Competitiveness Question

[rmassella]

Both females are kenneled together.
I have a 10 month old female. She has been running for 2 months (as of today) and is about a 7.5 on speed.
I have a 16 month old female. She has been running for 10 months and is about a 6 on speed.
They are 1/2 sisters (same sire)

My older female packs and solos well, has good search, runs a really nice line, and picks and turns really good on a check. I soloed her a lot (3-4 times a week) in the four to five months after I started her.

My younger female packs and soloes well, circles her own rabbit, has decent search, runs as fairly straight line, turns a check fairly well (solo and in the pack), but seems a little rougher than my older female was at the same running age. She also is a step or two quicker than my older female. I have not soloed her nearly as much.

So here is my problem:
1.) When I take them out to run them together, my younger female seems to get overly competitive with my older female.
2.) When they are in thick cover or in a wooded area it's not as bad, but when they break out into the open or into a field, my younger female gets overly competitive.
3.) When I take my younger female out and solo her, she is a lot cleaner and not nearly as rough as when I run her with my older female.
4.) When I take them out together with other dogs, my older female is fine and my younger female is not nearly as competitive.

I like both of them as each has similar and different qualities that I like.

I don't want to give the impression that it's a train wreck when they are together. They actually handle well, work well together when searching for a rabbit, and they hark in when the other opens.

What should I do? Is the speed difference to great? Or do I just have an overly competitive dog?

[S.R.Patch]

Keep running them mixed and solo. After this next gun season you should have your answer. Time and dead rabbits have a way of answering rushed questions...they sound pretty normal
Best of luck with your youngsters.

[bigcfromrbc]

Take a buddy with you and have them both in the trial lol

[duckbuster38401]

I agree, we try to take two with a little different running styles never know what judge will like what..If they were mine I would keep running them.

[bigcfromrbc]

Yeah keep working with them. Take a buddy and let him handle one for you if you can't do both. In ARHA you might be able to do both, but in UKC you won't have a chance. No clue about AKC since there aren't any clubs near me lol

[S.R.Patch]

I'm a bit lost now. How did this become about field trials, these are still young hounds that haven't proven themselves worthy of anything special, they're still developing and learning the trade of running a rabbit.

I like to take the time to build a solid foundation under a hound so when he's in strange company, he can fall back on what he knows and not get jerked around or lead into corruption by faulty packmates. I think this is why some of these field trials look like the hounds have all taken a fit and been possessed of a poltergeist or some such thing.
Sensible, levelheaded hound work gone missing. jmho

[Casey Harner]

I'm a bit lost now. How did this become about field trials, these are still young hounds that haven't proven themselves worthy of anything special, they're still developing and learning the trade of running a rabbit.

I like to take the time to build a solid foundation under a hound so when he's in strange company, he can fall back on what he knows and not get jerked around or lead into corruption by faulty packmates. I think this is why some of these field trials look like the hounds have all taken a fit and been possessed of a poltergeist or some such thing.
Sensible, levelheaded hound work gone missing. jmho

From what I have read from the OP, seems like the younger dog might be a little faster and can take the front from the older one, but you said when running with older dogs, she's cleaner and not over competitive. Sounds like she has met her match when other dogs are involved and she just slots up. I think solo and pack running is best for her. Just my opinion.


Btw, from the sound of it the older pup is my kind of dog

[retired4now740]

Keep runnin them don't take the grit out of her, she has the fire, and will have the skill to run the front with experience,,,maybe, be patient and enjoy a good young hound. It would be a boring world if all dogs did exactly what they were supposed to do all of the time, you would not have anything to do! lol good luck, everyone needs a project pup to work with.