Big Dogs .Just curious ?

[Joseph J Murphy]

just curious how many people feel like they lost a cast because the other dog had a size advantage.If so how many times has that happened to you ?I starting running ARHA in 1992 when I lived in Memphis,tenn . I have ran a lot of places in a lot of different conditions .I have been beat by bigger dogs plenty of times.However, I have never felt like it was due to the dog having a size advantage.
This thread is not to debate sportsmanship or how measuring should be done,the breed standard or any of that.I really dont care about any of that .If you feel like size beat you it doesn't even mean that I think you are wrong.I am simply curious how many people think that size plays a big role in trials and how often it has hurt you since you started trialing .Thanks
J Murphy

[bigdogs0074]

I have never lost due to size. I have lost to better dogs. If I get beat I just got beat.

[allniter]

It depends on the area that you are running --in open running the longer legged dog will out run your 12 1/2 beagle --in a thicket or any big briar or vines
your smaller dog that will go through and the big dog don't skirt the little dog will do better

[jim matuszewski]

It depends on the area that you are running --in open running the longer legged dog will out run your 12 1/2 beagle --in a thicket or any big briar or vines
your smaller dog that will go through and the big dog don't skirt the little dog will do better

great point here also snow depth to a point a bigger dog will hold up better in deep snow ,I do agree bigger dogs will skirt thick cover more than a smaller dog

[holeshot kennel]

a rabbit dog is a rabbit dog no matter what size and we score jumps and checks not speed so i dont care if i have the fastes dog.dogs run a rabbit with brains,nose and heart not leg size but rules are rules and to those that think "whats an 1/8 or 1/4 over hurt?" well if a judge gives 28 pts for a jump strike and says "whats 12 pts" you would be furious.ive been beat but size had nothing to do with it jmo

[Kirby49]

But rules are rules I agree

[Joseph J Murphy]

We used to run a 12 inch f that MyBeagles sold us.Ran her in open country a bunch and still never felt like she was beat due to her size but maybe I am wrong.Again this post has nothing to do with the rules.I am not necessarily even talking about dogs that are over 15 inches.I am just curious how many people think that another's dog's size beat them and a rough idea of how many times it has played a role.That is why I didn't post this in the " How bad you wanna win thread " As I stated in my post I am not even trying to get into all that drama. I can see both sides of that issue.Jim I can see in an area where there is deep snow that it could make a big difference.
Allniter,,thanks for responding to my post .So many times has another dogs size caused you to lose or if you run dogs closer to the size limit how many times has size caused you to win ?

[jim matuszewski]

We used to run a 12 inch f that MyBeagles sold us.Ran her in open country a bunch and still never felt like she was beat due to her size but maybe I am wrong.Again this post has nothing to do with the rules.I am not necessarily even talking about dogs that are over 15 inches.I am just curious how many people think that another's dog's size beat them and a rough idea of how many times it has played a role.That is why I didn't post this in the " How bad you wanna win thread " As I stated in my post I am not even trying to get into all that drama. I can see both sides of that issue.Jim I can see in an area where there is deep snow that it could make a big difference.
Allniter,,thanks for responding to my post .So many times has another dogs size caused you to lose or if you run dogs closer to the size limit how many times has size caused you to win ?

I really don't pay much attention to size really. I agree a rabbit dog is a rabbit dog,just that up here in the middle of winter or spring this year the snow wears the smaller dogs down faster,some winters worse than others

[Joseph J Murphy]

Yeah that makes a lot of sense.I have ran in more than 3 inches of snow maybe two or 3 times in my life.I can't even imagine being out there in two foot of the stuff.

[NorWester1]

I've found it the opposite in deep snow.....the bigger dogs blaze trail, smaller ones have no trouble keepin pace in that stuff.
On some of the crust days the little ones stayed up better while the bigger ones were gassing hard breaking thru and climbing out constantly.
I've always preferred bigger dogs but this winter ran mostly smaller dogs in deep snow and I'm convinced the bigger dog thing is an urban myth of sorts.

[jim matuszewski]

I've found it the opposite in deep snow.....the bigger dogs blaze trail, smaller ones have no trouble keepin pace in that stuff.
On some of the crust days the little ones stayed up better while the bigger ones were gassing hard breaking thru and climbing out constantly.
I've always preferred bigger dogs but this winter ran mostly smaller dogs in deep snow and I'm convinced the bigger dog thing is an urban myth of sorts.

few things to pick at you a bit here keith keeping pace is not setting the pace ,blazing the trail by the big dog is kind of what I see with bigger stronger dogs the smaller dogs slot in behind,smaller dogs will stay up on the crust better,like isaid earlier in post I really don't get hung up on dog size but I prefer one right at the 15 limit

[NorWester1]

Thats true Jim, the bigger dog will set the pace for a while......but theyll wear down plowing snow sooner or later and then any dog that has had the trail blazed for them regardless of size will be fresher and have a chance.
Over the last few years Ive gone from all big dogs, 15 inch plus to smaller dogs gradually. Didnt plan it that way....just how it worked out. With what Ive experienced the little ones dont wear out any faster than the big ones..... and in fact have shown several advantages.
Dont get me wrong.....would love all mine to be 17 inches at the shoulder or bigger....but again, it just hasnt worked out that way. Seems Im destined to be keeping small, miserable, ugly little dogs

Sorry to the OP for getting the thread off topic here.

[lebro]

i dont think size wins. a really good big dog just catches everyones eye. do you think when size and age are in together who is better as they get some age on them.

[kjohn2hunt]

My male's will pull my 13 females guts out on a big running rabbit. The judge gets big eyes and thinks the dog up front is the best dog and the little dog gets beat every time. Why do you think its so hard to sell a 13 inch male. If you are running 13 midwest and like it then you will buy the 13 inch dog. But little pack you better not bring a pony to the race. I have beat big dog with my little females but it was small running rabbits in thick cover everytime, they never got up and pounded.

[Joseph J Murphy]

No problem Norwester. I don't have any experience on deep snow so I like hearing about it.Its on my bucket list to make it to the Canadian Nationals one year and hang out with the Newfies.Dont know if I will ever actually make it.