New spin on running solo

[Mikka]

Why would I solo when I have good results? I have a very good base as kennel seed and if the adults are that good, who am I to start soloing dogs when they haven't had a chance to be taught by the pack? That is why, I will not get a dog over 6 months and allow it to get in the kennel. First the dog will be from a proven line and will be given time to find its place in the pack. By 9 months, that dog will be running with my adults!

Not sure what the "new spin on solo" is. You don't solo, you think it's a waste of time. You only pack. That's what the other two threads were....did you read them?



The logic is to strengthen the independence of every hound so they are willing to correct their pack mates. Not everything their pack mates will teach them is good. Some of it can be disruptive.

Some guys claim to have dogs that naturally will not be influenced by faulty pack members but I've never owned or seen one. Perhaps only packing and inbreeding is the key because I don't do either one.

I would bet a fortune every dog in your pack is not equal. There are 1-2 that dominate and the rest make minor contributions. I like to call them "me too" dogs. If individual abilities are not important to you then maybe the solo tool serves little purpose for you. You stated you purchased some good dogs, by any chance were any of them solo'd before you purchased them.

I don't know anybody that only solos their dogs it's just a tool. It's the pack only guys that say they would never solo. There are lots of tools out there to hone a dogs skills and solo is just one of them. If you don't want it, don't use it.

I have read 100's of posts on how to "fix" a dog from this or that. The solo tool is often my top choice. Some of you claim to cull every dog that has a fault that can't be fixed with more pack time and maybe that's fine for some, I just don't like to cull dogs that can be " in my mind" fixed with limited efforts.

One last factor that may be getting overlooked is quarry. Many of the pack only guys run exclusively on hare. I run both and I can tell you it's a lot easier to run a big pack on hare than it is on cottontail. Cottontail typically just don't go on long hard runs in the winter months when all the hunting takes place. Spring or summer is different. Hare will run big most anytime and when I run hare every dog we have goes down

Thanks, for this explanation, it now gives me a good base to compare why to solo as opposed to not. I started reading the other post on the subject but it is more of a tussle than real discussions. I like your way of putting it in perspective

[Pine Lakes]

This subject, like so many others in beagling and life, does not have a single answer. Each dog is unique and training techniques do effect their performance. What you expect of your hounds is probably just as an important to ask. Some hounds are overly competative at a young age and need time away from the pack. Some are inclined to be too independent unless they are packed. Some dogs learn that they don't have to hunt if their packmates do. I myself find soloing to be quite boring, but needed by some hounds. I do not think it strengthens a hounds abilities, but I do believe it allows a hounds abilities to "come to light".

How you handle your kennel is a huge factor in how you train your hounds. If you keep 2-4 hounds to run then you can afford to be more patient and give them solo time. If you are like myself that is starting several young dogs, then I will pack them and cull hard. If I get 2-4 really good prospects out of the 10 or so pups, then I'll give them each some solo time to allow them to occasionally "hone" their skills without the competition of a pack. I'm certainly not saying this is the best way, just the best way for me. I don't think that a hound can contribute to a successful pack if it struggles to circle rabbits individually. After they have proven to be effecient at pursuing their game by themselves, then soloing becomes less of a factor to me. After that they either have it or don't.

[Alabama John]

Mikka,

LIke Pilotknob said at first, some of us build for an independent running dog to trial, but, most beaglers are looking for dogs to add to their pack or in better words, their TEAM of hunting dogs that handle, hunt, jump, run, by helping each other for the better good of all.

Finding and culling dogs to get to whatever number you want that will work together hunting and running a rabbit is what we want and no matter how good a particular dog can run solo, it is no good if it does not run and help the pack. let many go that were great by themselves or would be great in anothers pack, but didn't fit mine.

We want to build our team of dogs to be like an Alabama champion football team, each helping the others and we cannot do it by only practicing with the end throwing and catching passes solo.

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

I never run solo/// when I have young dogs thatr need to get work done I may run just 3 or 4 dogs ..my slower ones to allow it more time .but I just don't get to run enough to run solo ..

[Mikka]

That is all very interesting! I believe we do have the new spin! Lots of information for me to analyze and try out. I am not above to come back and say that I was wrong dogs should be ran solo! I just want true facts to mull over and not the " dogs must be run solo to be good because I say so and my father was doing it also! Keep them ideas coming guys and thank you!

[likeemfast]

yep, been real long time