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View Full Version : How far is to far?



ex bc guide
07-25-2005, 06:40 PM
I am just wondering how far is to far when training hounds for cougar hunting?
I ran my hounds last weekend on a drag that went for 18 ks and at the end of the drag my hounds were pretty much done:-( I needed to go back to my truck and get my trailer to get them back to my truck as I did not want to put them over the edge. they still had the want to chase more but i figured that they had done damb good already.
Mike

houndogger
07-26-2005, 05:59 AM
Mike in this heat you have to be careful. They have the will and desire to run themselves to death. Be careful of heat exaustion.

Good luck Dave

Barracuda
07-26-2005, 01:14 PM
Hi Mike
I agree with houndogger be carefull with the dogs in the heat.
Also I am guessing you are roading your dogs ?(on leashes attached to the quad) so your dogs are not running in really shady areas or through creeks as if they were in the bush so they would be subjected to straight sunlight reflected off the gravel and directly so it can be pretty hard on the dogs. (also if they were chasing game in the heat the game would be subjected to the same conditions and the length of the race would reflect so)
Your dogs are still pretty young (They are about a year less right?) so I would say that you want to make it pleasureable for them,
most houndsmen would say you always want to leave them wanting more .

if you do need to run them in the heat take them out when the dew is still on the ground and the air is cool (also the cooler air is better for oxygen uptake and the dew hold the dust down a bit))

ex bc guide
07-26-2005, 05:30 PM
I should have been more clear, the hounds did not run 18ks strait.they did 2 seperate drags the weather was not really hot and the hounds had lots of water during the day they also had time to rest between drags. I am wondering if i have gone to far forward with them? they have no problem running a 3/5 k drag maybe they are not conditioned enough for the long runs yet.should I stay with the shorter drags for a while yet and slowly introduce them to longer drags?
Mike

houndogger
07-26-2005, 09:33 PM
It is up to you Mike. In my oppion if your dogs can follow drags I would keep them to every once in a while so they don't just want to follow a hot track. Maybe mix it up a bit with a caged coon let it go for a while and let them strike it off where you let it go. The best thing is the real thing.


Good luck Dave