When are they too old to run?

[PABeagler]

I have a dog that turned 12 in July. When does a dog become too old to run?

[mdbeagler]

When they are unable to do it, every dog is different.

[bmgreen91]

When they die, is when...

[Will05]

I had a female that was running rabbits 2 weeks before she passed away at age 14

[PABeagler]

When you take them out, do you restrict the amount of time they run? I can't imagine letting a dog 12 years old or older run until he wants to quit.

[Will05]

When you take them out, do you restrict the amount of time they run? I can't imagine letting a dog 12 years old or older run until he wants to quit.

my female ran till she was done which at her age was usually only a half day and she was exhausted but we let her tell us when she was done

[Shady Grove Beagles]

Depends on what shape they are currently in and how they've been kept/used during their life.
Some dogs have been kept hard,fed poorely,health care neglected and are all broken down and wore out.Others that have been maintained and kept up can remain in pretty darn good shape up in their later years.
Ever go to any marathons?You'll see lots of older guys running and I DO mean OLDER guys.Of course they aren't still competitive with the much younger runners but they can still run the 26 miles.Obviously they haven't spent their lives smoking ,sitting on the couch watching t.v and drinking a 12 pack.LOL.
I saw Briarpatch Black Magic at 12 years old run hare with 8 hounds that ALL were less than HALF his age.For an hour he led the pack until we shot the hare.After that he was done for the day resting in the box.He still had it but at that age his stamina was gone.

[steve w]

Got a 13 year old here that still wants to go every time, I limit him some but he does a pretty good job at it himself. He knows what he can and can't do and it's pretty amazing when you think about it.

[gfedor]

My female was 11 when she died of heat stroke,dug under fence last year, ran herself during a hot summer day. She was from jack eddy of pa line, a A1 solid gundog, . Before she died, she would and can hunt/run 2xs a week for 6 to 8 hrs. We (my family) miss her every day

[Crow]

My old dog would run once every week or two. She had gotten cold nosed, loose mouthed, & hard headed. I'd just take her out by herself & let her do whatever she wanted. Many times I'd actually sit in the truck & listen to the radio while she blew a hole in the ground. Then other mornings I'd get to enjoy listening to the old gal just relentlessly pound one. She went when she wanted, didn't when she didn't, & did it however she wanted to do it.

[chris83]

Like others have posted until they don't wana run any more, for me once they get retired I turn um loose on the farm if they wana lay on the porch all day or run a rabbit all day don't matter to me its up to them. If they were ever any account and worth a shi! they earned that right imho

[PABeagler]

Steve W. I agree with you when you say that they will tell you. I just want to ensure that I don't let him run too long...

[gun runner]

Like others have posted until they don't wana run any more, for me once they get retired I turn um loose on the farm if they wana lay on the porch all day or run a rabbit all day don't matter to me its up to them. If they were ever any account and worth a shi! they earned that right imho

Chris u nailed it right on the head,if they gave u there best part of there life making u smile,then by god let them go out the way they want to!!!!

[Woody65]

I had a patch female that I got as a pup and the night before she turned 16 I went to the pen to take out the younger dogs and she just begged me to take her with the others, I thought for a min. that it might hurt her but then I decided that was what she enjoyed all her long life and I took her and she lasted about an hour and then came back to me. The next evening on her birthday she died, I have never felt bad about it, she was doing what God made her to do!! I would let them run until they can't! She went out a happy dog and I feel real good about it. woody

[PABeagler]

Guys,

Thanks for the replies. He has been a very good dog, and I want to do right by him.