Bloodhound training

[fellerr]

Just had to put down our ten year old lab. I swore i wouldnt have another pup for a while…but I happened across a CL ad and here I am with a new bloodhound pup. Always wanted one and always have had an interest in training one to track.

Anyone else do this? Done it? Any tips?

My oldest boy is pretty excited to start training. Hopefully this is something we can progress well in and make some fun memories!

Meet Blu!

 

[WeiserBucks]

I've had one for 13 years. You'd better have a ton of time to invest if you want a legit broke tracking dog. I never got mine 100% broke but she's a good family dog and her overall behavior is excellent. Keep it exercised regularly and on a healthy diet or they get over weight easily, keep it's ear canals clean to avoid frequent infections.

In the end, just keep in mind that a Bloodhound is just a world class nose with a dog attached.

 

[Wellsdw]

I have a trailing/tracking dog. Way to long to discuss on a thread but as stated above it takes ALOT of time for legit dogs that don’t take on glorified nature walks. Here’s a few tips. Start with liver drags. simple short straight lines with his dog food at the end. Make him find his dinner. 50’ to start maybe 100’ after a month. Reps are more important than distance, turns, track age etc. Use a separate harness or collar when tracking so he realizes what he is suppose to do. Always let him succeed. Don’t move too fast. Take it slow. Can’t stress that enough. Get a lead that is 20’ long or so. Overtime you will figure out your distance. Mine is about 15’. Leashed trailing is important as it’s a requirement in a lot of states and it allows you to read the dog. Don’t get hung up on specific scents. Essentially you are teaching the dog to track what you tell it to. Rather than blood etc. I practice with blood or interdigital gland and hide close to season but it’s not important imo earlier on. Don’t worry about that for a while. May not hurt to get some hide/feet/ blood from a processor though for next year. Be patient. I would definitely get some books on K9 tracking. PM if you need advice.

The 2nd picture is proof that they don’t need blood to track. Make sure no one lets your tracking dog out of the truck while you are hunting.

 

[fellerr]

Thanks for the tips!

He got his first taste if the real deal tonight

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

Glad I found this thread, my Rooster just turned one last week. He’s done 15 or so tracks this year, he’s found the deer dead or alive on every track. I tracked one for my neighbor a couple weeks ago very little blood and my boy switched gears from tracking to chasing a live one, he had bumped it at some point so we backed out, he ended up killing it last Friday and the dog found it and we saw the non fatal hit from a couple weeks prior, I have been learning so much. I did some baby tracks when he was little like yours, crossed tracks with different feet in the back yard, 90% of what we have learned as a team has been on the fly. The nose knows, trust your dog. Get the tracking wounded deer book it’s the Bible of deer tracking, so many instances in the field I do a ohh yea I remember reading that. Best of luck, any questions PM me.