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-- The thing about track dogs......... (http://forums.ukcdogs.com/showthread.php?threadid=439941)

quote:

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Originally posted by josh
Geeze Rip, I thought this whole discussion was about dogs that are on the same track in the same area conistantly treeing ahead of other dogs.

Muddying the water with scenarios where we dont know the whole story is a poor way to judge anything.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Rip
So you are saying the dog that goes around the edge of a cornfield and never tracks a coon but checks trees until he finds one with hot scent on it is a good track dog? He can't be, he can be a coondog but if he doesn't track he can't be a trackdog. That style of dog exists, and does very well in thick coon at treeing alot of coon in a short amount of time, but he didn't track a lick.

Same thing for the track switching dog that can't really track, but will boo hoo on one til it gets a hot one and trees the hot one. Not really good at tracking, but is good about getting a coon treed.

Same thing for coon smart dogs I just talked about above. Maybe not the best trackdog in the bunch but can definately be the best coondog. Same can be said for a hard hunting dog in thin coon that gets more coon treed. Maybe he can't track good but he makes up for it by being wired 440 and making things happen.

Tracking is one component, and there are way too many variables to try and claim just cause one dog consistantly trees alot of coons it's a great track dog.

That would be the same as saying squirrel dogs are better track dogs than Mt Lion dogs, cause they tree way more squirrels than the Mt Lion dog did. I would think a dog that can track and tree a day old Mt Lion track in the dessert is a better track dog than my yorkiepom that trees squirrels by sight but trees a ton here in the back yard LOL.

The arguement is the same.

So if you are willing to claim that the dog that trees the most coon is a better track dog then you have to say that my yorkiepom lap dog is a great track dog.

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Well that wasn't how I took Jim's question.

I took Jims question to mean that a dogs that tree more coon and more first trees are automatically better track dogs.

That's why I was saying there are too many variables. Coon population, kittens vs old coons, cold vs hot tracks, track switching, coon sense, home turf vs unknown area etc.

I do agree that it CAN mean that, but by the same token a pretty poor track dog can be the one that trees the most coons on any given night and the best COONDOG in the bunch can be the worst track dog in the bunch if that makes sense.

It's easier to judge if you have dogs running the same track then yes I would think the majority of the time the dog that gets the coon treed first is the better track dog, but you still have hitchikers.

I have been very careful here to keep tracking separate from the term "coondog" cause just cause you have a great trackdog doesn't mean you got a coondog, and vice versa, you can have a good coondog that isn't a good trackdog but makes up for it in other ways by having coon sense, knowing to go on and find a track it can handle or hunting hard enough to make up for the lack of tracking ability.

Lots of things go into making a coondog, lots of things to consider when talking about each aspect too, treeing or tracking.

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Let's go huntin

Rip, since your a Doc, let me ask you a question. What would you think about someone that always had a kinda fast heart rate their whole life. You know, always about 90 or 100. At rest. Then inside of about 1 month it slowed down all of a sudden. Down to about 65 or something. No change in meds, nothing. And sometimes now their heart kinda flutters and beats funny in their chest. Not really hurting, just strange feeling. what ya think?

I think whoever that is needs to be checked out by someone in person and not over a computer LOL.

Seriously, if there is any question about that just go to your doc and let him/her work it up. It could be a bunch of things, some of them even GOOD (if it were due to weight loss and being in better shape that would be good), but some of them could be bad, such as funny rhythms that need to be controled with medication.

The only way to know is to be seen in person and have the proper tests run.

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Let's go huntin

I think there is aso merit to what truely mentioned earlier in this tread about locating ability being somewhat different than tracking ability....Its tough to completely seperate them tho.

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Bad decisions make good stories.

As a rule if dog A consistently trees ahead of dog B, in my opinion dog A is the better trackdog. When I say trees ahead, I don't mean trees more coon, I mean trees first and is followed by dog B. I've always figured they have to be able to run a track to find the correct tree. I guess you could have an great track dog that was a terrible locating dog a he could get beat to a tree by a great locating dog.

I never felt I needed another dog to let me know how good a track dog I had. I'd like to think after 25yrs of coonhunting I can tell what type of track dog I had fast or slow. If the dog is an open trailer I'll figure out how good a track dog I have.

Saying that chop mouthed dogs are faster is like saying all walkers slick tree too much, all blue are slow trailers and all redbones are mean, not real smart.

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Being stupid is a combination of trial and error. Mostly error!

quote:

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Originally posted by josh
I think there is aso merit to what truely mentioned earlier in this tread about locating ability being somewhat different than tracking ability....Its tough to completely seperate them tho.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Baldwin
Rip, since your a Doc, let me ask you a question. What would you think about someone that always had a kinda fast heart rate their whole life. You know, always about 90 or 100. At rest. Then inside of about 1 month it slowed down all of a sudden. Down to about 65 or something. No change in meds, nothing. And sometimes now their heart kinda flutters and beats funny in their chest. Not really hurting, just strange feeling. what ya think?

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

As far as track dogs, if I have only learned one thing over the years, it is never judge a dog on 1 night's performance. In fact, I prefer to hunt with a dog a whole lot before I ever offer my point of view on what the dog may or may not be doing.

Nine times out of ten if I say a dog is a fast track dog I am basing that decision on nights when kittens are moving, soy bean and corn fields in early August, a fall night after the frost has come down, and many a nights in January and February that are not above 25 degrees.

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

Track dogs

Good reads

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