Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

Just curious what criteria does everyone use to know when to start a pup?

Do you use age? Or actions?

IMO, I let the pups actions tell me when to start them, and it is pretty much an individual thing between each separate pup.

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Mercer PA
Posts: 4837

IT depends on what you mean by start?

Here is my take on it. I start my pups from the time I get them to the house. The first part of starting is letting them run and play and experience as much as possible. I let them loose every chance I get and learn what the woods are. I usually spend a good bit of time just taking them for walks in the woods when they are litte. When we start walking in the woods in the day and they start getting to where I have to look for them, I put them up. I try to teach then to lead and load and COME when I call them

I try to show then a caged coon and see what the reaction is. If it is good, I turn it loose and just see what happens. Good bad or indifferent I start taking them at night alone for walks of about an hour right at dark where I know there are lots of coon. I really like to start a pup in the early spring when the leaves are still off. I will set box traps and every one I catch I turn loose and put the pup on the track. Between 8-10 months old I will do this a bunch.

IF they are out there alone I don't really feel like they are ever too young. They are not being pushed by anything and are basically learning at their own pace. IF I have done this 30-40 times by the time the pup is a year old and nothing is happening, we are going to have an issue.

I guess I don't really use age or actions. I have had some very puppy acting puppies still tree coons. I have never really had a dog that I thought "matured" to looks at its actions in the yard until it was over 2.

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Ron Ashbaugh
CROOKED FOOT KENNELS

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Registered: Feb 2008
Location: SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS
Posts: 1451

i agree,i gotta 15 week old pup i been taking hunting with me for for 4 weeks now...at 11 weeks old he stood at the window and barked and raised heck when he seen me loading his 3 yr old half brother so i loaded him up... now every time i strap my lite on he barks and goes crazy so i load him up...little by little hes been venturing out farther with his bro hes got great actions rides and loads in the box like a pro...hes always got his nose on the ground when were hunting... so far he got out around 120 yards according to the garmin each week his hunting circles get bigger...im hoping i dont screw him up taking him so young hes really high strung he acts like a puppy at home with my kids but when we go to the woods hes all buisness...as funny as it sounds it seems like he knows hes supposed to be in the woods at nite...goofy pup sleeps all day then stays up all nite.

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Home of these Hamilton county treeing walkers.
GRCH GRNITECH 'PR' OWEN'S STYLISH NOCTURNAL SHAKER.
And the pup 'pr' Owen's Rock River Ace...

Mike Owen owner/handler. hunting in style (WALKER STYLE)

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

Starting means showing them what game you want them to go after such as exposure to cage coon and running released coons. Now, I just don't do either of each, but use a very specific means of doing both. All of the obedience and handling training while important doesn't qualify as starting them.

#1. I show a dog a cage coon at the very minimum. Once it shows interest that is it. I also only do it with an older dog.

#2. I only let a pup see a coon releashed one time. After that they will not see it released. #1 & #2 are usually done at the same time.

#3. I only use feeders for a very short while too.

#4. Hunting them with another dog is also done at a minimum.

Yes, I could mess with them much more, but I want to know how natural they start. This knowledge is part of the information I will use to choose future breeding stock.

No other opinions????

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

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Registered: Feb 2008
Location: SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS
Posts: 1451

im planning to show my pup a caged coon at 6 months old then i will release one for him if he aint going all the way with the big dog by then...but by his actions so far... i fully expect him to be going all the way with the big dog by 6 months old.

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Home of these Hamilton county treeing walkers.
GRCH GRNITECH 'PR' OWEN'S STYLISH NOCTURNAL SHAKER.
And the pup 'pr' Owen's Rock River Ace...

Mike Owen owner/handler. hunting in style (WALKER STYLE)

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