gun dog vs trail dog

[steer creek beagles]

there are dogs out there that u can take and kill twice the rabbitts but people say no good for trailing what's it to make a trailing hound?

[deerfield]

IF you have never gone to a trial you should go and check it out. If that is the type of dog you like and thats what makes you happy thats the one for you. There are alot of different formats of trialing you just have to find the one you enjoy and there are alot of good peaple out trialing and hunting. As far as killing rabbits alot of places you can kill more without dogs you have to enjoy the sport and dogs and enjoy a good race with goods dogs and friends. Goodluck finding what you are looking for.

[smithbros.1]

Trialing=competitive hound. MOST trials are judged off the front.

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

if they cant do both i dont keep them dont makie them not good dogs i just aint got alot of room. alot of good ole hunting dogs cold trail to much for trialing ..i have heard hunters say oh they just runn a deer about a hundred yards then quit .. in a trial they r scratched for it..

[grim]

i agree with preacher some good ole rabbit dogs will cold trail on a good frosty morning in a trial that is a no no but a good honest gundog makes a good trial dog i wont trial a hound that isnt a good gundog first and formost

[burbba]

I have to give it to Deerfield. Finally someone hit it on the head.

Run what you want, feed what you want, etc... you all know the saying. There are so many different formats of trials, and many different opinions within each format. If you want to trial, go watch, see what your up against. If you dont like what you see, go watch a different format... If you just wanna go, take a dog, see what happens...

I enjoy trials, for the social aspect. BUT, first and foremost, they are gun dogs!!!!! I would venture to guess 99% of the people on these boards feel the same. I dont run the same style beagle as most on this board, but I'll go watch good dogs run anytime. They might not mesh with mine, but a good dog is a good dog. SPO, LP, PP, GDB, doesnt matter

[SilverZuk]

It depends on the format.
I run ARHA LP and I will tell you that most of the dogs I run with are too fast for my taste. I own one that is too fast for my tastes.

These dogs really put the pressure on the rabbit, and run a little rougher than what I would call a "clean, straight rabbit dog".
I feel the rabbits hit holes quicker with that much pressure, and often are getting pushed so fast that you rarely get a decent shot.

There are formats of trials for about any style dog that will run a rabbit.

[danny vansickle]

i agree with silverzuk,the dogs we run are a lil to fast for the gun but i like them fast because i don't rabbit hunt as much as i trial.but i do have a couple dogs that can excell in both but what impresses me the most is a dog that can addapt to the conditions and run with anything you put them down with and be competitive.

[SMITTY1233]

I enjoy both but here is my take on it....

Trials promote a dog that can get to the front run hard and fast, they don't mind the over run as long as they snap back and grab the check where the line was lost. Usually makes for some choppier running than you should have. They run trials with 6-9 dog packs, which in most situations does not promote a hunting situation. Very rarely when I gun do I put out this many hounds. I normally would put out 3-5 dogs at most. Thus with this many dogs on the ground bred to be competitive things start to heat up and they start to push for the front etc. There are some great trial dogs that are good hunting dogs as well... Just like there is some great hunting dogs that would make great trial dogs.... I had a pretty competitve male here for a while before I sold him he had twin wins in a competitve format. He was just to fast and competitive for what I would consider a really nice gun dog.... To me a gun dog is one that is a little flatter speed, can still get up and go but doesn't have that front at all cost mentality... If your trialing a dog and you don't have the reach to the front mentality your going to have problems being seen all the time. There will be days when you can when in the middle of the pack but not many since most trial are ran under optimal conditions in spring or fall. I am not knocking either one here, I am simply trying to state the differences I have seen... I would say trial dogs have an edge where gun dogs look to put there head down and run the line, They aren't so concerned with getting to the front so to me they run more of the line... Just my take.

[acesdog]

I believe that a good dog can run both. dont want no extra mouth and no ghost run. A good beagle will produce what it runs. THEN IT WILL BRING IT BACK AROUND. This is what it takes for both trail and a good gun dog. This is my opinion.

[Gbeagle]

Don't you all know the best trial dog is setting in a hunters back yard and the best hunting hound is setting in a trialers backyard. LOL What you have all described is dogs for every trial and format. No matter what you run whether it be wind splitters or walkie- talkies there is a format to run in. It is all a matter of what you prefer.

[mundellm]

Trials promote the type of dog it takes to win that style of trialing. You dont go to trials to lose. To win you need points. If that type of dog is how you like them to hunt so be it... Any of the trialing dogs that are doing well can obviously run the rabbit. If the rabbit cooperates the dogs will bring them back to gun.

A good gun dog might have a different style of running that does not fit into the scoring system used for the trial. Might be the best darn gun dog ever but cannot score points based on the rules of the trial. Therefore is a not a good choice for trials unless you plan on not getting any points.

[Ron Conroe]

there should be no difference, a dog that is reaching out 50 to a 100 yards for a check, over shooting, swinging, thats no rabbit dog, you might as well go to a grey hound race.

[Big Mike]

Food for thought.

"It is easier to win a trial with a gun dog, than it is to kill rabbits, with a field trial dog".

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Food for thought.

"It is easier to win a trial with a gun dog, than it is to kill rabbits, with a field trial dog".

Bingo Mike. Whay dont you fellas like fast gun dogs?