Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 1108

I see this term used quite a bit and I'm not sure I know exactly what it means. Please share your definition. I'm pretty sure I prefer a trailing type dog but what I consider one may be different than what is meant today. Thanks.

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Tom Wood

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It means they trail to much and stay on the ground longer than they need to most of these dogs are common type track dogs but some can trail up a coon when others can't tree one. The problem seems to find one that doesn't trail when they shouldn't be a top Hunter told me 30 years ago a dog shouldn't get down and trail unless they have to

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Registered: Sep 2019
Location: North Texas
Posts: 28

A dog that gives a lot of mouth on track and does not move a track or cover much distance very fast while trailing. They tend to straddle, run tight to the line, or struggle through rough spots on most tracks. Rarely fall treed or tree layups without trailing first. They seem to enjoy barking on a trail and do not seem interested in running to catch. I’ve seen quite a few of these type of dogs that can sure enough tree Coons consistently. They are typically accurate with very few slick trees. They tend to look better hunted alone and/or as pleasure dogs. I see them as a traditional type of hound. Steady Eddy type dogs.

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Leon

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
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Well I can see my definition is different than what maybe most people mean when they say trailing type dog. I always thought a trailing type dog was the dog that took the first track he came to, had the nose and brains to take that track out and tree the tree the coon was in. I thought the other kind of dog looked for a hotter track that maybe could be treed easier and quicker.

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Tom Wood

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quote:

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Originally posted by Preacher Tom
Well I can see my definition is different than what maybe most people mean when they say trailing type dog. I always thought a trailing type dog was the dog that took the first track he came to, had the nose and brains to take that track out and tree the tree the coon was in. I thought the other kind of dog looked for a hotter track that maybe could be treed easier and quicker.

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Clarksville, AR
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I think my definition and yours are about the same Tom. Problem is, too many folks manipulate terminology to avoid admitting a dog's faults. When I call one a "trailing type dog", it means he/she can move a coon track out of (or through) any terrain or conditions, and correctly locate the tree where its sitting in a timely manner.

But to a dog salesman that doesn't wanna admit faults in what he's peddling, it sounds better to call a dog that spends too much time on the ground a "trailing type dog". Just like when they call a slick treeing idiot a "powerful/explosive treedog". To me, that should mean a dog that puts on a show when he parks, straight up, machine gun mouth, no chewing flipping or fighting. But when someone is trying to unload one, that's usually code for a stiff neck special.

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Registered: Jan 2006
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My idea is the same as Mr woods and Cory's but when I read about a trailing type dog I figure it's a common dog a good dog like Mr woods Described is hard to find

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Registered: May 2016
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My feeling on this is that dogs have one of two preferences. You cut one loose and they go looking for a track to run and then tree the coon they are running. The other style dog goes looking for a tree to tree and will run some just before it trees. The running type dog is preferred in thick heavy woods where coon aren't setting up around fields and in small acre blocks of woods. They have to go hunting find a track and work it out to find the coon. The treeing type dog learns to run edges of fields and hustle down trails and through small blocks of woods looking for what appears to be a hotter track to tree.

Always seemed common for the dog that has more track ability to be accurate. Dogs just looking to tree seem to miss more. Across this country there are places to hunt that prefers one style of dog over the other.

Let me describe what a young hound dog that prefers to tree looks like down here in the swamps. Seen it many times. You cut two young dogs loose They don't say nothing on track but one hits on a tree and the other one trees right behind it. Those two dogs were going through the woods together, looking for a tree to tree up. Not a track to run. It depends on where you live that allows you to enjoy one type of hound over another one. Both have their place and yes there is a difference. In these swamps a dog that goes looking for a tree. Usually doesn't work out. One that goes looking for a coon and finds its track and can work that track to the right tree. Is the one your looking for. One like that which can tree a layup if he comes across it is even better. Note, I said comes across it, not skipping tracks to find a layup. I have hunted 50+ years and over the years a person learned what bloodline produced which type of hounds. Today it appears our lines of hounds are getting as confusing as election results. Most of our larger hunts are hunted where a slide through the woods find a tree type of hound works better. If more hunts were in deep swamps, not just deep swamps in some spots but from the time you turned loose. You would find more dogs had to be a trailing type hound. Don't need a trailing dog around the edge of a cornfield.

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I prefer a dog that trees as a last resort. Meaning no track to run. I said run not just trail. All of these words we use to describe our dogs can have many different meanings. I want my dog to move every track it starts as fast as they can, with as few mistakes as possible.

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I’ve got one right now. She’s a trailing dog that will tree. She don’t want to tree but will. Works well for my area in winter months. I’ve got 3 kids and a pretty good size service buisness so it’s often late before I can get to the woods. You need a good chair to hunt her. I hunted her for a entire month late in the night last winter and only had her make one slick. The down side is I’ve had her stay on the ground for a 5 hours one night. I’ve never had to scold her for slick treeing because she don’t want to tree anyway. She trees cause she has no other choice. You can pull her off a tree with silly string. Most confuse a tree dog that will trail with trailing type dog.

