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When is it time?

I've heard people say on this board that you don't want to or that it can be hurtful to introduce dogs to competition hunting too early. So for you guys with the experience, what do you look for when you have a young dog that helps you decide wether it's time to start entering in some hunts? When do you decide that it time to haul them to town?

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Kaskaskia River Runners

Iraq War Vet 03-04, 05-06
RECON
618-410-3034

Thank You for your service. In my opinion, when your dog pays no attention to other dogs track or tree.

When you can cut that dog with or without company and it will go and get treed with a coon. Whether it’s 7month sold or 17 months old. Some are ready earlier than others and some will never make it.

When to compete

Well I'm gonna take a little different approach to your question, by asking you a question.

How special is this dog to you?? Ask yourself this question.

Am I willing to risk all the hard work I have put into this pup to get it where it is for a cast win?

If the answer is yes, then the above answer is good advice.

But if you would hate to see all your efforts and hard work "possibly" go down the tube just for the sake of your first cast win, may I offer you an option?

For me, I never put a young dog into a comp hunt until it has mentally matured just a bit. Some pups have so much more NATURAL ability than maybe the do physical/mental maturity.

Pups like that are a real joy to own, but you can really set back a pup loaded full of natural ability, but maybe lacking some physical/mental maturity by turning them loose in a cast with a 3-4 year old NATURAL ALLIGATOR that chews on them real bad before anyone can get to the tree and stop whats going on. That can really mess with a YOUNG dogs mental ability to hang treed from that point on with a physically rough tree dog. It doesn't ruin them all, but it will ruin some, and you must then decide when the reward is worth the risk.

For me, I like to hold off till my young dog is 20 months old or more before subjecting them to that potential danger but that is just me, as I have NO desire to hunt the money hunts where dogs are hunted by age groups.

Enjoy your hound, and enjoy the hunts, no matter what you decide to do. At least you have a couple perspectives to consider before jumping in. Good Luck!!

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Rocketman55.........

Excellent post and advise!

I might add that if you've not been to a competition coon hunt before, find a couple near you and go see if you can tag along as a spectator BEFORE you enter your dog in one. You just may find it's not for you or your dog! A really good pleasure dog is not necessarily a good competition dog. Many hounds that excel in competition would be no pleasure to hunt for most pleasure hunters I know!

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Dan

Off subject but still kinda on is to know rules nothing worse than not being able to give you dog a fair chance by not knowing rules. Go to few hunts see what cast winning dog operates like compare it to yours. Also find some club hunts to enter maybe but beware you draw more young dogs that's just being tested and more likely to be trashy. Best way is find season comp hunter get few guys and have a mock hunt of your own.

Great post above. Ability can get you a win maturity will give you consistancy that will keep you winning.

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Bayou Creek Black and Tan’s

Nathan Phenix
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Thanks for all the advise. This is my first coonhound, so I was trying to gather some more thoughts from experienced people on when and why they decided to take the dog. I have been to a few hunts and tagged along. I have been reading up on my rule books. My hound is a late bloomer, most likely from my inexperience. But he is consistently treeing now with the meat. I am a firm believer that when you get a dog regardless of what it is you use it for that purpose. You don't get a coonhound to say you have a coonhound you get it to let it do what it is supposed to do. I am pretty sure that I am going to wait it out and hunt him for another year steady before I give him a go just so that he is fully ready to go.

__________________
Kaskaskia River Runners

Iraq War Vet 03-04, 05-06
RECON
618-410-3034