Training a tracking dog

[TexasBowtech]

I have a catahoula pup I got off a tbf member. I’ve been starting to lay short tracks with deer legs liver and blood. My question is during the summer shooting a hog and letting him track it would hurt him. Any advice would help my thinking is blood is blood and the more tracks I get him on that I kno r dead animals will help him for next deer season he 2 months old. Thanks

[Hagen]

Read the book by John Jennessey(sp). It's the go to for blood tracking. I read it years ago then passed it on years ago to a member on here.

[TexasBowtech]

Ok thanks

[Paycheck]

In for the answer. I always thought that a tracking dog would be cool.

[Quackerbox]

Tracks are tracks. I read the book and started with deer blood, hotdogs and some deer hide.

One of the first tracks I put my dog on was a hog I shot with a pistol. She bayed it in a dry creek bed and long story short, i emptied the magazine my wife brought and no one but the pig died.

She does pretty dang good for a first dog I've trained for blood.

[Geezy Rider]

I put my dog on deer and hogs. She doesn’t care as long as she gets to chase something.

[TexasBowtech]

Thanks for the info just don’t want to put bad habits in his head.

[bloodtrailer28]

Blood is blood and any track is definitely a plus. That being said I don't let mine track pigs anymore I did at the beginning just to get her on more tracks. She ended up getting cut pretty good and then started trashing on live hogs when she was tracking deer. That was the end of her pig tracking days and kept her strictly on deer after that. A few lessons with the shock collar and she was over trashing on pigs.

[Rubeng]

What bad habits will he get from tracking a hog?
I started my dog young in deer blood and I also put him on hogs I shot.

[D12]

What bad habits will he get from tracking a hog?
I started my dog young in deer blood and I also put him on hogs I shot.

Tracking a hog instead of the deer you want him to find.

[bloodtrailer28]

Tracking a hog instead of the deer you want him to find.

This. Tracking a deer then smells pigs and takes off after the pigs instead of staying on the blood. Shoot a deer go back get your dog and pigs show up at the feeder. Got fresh hot pig scent and instead of tracking the deer he takes off on the hot pig scent. To each his own but my deer dog isn't tracking pigs anymore because of that plus getting cut up pretty bad.

[Rubeng]

This. Tracking a deer then smells pigs and takes off after the pigs instead of staying on the blood. Shoot a deer go back get your dog and pigs show up at the feeder. Got fresh hot pig scent and instead of tracking the deer he takes off on the hot pig scent. To each his own but my deer dog isn't tracking pigs anymore because of that plus getting cut up pretty bad.

I have to disagree with you. I’ve had my dog track in places covered in pigs and he not once went after a pig scent. A dog shouldn’t be distracted by any other animal scent. We hunt an area with exotics so if your statement is correct my dog would be chasing ever other exotic scent he runs into.

[bloodtrailer28]

I have to disagree with you. I’ve had my dog track in places covered in pigs and he not once went after a pig scent. A dog shouldn’t be distracted by any other animal scent. We hunt an area with exotics so if your statement is correct my dog would be chasing ever other exotic scent he runs into.

I agree with you that they shouldn't be distracted but that doesn't mean they won't be. Glad your dog hasn't been distracted by pig scent but not all dogs are the same. Some dogs will be and mine was so I took care of the problem by not allowing her to track pigs. We have exotics here at the house and mine wouldn't ever leave a blood trail to chase live deer but she would trash on a pig. Like i said to each his own.

[bloodtrailer28]

We've got a few exotics here at the casa

[TX_Hoghunter]

All I have ever done is to take the dog to the woods. I start on tracks that are easy to find. After one or two the dogs have always had it figured out. Most people will have a "special" harness and leash that they only use when tracking game. When the dog gets that harness on they will know what is up. Good luck.

-john