The American Beagler Forum

Maybe I'm just different then everyone else. I've seen plenty of dogs ran over the years, and talk to a lot of folks. It really amazes me that so many people consider a fast dog to be better just based off of its foot. It blows my mind to an extent.

I don't have the two best gyps in the country. I know their faults and continue to work with them daily. Yet both have very hard hunt, a great desire to always work hard to get the rabbit, and show intelligence cause they continue to improve. Now out in the open my grade gyp is faster then my akc gyp. Yet they take turns leading the track on each other. Sometimes one cleans things up real good, and the next time the other will. Not only that they are consistent for me. I can take them out any day of the week, and know how they are going to perform and are never upset with it.

What happened to real qualities being sought after? A dog with might be slower, but has brains is going do better then a faster dog that isn't the brightest crayon in the box. It's going to over run tracks, and play catch up.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me ranting. I'm not knocking on anyone either. I guess my style of a dog is different then a lot of people. My girls are medium speed, and know when to gear up and down. I just don't know why people rank foot so high when I feel other traits are much more important.

I'll stop and hush. Sorry if it isn't the best place to discuss this. I just want to have an honest conversation and wonder if I'm just wrong on it or what.

A good hound will change gears from a fast sprint when scenting is good to a walk when scenting conditions get worse.

That's how I feel. That is when intelligence comes into play. Not just running a race. Being in the race and actually hunting is different to me.

folks just basing a hounds ability on just foot dont know anything about a good dog....imo a dog with all the good qualities and foot is better than one with all the good qualities and is behind the leader.they do exist...too many exist in owners eyes but not the eyes of others.
brains.nose,right use of mouth,control,hunt,check work,drive,determination to work its rabbit do look best with foot,lack these and foot is to blame most think but dumb is dumb forever

I don't mind one that can burn a track up without over running it. I talk to a lot of people and their like. Foot is really important. You want a fast dog. I like a hound with good foot, but when you got one that can run a track without making mistakes it will be faster then a dog that is naturally faster then it but makes mistakes on the track.

I could be ranting over nothing. I just think foot is put to high on a trait people want when other things are being over looked. Like hunt, desire, and intelligence.

Personally I have never seen a real fast one that ran with any kind of control or check work. The ones I have seen cause the checks then will pick it wherever they can. I seen that happen 50 yards from the point of loss. I run a medium to medium fast dog. They have checks but will go back to the point of loss and work out from there.I prefer smoother running over dogs running for 10 seconds and losing the rabbit then repeat. I have seen this very thing at some trials. That's the beauty of beagling. There are several different styles out there to suit everyone's preference.

In the thick stuff foot means nothing,,brush and briars are the big equalizer.

I had an odd happening the p.m. Max barked, so I turned in his direction. He took a few steps then almost like went on point and barked a couple of more time. Out squirted Mr. Cottontail and the race was on. Maybe it happens often and I just don't see it or Mr. Cottontail sat really, really, tight.

Larry

We had one sitting real tight on us yesterday. They do that sometimes.

search and number of rabbits jumped is more important to me than foot speed! good upper med is fine for what i do. there are fast
dogs out there that run pretty smooth and of course slower dogs look smoother! but for me hunt is more important and thats what
i focus on. foot speed is over rated imo . i like a good one no matter what speed it runs

All the bad things and bad performance said of a fast dog can be said of a slow dog too.

Crazy comes in all colors, size, breeds and speeds.

Running off track or skipping out, cutting comes in all speeds but just not as far out from the pack with slower dogs as their pack mates straighten the track out before they get as far away due to slower foot.

All things being equal I prefer a faster dog that runs closer to the rabbit as it is also running a hotter track.

Some of the best ones I've hunted with had a little something else in its lineage as it had shorter ears and a different mouth and hunted for the rabbit instead of a rabbit track. Made better jump dogs.

Also when the rabbit hit water they would reach out and cross the water swimming if necessary instead of returning to the point of loss and trying to find the rabbit track leading away like a dummy when it was across the creek or pond and gone.

I'm not saying foot is a bad thing, and I understand regardless of speed a dog will make mistakes. I just wonder why it's so important for people to have a fast dog over other qualities lol

I've seen fast dogs, but in a lose they kinda look around till another one comes out of the check area with it. Things like that.

We live in a fast world! Every body is in a hurry.

I'm just curious on the justification of foot. I know everyone ranks certain qualities over others, but foot seems to be real high up. Glad no one thinks I was bad mouthing a fast hound. Just trying to have some good conversation and input.

bigcfromrbc wrote:I'm just curious on the justification of foot. I know everyone ranks certain qualities over others, but foot seems to be real high up. Glad no one thinks I was bad mouthing a fast hound. Just trying to have some good conversation and input.

Its easier to judge in a Trial situation, if you give the lead dog most of the credit.
It takes too long to judge hunt, so therefore in order to run a trial in a time frame, its not judged.
If fast wild dogs lose a rabbit, then the gallery can always jump them another one.