How many dogs ?

Been running dogs for a few years now, never had my own dogs though. I'm wanting to get a few to run next season. Any advice on how many I should start with?

3 minimum.

Here's my opinion..its depends on the terrain...number of acres...and style of hunting you like...I'm sure you know a dogman who you could model yourself after. ..who has a pack of dogs you like...the biggest thing is not to get to many that you cant handle them or keep up with them....we have guys who run 6 or 8 at the time and they are shock broke and they can stop them when they need too...I personally run 4 ..I just think thats a good # for me...they are good handling dogs that the standers can catchwhen they need too....its is going to be up to you to decide what you want....youcan go get some dogs , but it may take years to build a pack....I would place being able to control them at the top of the list....good luck to you which ever direction you go

I agree hog-head. we run 6 and they are shocked trained and you can almost catch all 6 by yourself on most occasions. If mine are hung up or whatever and are less than 200 yards I can hit that toner and in just a few minutes they are at the truck. Makes hunting a lot more enjoyable when you have good dogs and dogs that are manageable

What kind dogs you runin doghunter? I'm also thinkin of getin myself a few of my own by next season

I'd start with a few running dogs you like and build from there. I started with 2 older running pups and went from there but had plenty of woods time to shock train them. I went through a lot of dogs at first and still do sometimes. I hardly ever keep over 4 but would keep 6-8 running dogs if I could find that many that I like.

Walker dogs ghost. we had 6 and 4 are litter mates and 2 are not. we are fixing to buy another trail dog to make 7. but me and my father split the pack. so I'll take 4 and he will take 3.

I'm 30 but my dad talks about how he use to take me in the car seat when I was 2 or 3 years old. good times.

Good deal man yea I'm 28 dad started takin me at that age and I take my daughter when she wants go she's 3...I've never had my own pack but would like get 2-3 walkers or walker crosses

Me personally I would spend the money right after season and buy a nice all around trail jump an drive dog. You may spend a little bit of money but it will be worth it. Make sure that one dog is everything you want in a dog. Then start looking for pups, watch the fox hunting sites and coon hunting sites for puppies. Take the pups to the rabbit pens and get them started. Then when they get six or seven months old start taking them to the woods at least twice a week, I don't care if it's 100 degrees at night, put them in the woods. Take that older finished hound you bought also. He is going to teach them what they need to know. I have 15 hounds at home, I wouldnt cull any of them and they were all raised and trained by me. I haven't raised and train a puppy ever that I have culled, I don't know if I have been that lucky with pups or if it's because I put the time into them. Just don't go pick up billy bobs dogs cause he's going through hard times and can't keep them. Raise and train them yourself and they will be all yours, there's no better feeling than when a man says you did a fine job with that dog. I have no respect for guys that wait till October, load up on dogs, run them all season then dump them off till next year. They are not dog men and they most likely run with a bunch of outlaws

4-6 hounds.

I usually keep 12 running dogs and turn out 4 to 6 at a time and keep them fresh,especially in august,and collar break all of them.

4-6

Start with 1 dog and a trusted friend with an established pack and learn together. Once you are satisfied with him, I would add 1 at a time to see what you like. I have always found it easier that way. It doesn't cost anymore to maintain a good dog than a me too dog.

Safe shooting
Doug

When I kept deer dogs and rabbit dogs I enjoyed hunting with three dogs at the time and always had at least one really good dog in the three to keep the others going in the right direction. I think I like three dogs because I like to hear them running as much as any part of the hunt and three dogs make good music together.

tred1956 said:

Start with 1 dog and a trusted friend with an established pack and learn together. Once you are satisfied with him, I would add 1 at a time to see what you like. I have always found it easier that way. It doesn't cost anymore to maintain a good dog than a me too dog.

Safe shooting
Doug

Click to expand...

That's what I did and I wouldn't change anything. Another plus to that method is that all your dogs don't get old at the same time. I try to always have a puppy coming along. I've got a buddy who had 5-6 good dogs for a long time, they got old and all died at about the same time. It took him a few years to get a descent pack built back up.

One thing I wouldn't do is take a bunch of other peoples culls, especially at the end of the season. If their not worth the other guy feeding them all summer, they won't be worth it for you. Better to get into it slow than to go through a bunch of dogs.

Depends, if your going to be in a club where others have dogs too, I'd prolly start with two. If not, might opt for three, but regardless, I wouldn't buy more than three to see how keeping and caring for dogs works out for you.

You can always buy more in the future.