Fisher13
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Dec 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2027 |
"Its genetic! You can't Fix it!"
As I sit here relaxing and enjoying the steaming hot cup of coffee on this raining Sunday morning. Somehow a cup of coffee and rainy mornings seem to be so very fitting of each other. I can't help but use this break from the hectic schedules that so often becomes burdensome, to take some time to reflect. I thought I would take some time to reflect on why I coon hunt.
I so often hear in this world of coon hunting, a statement that I believe sells many of our abilities, and intelligence as houndsmen,hunters, trainers and our beautiful coon hound breeds short. The statement that is often used describing a dog that may have been a prized hound if not for a glaring fault, that a hunter was unable to break. This statement or mindset is as the title of this post states " Its genetics! It can't be fixed." I've heard this statement in many different forms when 2 hunters discuss a problem hound and how to resolve the problem at hand.
It seems that many hunters that I know have sold or culled a dog for issues that with today's understanding of dogs can be broke or fixed if the time and energy is put into the dog.
Keep in mind I am talking about hunting and training, not breeding. I believe very firmly that a breeder needs to and should be extremely picky about what they have chosen to breed. That being said, I believe there are a certain large percentage of pups that are culled,sold,given up on for a glaring fault. Under the predisposition that " Its genetic and it can't be fixed"
I recently remember reading about a dog, that has won a number of major events, and in the interview the handler described how he acquired the hound. She was sold to him because she refused to hunt by herself. A fault many hunters would cull for. While reading this article it dawned on me how important this hound was to the owner, and reading between the lines a little, you could tell there was a wonderful bond between the handler and hound. I thought to myself what a great Cinderella story for the hound and handler. The hound once somebodies cull is now winning national events. As I was reading this article it became quite clear the bond between handler and the hound was quite unique and strong, and I thought to myself well isn't this what coon hunting is all about. The bond between hunter and hound. I wish I could remember the name of the hound and hunter, but unfortunately I do not. None the less I would venture to guess this bond wasn't formed because the hound was the perfect hound, or the perfect dog, but because the hound had a handler/trainer that understood her, and knew how to mold,shape, and bring out the best in her. Even though this process was long, and I'm sure filled with highs and lows, and many nights of frustration when progress was not as quickly as obtained as the handler might have preferred. However even on these nights the handler had the foresight and wisdom to keep his eye on the end results, instead of the immediate disappointments in front of them. This is where I believe many hunters in today's society fall short, and in doing so seem to miss the whole point of being a houndsmen. For it was in those bad nights, and in the hours of hard work, careful instruction, patience, determination, and understanding that a bond was formed. A bond that can't be taking away or broke by a bad night or another hunters slanderous words.
I have found in my limited experience with hounds that even though they are just dogs. That each hound is its own individual, and each hound in order to reach its full potential needs a caring, understanding and patient trainer. Yes some may finish at a faster pace then others, but really is that why coon hunt? To have a dog that starts quickly and finishes even faster? Or is it to own a hound where the bond is something unexplainable, something that only another houndsmen can understand. If these are our goals then why do so many of us sell ourselves short and the influence we can have our hounds. Why do we so easily throw our hands up in defeat and simply say "it's genetics it can't be fixed" After all isn't bringing up a pup more about the process, the journey, seeing the hound progress, and mature. So I must ask wonder why so many of us are so eager to write a pup off or give up on a started pup, that we once had such high hopes for. I would venture to say it may be because our human nature, and our ambitions or the "need it now" mentality that is so common in our society. Or maybe it's just the plain fatigue, and countless hours that it takes to mold a hound, and with so many other obligations outside of hunting that wear us down and beat us up. Whatever the reasons, I feel that giving up on a pup should never be decided after a bad night or on an impulse or whim, but is a decision that should be decided over the course of several weeks and or months.
So if your sitting there reading this, and feel like this describes your recent luck in hunting and training pups, I challenge you to remember why we do what we do. It's not to have the best hound, or be the biggest winner it's about the dogs, the process, and the bond that is formed from the countless hours it takes. So the next time you have a string of bad luck or the results aren't how you pictured, remember it's in those nights and countless hours that the magic happens. Even though it's exhausting, trying and filled with disappointments, it's the process that makes it worth while. As for that pup that your working on even though he isn't much now, he may be able to teach you a thing or 2 about dogs and yourself. Just maybe some day may bring a smile to your face and to me that's why I coon hunt. 
Last edited by Fisher13 on 08-17-2014 at 07:38 PM
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08-17-2014 04:05 PM