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Registered: Nov 2011
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Strange how hunters describe things so differently

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quote:

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Originally posted by 2ol2hunt
Strange how hunters describe things so differently

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Your dog is my kind of dog, I LOVE an accurate dog and HATE a slick treeing dog. I do not mind listening to a dog trail knowing that when it trees that the coon is there. Coons are worthless these days, but accuracy is a MUST for me. I love hearing a dog trail and love hearing them tree knowing they got the meat. Nothing enjoyable in walking to a slick tree, especially in these steep mountains. I will not hunt a dog that misses regularly no matter how stylish they may be otherwise. Accuracy foremost is my measuring stick and I refuse to hunt slick treeing idiots. Dave

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To me a trailing type dog doesn't mean it's a complete ground pounder booticking its way through the timber on a track. It means it prefers to have a track to run vs trying to tree layups. And it seems everyone has a "good" layup dog until you hunt with it. It's much easier to breed for trailing ability vs layup ability. A true trailing type dog is a track driver that can get way out in front of the other dogs on most tracks. But hey its all opinion based.

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Not too long ago I messaged a man that has one of the top young dogs around. Has won a truck and a lot of cash. I'm hoping to get a pup out of this dog. I wanted to know more about how the dog operated. His answer to me was "He's just a dog that trees coon". Maybe the most honest answer I've ever had to that question. And seeing that we all tend to have a different definition of so many terms, maybe the only answer he could give me. Now other people have told me about the dog and I've heard nothing but good.

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Tom Wood

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Not too long ago I messaged a man that has one of the top young dogs around. Has won a truck and a lot of cash. I'm hoping to get a pup out of this dog. I wanted to know more about how the dog operated. His answer to me was "He's just a dog that trees coon". Maybe the most honest answer I've ever had to that question. And seeing that we all tend to have a different definition of so many terms, maybe the only answer he could give me. Now other people have told me about the dog and I've heard nothing but good.

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Tom Wood

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I liked that comment, if he is a dog that just trees coons, he is doing the right things. Treeing coons is the most important thing a coon dog can do in my opinion. I love an accurate coon dog. Dave

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Dave Richards Treeing Walkers Reg American Saddlebred and Registered Rocky Mt. Show Horses

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Registered: Dec 2003
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Very true... this is a sum zero game... either you are treeing coons regularly or you are not. A lot of dissecting can go into how they are doing it, or why they are not doing it.... but that will always be the bottom line- are you looking at coons in trees with a dog underneath that tree more often than not.

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A good balanced hound is a beautiful thing to listen to but then again I guess it depends on what you think balanced means.

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I think it is important to understand the characteristics of the different bloodlines. That makes choosing what bloodline you will get a pup from easier.

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Registered: Jun 2006
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I want one looking to get Treed not looking for any old track. if i wanted to listen to a track dog i would hunt a beagle or coyote dog. and mine will tree them in Michigan and the South Carolina swamps.
but that's the kind i like to each there own.

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Registered: Feb 2012
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When I get to the tree I'm going to kill something so that dog better never miss. Lol
I hate slick treeing and ground pounding both so to much of either and I'm getting a new dog.

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Registered: Feb 2007
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To me a trailing type hound was one that worked a track with its nose on the ground going everywhere the coon had went right up to the base of the tree the coon was in, checked for a track going away from that tree and if there wasn’t one they stayed there. A winding type, or drifting type track dog was different in that there want the way the scent was going and was at and went after it.

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To me, it just means the dog works a track. Some do it well. Some do it poorly.

Track it up, and tree at the end of the track. If they tree at the end of the track, they will have a coon (otherwise it's not the end of the track).

A trailing type of dog can be wide open, and it can be tight mouth. How much they bark isn't the determining factor. A real open trailing type of dog can sound ugly in real thick terrain. Just like we can't walk a straight line through a thicket, coon don't run a straight line through a thicket. Progress can be slow through real thick stuff, and they can sound bogged down. Nothing quite like having to bust through a greenbriar thicket over cut over timber to pull your dog out of a hole.

Likewise, a lay-up dog (there aren't many of them---way less than people think) can also look sloppy. Why? Because the lay up dog is working off air currents. Even a good lay-up dog doesn't get lay-ups that often. They will often be dancing around under the canopy without picking a tree. If they do pick a tree, they will often miss by a tree or two. If they are getting the scent from the tree trunk, that's not a lay-up. Silent trailing does not make it a lay-up (a lot of people can be confused by this).

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About 5 years ago we were on 18 cast from December 1st through feb 28. We drew pkc world champions, super stakes champions, 2 ukc world champions, truck hunt winners. In other words we were drawing some of the best coontreeing hounds alive at that time. However 125plus points would have won 15 of those cast. So all a dog had to was tree one coon and hold its points within 2 hours and it would have won 15 out of 18 cast. Now I like speed but what I will not tolerate is a dam dog that gambles very often . You wade through swamps, cut through cut overs,or walk up and down mountains for a dog that often takes 30 min to a hour to get to that shows me a tree that looks like one in my yard with no coon in it. The most accurate dogs I’ve owned and hunted were trailing-running dogs that will tree but don’t want to, or hot nosed ambush style dogs. I’ll feed any dog that I feel confident in being accurate. What most are winning with are dogs that run ewaks and fall off on a coon. I wish I had one of those.

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