Starting pen, Need opinions!!

[BriarCreekBeagles]

I am planning on putting in a starting pen to start my pups when i start up my brreding program. I am also thinking about advertising to let guys bring there dogs and leave for me to run, Should I let pups run on there own or take them out and run them in the pen (about 4.5 acres) or both and for how long during each session. If I keep pups for a month what is the maximum # of pups i should let run at one time, should I run them early in the mornin or at night or both, and last but not least how much should i charge? I ain't looking to get rich just support my hound habit and offer a few guys a fair and reasonable resource and get to watch some young hounds come on. A few guys told me varing cost from 20$ a week to 125$ a month, like i said i don't want rob anybody but i don't want to go broke either.
All advice and opinions will be pondered and appreciated.
Thanks, Kris at Briar Creek Beagles, Pike County IN

[BriarCreekBeagles]

BTT

[Gang]

First off your going to end up hating most of your buddies. You WILL be taken advantage of. You need completely seperate kennels away from your hounds unless you can trust everyone not to bring you sick hounds. (You can't) You'll end up with pen barkers, hounds you can't touch let alone catch, hounds that tear up your pens and escape every time you turn your head. Someone will expect you to replace their fine hound they dropped off for you to start that chewed through your new running pen fence and chased all your neighbors cows until he shot it while you were at work. The police will be called out and issue you a ticket for noise again while your at work. This is just a starting list of normal things that will happen but is not limited to the above list. (LOL) I'm really not trying to discourage you even though it may sound that way. I'm just giving you the cold hard facts about starting pups. I charge $50.00 to start a pup, most will start in at least 3 trips. (MOST) When they bark while trailing a rabbit you have fulfilled your obligation. I usually go much further than that though and normally send home pups that can run a rabbit fairly well. You'll need a pup starter, an older slower female with a little attitude works best for me. You'll also want to keep her away from your other hounds, I've had better luck kenneling her with the pups so she can socialize with them and establish pecking order at all times. You won't want one that will play with them at all, your much better off with a female that pays them no attention while in the field and will actually scold them for the nonsense. I usually only take two into the pen at a time, once one of them starts then I take the older hound out and use the pup to start the others. I never turn them loose in the pen on their own until they are running fairly well. I want them to learn to work with humans and not just go off and do their own thing. (The owners will thank you later) I've only worked with a couple that were here more than a week, so thats a good thing. The pups will smell rabbit better in the mornings or after you get dew at night, I prefer mornings so I can watch everything thats happening, but will give them time whenever I can. I love working with pups and seeing that switch click on, but it's not easy and your hounds will suffer from lack of running time. If your just trying to help pay for your habit I hear Home Depot pays part time help pretty good. (LOL) Oh, one more thing, you don't want your starting pen anywhere around your kennel. The hounds will go crazy everytime you go out with pups ecspecially if any of them have actually been in the pen, they know whats going on and they want to go too. Good luck in your endeavor, it's really a blast if your a patient being. WAYNE

[long swamp]

Gang told it just like it is. I have a running pen and I couldn't have said it any better.

[BriarCreekBeagles]

Still looking for mor input Guys Thanks