The very best dog you've ever seen/heard of....

[kent5252]

When I was a very young kid I used to hunt with my dad and an old friend of his named John. John had a blueticked beagle named Patches. Patches was a PHENOMENAL rabbit dog. As far as hunting went, he'd circle bunnies faster than any other dog I've ever known. His hunting ability was far surpassed though by his personallity. He slept on John's couch downstairs at night, went on evening walks with John's wife, and was a fantastic pet for the kids. When the hunting gear came out, he knew what was up though and he switched gears at the drop of a hat. After the hunt, John could tap the tailgate and Patches would jump on the truck and climb into the dog box (no leash necessary). He was that one dog that every other dog has always been measured against. He was never trialed. He was John's huntin buddy, and that dog hung onto every word that John commanded him with until the day he died. Patches died 12 years ago, and we mention him on a weekly basis. I'm just interested to hear other stories about dogs similar to this one. It seems as though everyone has one or two dogs that they use as their "measuring stick."

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

First on my "Best Of". 1.Bruners Lucky-No long story just the most precise dog i have seen run a rabbit.2.Waits Ky Amy---I would rather listen to her run a rabbit than eat when i was hungry,god what a mouth.
3.Swartz Briar Patch Bigtime-Seen him run in the day in 90degree heat like no other ,absolutley no quit. Seen him put several in the water more
than once.No certain order just top shelf hounds....

[coolbrze]

In terms of the best dog I've ever heard of, there are a lot, but if I haven't seen them, I can't comment on them other than their popularity.

As for the best dog I've ever seen, a buddy of mine has a little 13" male that is absolutely phenomenal. SUPER jumpdog, very good line control, runs upper med./fast, nice loud honest mouth, and to top it off he handles well, aims to please, and throws some real good pups, I've seen quite a few of them and have bred to him twice now.

Any dog like this I'd be proud to own. No need to brag about him, he proves it every time he's in the field. It's quite a site when we run him and my jumpdog deluxe w/ the two of them feeding off each other and hunting hard as all get out.

[windsplitters]

I dont no weather he was the best but I sure liked him. a few years ago one of my hunting buddies had a grade dog at that time thats all we had we did not field trial just hunted he was a exceptional jump dog ran with great speed hunted his but off every time in the field with no reguard for his body when we found out there was a such thing as trials and we could run him in them by single regestering him we thought why not I still remember it like it was yesterday we went to a trial did not no anyone did'nt no the rules or anything about a trial entered him got drawed out standing in the stageing area talking to other handelers listening to them talk about blood lines and such we felt a little out of place expecially when one handeler mentioned he had just bought his dog for $500.00 and what all he clamed his dog could do Mark only had $35.00 in old duffus we turned loose had real good running right away holed the rabbit handeled the dogs turned back loose in a briar thicket so thick that most of the dogs would not even attempt to go in but duffus started in got tangeled up twisted his head to the side and stated pushing his way in you could hear stuff breaking and see his muscels working trying to get in the thick while the other dogs stood with the handelers one handeler looked at duffus grited his teeth and said thats a jumping SOB right their. so when the cast was over the judge read off the score and said the orange collar dog was the winner we didnt even no it was Duffus till we looked at his coller he did not win the whole hunt but did advance that day pretty good for two guys just wanting to run a rabbit and a $35.00 dog. Duffus died a few years ago and is still what we guage our dogs hunt, jump ability and speed to till this day.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

