. After a few times of doing this solo they learn that the scent trail should be getting stronger and that if they take it back and it gets weaker and they will loose the rabbit. Every pup I have started that has done this has broken out of it after letting them learn by doing it. If its an older dog backtracking then I would get another dog.....DH

NO NO JUST CUT HIS TAIL OFF AND HE WILL QUIT NOW ASK ME HOW MUCH OF HIS TAIL DO U CUT OF RIGHT BEHIND THE COLLAR . NO I DONT KNOW IF IT'S YOUNG OR OLD HOW TO STOP IT I USE TT ABOUT TWICE THEN I USE CLICK CLICK IF ALL ELSE FAILS

Shorten tail is effective....or list him on dogs for sale that seem to work too....I'd say none of those dogs backtrack....C'mon

I would put a faster dog with him one that would get check and go on with it then if he started backtracking i would bump him lighty if he kept going id lay it on him

I've had two dogs that backtracked a lot... neither one of them would break of it.. Ruined lots of hunts for me.. Its not worth it now that I know whats out there and I have seen lots of dogs run