Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Indiana SE
Posts: 5

What do you all think is the best age to start a pup? And how long would you hunt with another dog before hunting on their own?

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Northwest Arkansas
Posts: 924

It depends on what kind of training you are doing. I don't think it is ever too early to take them into the woods, just so they can learn to get around. One of my best starting pups I took at 6 weeks and by 3 months she was running a track and was getting better everynight until she was poisoned in the pen. Boy was I mad. You got to be careful taking a very young one to the woods because you don't want it to get whooped by another dog or the coon. A lot of factors should go into that decision. Good luck AND HAPPY HUNTING

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Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 2760

depends on the pup.........

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Mercer PA
Posts: 4837

I think of the choices your gave in your poll, I personally wouldn't run a young dog at night at an age younger than 6 months. I think they are just too little and too goofy at that time to keep up with the other dogs. There are lots of other things you can do at the age before 6 months to get the dog ready for hunting. Like ringtail said, depends on the dog.

As far as how long to run with the old dog, if you live in an area with thin coons, I would say run him with them till the young dog is striking with the old dog and at the tree when you get there. After that, hunt them by themselves.

If the coon are thick, and you think there is a good chance of the dog running across a track by itself, hunt it by itself half the time. it might suprise you.

Regardless of what you do with your pup, the one thing I have for sure learned is that pups don't get any better sitting at home waiting till conditions are perfect to get them out and hunt them. When they are old enough put them in the woods as often as you can. Doesn't have to be all night, but get them out there and learning. If it is in there, it will come out. Cream always rises to the top.

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Last edited by Ron Ashbaugh on 11-04-2004 at 12:07 AM

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 2162

There is no best age. You have to be able to judge a pups readiness. If you try to force things on them before they are ready, you'll likely do more harm than good.

The only exception I'll make is this. It's never too early to work on the basics. By this, I mean teach them to lead, teach them to listen, expose them to fences, creeks, etc.

Never try to force-train a pup because you've read or heard that they should be doing so-and-so at such-and-such an age.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Holden, MO
Posts: 408

Good point Honalieh. Every pup is a bit diferent. I would say, if I had to state and actual month of age, 6months. I have some I've started a bit earlier but they had a good head and were already big well built pups. I have also been working my pups totaly alone too. I do sometimes if it is their first time take my patterdale terrier alone to get them fired up and excited on the cage. But other than that I work a dog totaly solo until I think it is 100% self sufficiant. I want them to learn to find and tree their own coons. Not that useing an older dog is wrong. It does work well for getting one pointed in the right direction but I don't use them for trainers. I use cages for a few times then start hunting them as many nights a week as possible.
As far as the young age again. It is always good to get as much in as possible when their young and vulnerable. All your basics, Loading, leading, comming, fencing. Those should be done as soon as you can. But actualy getting them in the woods and on coons should wait awhile. At a young age they can't keep up real well with the older dogs, and. If you get some big boar out and it happens to latch onto that pup "not always but sometimes" you stand a chance of breaking it "Off" of coons. Kind of like a dog getting stomped by a bull. He's not going to get under his feet again......
I could be wrong it wouldn't be the first time but thats my jist about it.

Marty

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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Hills, Ia
Posts: 214

My older brother used to train dogs so I've been talking to him alot about my dog since it is my first one and I'm not real sure of training one and he told me to start working him with a coonhide but very little because in his experience it was really easy to over work a pup with a hide same with caged coon but to start taking him into the woods with older dogs when he is about 5 months old for about an hour a night so he doesn't get burned out every time and just want to quit. He also said that it doesn't have to be everynight, it can be a few times a week at first and then progress to more nights and as he gets older take him for longer periods and go form there. He also told me to take him to alot of different environments so he will be used to them. I know everyone does it their own way but this worked well for him.
When I got my pup he was 12 weeks old and the guy we got him from gave us a live coon to work with another dog my little brother has, just for fun, we took my pup out to the coon and he didn't have much interest in it, all he did was sit there and take a crap. He will be 4 months old this friday so I think we're going to start working with him more and see what happens.
~Rachel

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Jacksonville,Nc
Posts: 1000

best to carry the pup when it starts to range more around the yard and in the woods.that would give me and idea if he/she can stay with the older dogs.good slow pup trainer is the best med to long range depending on the track.

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Registered: Apr 2004
Location: St.Paris Ohio
Posts: 211

i alwas start tacking at 6 mon and if the just stay with me il take them and put them up for couple weeks to month than take them agian when they start going hunting ill hunt them couple times a week but dont hunt them to much becase u can burn the gears out of them if ur not careful

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: East Texas
Posts: 3970

Wait until the pup is Mature, eneough, and dont burn him out,
I wouldnt start hunting the pup by himself, until he starts striking ahead of the Older hound, or split treeing from them ocasionally.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 4312

quote:

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Originally posted by ringtail
depends on the pup.........

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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Hills, Ia
Posts: 214

I took a dead coon out to my 4 month pup earlier today and let him mess with it some, he sniffed it alot and kept attacking the tail. I think when I tried to work with him in the yard he had too many distractions with all the other dogs barking and such but it was fun to watch him anyway. He did sniff the trail where I had drug the coon but only for a little bit then he would run off to the other dogs. I think for now I might try to work with him away from all the other dogs so he isn't being distracted and once he's a little older I won't worry about the distractions so much.
~Rachel

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Trussville, Alabama
Posts: 532

show mine a tail at a young age, for a short time, just to see how he reacts..then move up to a dead coon at around 4 months to check reaction and i'll put the pup up..5 1/2 to 6months I'll ease him to the woods one time, very careful not to let him get in to trouble, to see if he wants to go. If he's shown good positive interest, then I'll still be feeding him at 7 to 8 months and I'll start taking him regular to hunt with old dogs and by his self, and turn out some cage coon...If he dont show good steady foward progress thru out the process, I'll give him to a good home.....

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Holden, MO
Posts: 408

The wifes pup (6 months the 29th of this month) got her second caged coon tonight. We let her work the cage for a minute then latched her up and turn the coon out. We hold them and let it get a good head start before we turn them loose. Well she done everything perfect, Again. So after wards we figured what the heck lets hit the timber with her just too see. Since she seams to have good smarts about it. We weren't there 2 minutes before she ..Opened.. I thought No way. But sure enough proly 2 or 3 minutes later she was ..Treed.. I patted her up more than I'd patted one up in a long time. I made sure she got to taste it too by golly I was very proud of her. We usualy just start pups about her age but she's so advanced with her mentality. So yes. All pups are diferent as to when they come around. And of course the wifes has to be an early bloomer. Now I get too hear "My dog's awsome" until atleast christmas.


Lovin Those English Dogs

Marty

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