I dont no weather he was the best but I sure liked him. a few years ago one of my hunting buddies had a grade dog at that time thats all we had we did not field trial just hunted he was a exceptional jump dog ran with great speed hunted his but off every time in the field with no reguard for his body when we found out there was a such thing as trials and we could run him in them by single regestering him we thought why not I still remember it like it was yesterday we went to a trial did not no anyone did'nt no the rules or anything about a trial entered him got drawed out standing in the stageing area talking to other handelers listening to them talk about blood lines and such we felt a little out of place expecially when one handeler mentioned he had just bought his dog for $500.00 and what all he clamed his dog could do Mark only had $35.00 in old duffus we turned loose had real good running right away holed the rabbit handeled the dogs turned back loose in a briar thicket so thick that most of the dogs would not even attempt to go in but duffus started in got tangeled up twisted his head to the side and stated pushing his way in you could hear stuff breaking and see his muscels working trying to get in the thick while the other dogs stood with the handelers one handeler looked at duffus grited his teeth and said thats a jumping SOB right their. so when the cast was over the judge read off the score and said the orange collar dog was the winner we didnt even no it was Duffus till we looked at his coller he did not win the whole hunt but did advance that day pretty good for two guys just wanting to run a rabbit and a $35.00 dog. Duffus died a few years ago and is still what we guage our dogs hunt, jump ability and speed to till this day.

Good story, papers dont mean much , especially when ol dufus couldnt read.

[danny vansickle]

WELL,ABOUT 16 YEARS AGO I STARTED RUNNIN BEAGLES WITH TOM FLOYD AND A GUY NAMED MIKE BATES,THEY HAD DOGS AND I WANTED ONE BUT NEVER HAD ANY CASH,I FOUND A LIL TRI COLORED FEMALE PUP RUNNIN AROUND IN A INTERSECTION OF TWO MAIN HIGHWAYS,SO I PICKED HER UP,SHE WAS ABOUT 4 MOS OLD,I TOOK HER OUT WITH TOM AND MIKE A COUPLE TIMES,SHE WOULD HEAR THE DOGS RUNNING AND START WINNING THEN ONE DAY SHE WENT IN THE PACK AND NEVER CAME OUT,SHE GREW TO BE BY FAR THE BEST RABBIT HOUND I EVER DID HAVE,SHE WOULD COME OUT OF THE BRUSH,BLOODY AS HELL,WHEN SHE OPENED HER MOUTH,GET READY,SHE WOULD POP EATHER A RABBIT OR SOMETHING EADIBLE OUT

SEE BACK THEN WE NEVER HAD MONEY FOR SHOCKERS,OF COURSE TOM ALWAYS BLAMED REBA FOR STARTING EVERY DEER RACE,BUT HIS NEVER TURNED THEM DOWN,WE WOULD BEAT THE HELL OUT OF THE DOGS AND YET,THEY WOULD STILL RUN OFF,BUT MAN,WHEN SHE WAS ON A HOT RABBIT,LOOK OUT,FAST AS LIGHTNING AND HAD A CHOP SQUEEL MOUTH THAT WAS HITTIN EVERY BREATH.

OL REBA WOULD HIT OFF GAME ON OCCASION,BUT BUDDY,WHEN SHE WAS ON A RABBIT,THEIR WASN'T A BETTER DOG ON THE GROUND.

[bondsbeagles]

Best one i ever had and still miss bad to this day was a grade copper nose!! He was a brush bustin fool no quit and handled like a dream come true. i ran him with everyone around here and they were all impressed by his hunt desire speed and that machine gun every breath chop. rest of the pack would go around the thick stuff to pick a rabbit up on the other side (not old copper) he didnt care how thick he went where mr bunny went and 99% of the time made it through and stayed in front before the rest took the easy road around lol. Turn him loose off the chain tell him truck he would go and be waitin on the tail gate same in the woods (truck copper and when ya got there he would be.Those on here that know me or old bub reeder will remember him. Hes gone now but bet hes still runnin in dog heaven

[gus]

