dogs blowing up

[PoCo SLUG]

Last year I blow up a pup the first day of rabbit season! I took 3 older dogs and a pup we killed 5 rabbits over her and the older dogs that day! After the 4 the rabbit was killed she was running around barking on every piece of sent she could find! Never did get her right after soloing her before derby season this year! She was a total mouthy bitch! I guess what I am saying is I blew up a dog by killing rabbits over her at a year old and the dogs she was running with she was scoring on for two months?? I say pressure got her. To many firsts on one day.She was sold to a rabbit hunter who is very pleased.

[tom summers]

I will agree with Jim but would like to add that keep in mind dogs like people mature at different rates. Some can take the pressure at at young age others may take another year or so then be fine and never have any problems. I will say if a dog cannot handle it by 3 it more than likely will never take it.That goes back to what Jim said know your breeding.
Tom

[Briarhoppers]

I can tell you from experience the two times I witnessed dogs "blowing up" was with 2 different young males and in both cases it happened when they were put on the ground with a large pack of hard hitting, strong hounds. They simply couldn't handle it - and basically went crazy.

Not sure if young males are more prone to "blow up" but I would suspect this is the case. Also, both of these dogs were about 2 yrs old and doing great running solo, with piers and even with 2 or 3 other mature, solid dogs. But, when they were put on the ground with 8 - 10 strong dogs they just couldn't handle it.

-Pete