Went out hunting today

[hicntry]

I have had a cold for over a week and a half now....a bad cold. Can't talk right now. I had to get up about 4 am this morning because of the coughing so loaded the truck up and waited for it to hit 38 and I could see before loading the dogs. I took Odin, Hunter, and Curly Bill. Odin and Curly have never seen a hog so I just took Hunter because I knew he normally gave the bad ones a little room. Was a really good day. Odin and Curly just followed suit and did what Hunter did. Curly is about 14 mo. I think and he just loves it and he is really on the independent side.....and he is about 85lbs. He never slowed down the whole time he was out and he needs to take off a few pounds. Got great drive as does Odin. The looked like two bears out there. Through the day(3-4 hrs), Hunter got them into 8 hogs, 3 in the first bunch and 5 in the second. They were all in heavy brush so I didn't try to get pictures of them. I was relieved that they were in bunches because it is a lot easier to get the dogs backed off and I didn't want to shoot one today. I think the first kill will change these two pups forever. Without a couple of kills, everything is fair game but once the realize that the Hunter is only looking for hogs and that is all that gets shot, there focus will sharpen

[M22]

Put some hair in those dog's mouth. hunted ever day in last 2 weeks ,hunt's on tomorrow Busters doing great

[hicntry]

Every day for two weeks and not one story????Whose dogs are you using?Ya only need two dog and the injuries will drop a lot. More dogs doesn't work as well unless you want them all catching. Two dogs seem to be more cautious....or use their head more anyway. Two weeks huh? LOL

[Mark Baldassarre]

Don,

Sounds like fun. What makes the dogs either try to catch or not want to catch? Do you find some of your dogs want to more than others? Is it a line specific trait or dog specific?
It is to a degree breed specific i.e. bull breeds. Why are they not a breed of choice for catching.

I recall seeing a breeder of boles & neos in S Africa wanting to place an Airedale who would catch boar. They feared he'd get killed because the dog "thought he was a bull dog". So they were looking for a home for him.
Why should a Dale have any more problems catching than a bulldog?

Mark

[Alisa]

"They feared he'd get killed because the dog "thought he was a bull dog".

Ha! The dog probably thought he was a BULL!

[hicntry]

Sounds like fun. What makes the dogs either try to catch or not want to catch?

Guts? Courage? Stupidity? Grit? Extreme confidence? Protectiveness? Fight? I sometimes wonder about the protectiveness because none has ever caught until I arrive so they are not suicidal but it may have something to do with protectiveness but I don't think so.

Do you find some of your dogs want to more than others?

Pretty much all of them have caught, right down to the ones with less confidence when face with an unnatural situation that is not hunting related. When hunting, they are all confidence. Some are not as prone to catch as others but they do.

Is it a line specific trait or dog specific?

As in every breed there are certain individuals that can do most anything so one could say it is dog specific. On the other hand, there are established, hunting line Airedales that won't do it and are extremely reluctant to grab much smaller game so I would say it is line specific myself. A breeders dogs will reflect what that breeder is and does with his dogs, I breed for smarts, grit, and running, ability so the dogs tend to reflect that.


It is to a degree breed specific i.e. bull breeds. Why are they not a breed of choice for catching.

I recall seeing a breeder of boles & noes in S Africa wanting to place an Airedale who would catch boar. They feared he'd get killed because the dog "thought he was a bull dog". So they were looking for a home for him.
Why should a Dale have any more problems catching than a bulldog?

Bull dogs are stronger where it counts and they don't let go. This enables the hunter to go in and catch the hog by the back legs and flip it. If you try that with airedales, from what I have personally learned, they will let go and grab right where your hand is. I have been bit twice trying to get smaller hogs away from the dogs. Now picture moving in to grab a good sized hog only to have the dogs release it for another purchase when you grab it. Could get ugly real quick.

[Mark Baldassarre]

Don

"Bull dogs are stronger where it counts and they don't let go. This enables the hunter to go in and catch the hog by the back legs and flip it. If you try that with airedales, from what I have personally learned, they will let go and grab right where your hand is. I have been bit twice trying to get smaller hogs away from the dogs. Now picture moving in to grab a good sized hog only to have the dogs release it for another purchase when you grab it. Could get ugly real quick"

That's rather interesting to me. Many in manwork will say bull dogs don't have a harder bite than the other breeds. In my experience they do for sure. Motivation is always an issue in biting/grip, but I can't see an Airedale who is apt to grip be lacking in motivation.

Mark