Admitting that dogs usually improve for several years after they are gone, the best I have hunted was a dog called Burleigh's Dan. He would jump as many rabbits as any and out check other hounds all day. I remember jumping a rabbit that ran off to my left at about the same time the pack jumped and went right. The hounds fell in and circled the rabbit a couple of times before someone killed it. I think they ran for about thirty minutes and not less than fifteen before it was killed. I told one of the hunters who I had just met that I was going to put Dan on the other rabbits track. I hollared "Tally Ho Dan" and Dan came running. I pointed in the direction the rabbit had ran and Dan started searching. Almost immediately I knew he had the line. He trailed silently for about fifty yards when I heard him jump. The other hunter looked at me and said I thought you were crazy when you said you would put Dan on that line. I owned Dan's Daughter, Candy, and she was about as good. She may have been a better jump dog but did not have Dan's speed. If I left her at home it seemed as if there were no rabbits in the county. Take Candy the next week and she would have rabbits running all day long.
Dan was mostly Gay bred with a little Pearson Creek back in his pedigree.
Candy's Bitch line was Grimshaw and Michigan Hare breeding.

[eddywilliams]

I TRIED !!

[hardtack]

i have found that many times when a dog dies it gets about 75 percent better than it really was.

[klrconcrete]

A very close friend of mine (Jim Davis) owned a hound named Muskie Lake Eli, And he is the best gundog I have ever hunted with hands down. He was the dog that I always called the unsung hero he did not have the foot to lead a pack when the conditions were head high, but when it mattered he held many a pack together, the most precise check hound I have ever seen and could run in most all conditions. He died a few years ago and he is still the guage I use for a true gundog.

[Danny King]

Trapper was pretty good. I seen him at barneys maybe 4 years ago might be longer now (Time Passes by so fast) It was hot out I know that and he was as fat as a pig ran alright. but his brother drifter i belive was just as good. you got to remmember most dogs get there grands and all that by the was there handled. now im not saying nothing bad about those dogs or handlers dont want to step on any toes. But to this day 3 dogs have stood out to me and are all dead due to a freak accedent

1 Dog named Bo steve setters from Ky owned him was a champion and lacked a few points to be in the hall of fame in PP Just needed to be certified. when he was young i wouldnt own him but he got his brains and could jump a rabbit anywere, right in front of you and hammer. Best dog Ive ever seen. He got stuck in a drain tile.

2 Sudduths Ms Jim dog i owned best dog ive ever owned needed to be certified to be grand. he got hung up in a fence wire around his leg stayed out all night and 3/4 of a 100 degree day and lived the fence ripped his leg oppen deep 1 week later 2nd in ky 100 degrees out and no wind all but 2 dogs dropped out jim and a dog from ky. ran so hard dogs from mississippi were over heated and laying under the trucks they ran in the heat for 1 hour strait. he died by death of a coon dog. lets say the coon dog didnt get far.

3 Matt Glomski had Dreamboat. what was it 9 mouths open to hall of fame and run off winner. what an awsome dog enough said. he died doing what he does best running a rabbit and hit in the road.

I know people strech the stories about dogs when they die but these are all true dogs that were great.

Danny King

[JAMES ROLLINS]

The best dog ive ever seen run a rabbit was owned by Glennis Hamilton, Browns La Tiny Legs. He was the dog that got me hooked, he is what ive been trying to get. But I havnt even came close!! He could run under any condition, and I have killed a many a rabbit in front of him. He was a pleasure to hunt or field trial

[eddywilliams]

KING ,NO ONE IS STRETCHING THE TRUTH HERE DAILEYS TRAPPER WAS A PRETTY GOOD DOG I DONT REALLY CARE THE ONE I HAD OUT OF HIM WAS A DAM GOOD ONE !!

[Jane]

I'm pretty fortunate. I've only been doing this for a year now and two of my club mates have the #1 13" bitch in Canada (IFC Sullivan's Black Magic) and the #1 15"bitch in Canada (FTCH Bayboy's Snickers). Both honors they have held 2 years running...... I have had great pleasure handling Magic at the Cdn Nats last October. I have alot of catching up to do to keep up with these fellas but it sure is a great pleasure to not only learn from them but to run hounds with them.