Tell me about blood tracking dogs

Ryan Rothhaar · October 18, 2020, 08:34:37 PM

And.....zbone....Elsa's a cutie! You can see her mom in her. We love Graetcha (sp?), and your dog is her spitting image. Her mom is Oskars mom's sister. Sian Kwa builds REALLY NICE DOGS!

R

Horsehide · October 18, 2020, 08:40:11 PM

Good to see Zeke is still at it Bisch. Looks like is is doing quite well.

degabe · October 18, 2020, 09:35:39 PM

My Oz dog found his first deer at about 8 months old when my son hit one and we couldn't find a drop of blood. I took him back on the quad and it was a good thing he was on the leash because as soon as we got to where the deer was hit he bailed and was ready to go. It took him about 10 minutes to find that one. He has found a bunch of them since but at 13 years old his nose doesn't work as well as it once did besides my Grandson does a much better job of putting them down..

Friend · October 18, 2020, 10:42:56 PM

Ole Hank is part of our group. He was just recently featured in North American Whitetail Magazine.

He is all business...a soon as he is unlocked from the kennel, he immediately communicates 'don't pet me and direct me to the crime scene'.

He is large muscled up bloodhound and the handler is a large guy. It is all he can do to hang on and being dragged through 7 foot briers that we couldn't even navigate thru was where Hank was going. His amazing successes require absolutely no exaggeration. He has been on the farm several times. I cannot begin to keep up and can only dream of the days of yesteryears when I believe I could. Earlier that week, tracking a deer down by the Ohio River, he broke loose from the handler and took off swimming across the river. They had to find a river john to get them across. Hank had the deer down on the other side. The Ohio is no narrow river. Hank's track is far too tough for me. I am going with a beagle.

Missouri Sherpa · October 20, 2020, 02:54:52 PM

We import and raise German hunting dogs. Jagdterriers, Drahthaars and Teckels. They are all blessed with a good nose. The Teckels are the easiest to handle with a more calm demeanor and smaller size. The Drahthaars also easier to handle, very willing to do your bidding but can be a high energy dog and takes a stronger, steady hand in training. The Jagdterriers are a big dog in a small package. Some of them are wound tighter than an 8 day watch and want to track and kill anything with fur. The most laid back puppies in a litter seem to make better trackers. They are easier to keep on task and once you get them to focus on blood they are very good at it. I have been getting several photos of young dogs making their first successful tracking jobs this fall. These are mostly family dogs that get to track. We do also place these dogs with outfitters for tracking dogs, varmit control businesses, farm dogs and some find work sniffing drugs and contraband for the government. Working dogs need to have a good nose and need a high prey drive to stay motivated and the terriers have that in abundance. The dogs with the insane prey drive can be a handful for the unsuspecting or first time trainer, and there can be other issues in some of these dogs such as dog to dog aggression but those are not insurmountable problems with a well socialized dog. Any dog has the capacity to track, some are just naturally better at it than others.

Cyclic-Rivers · October 20, 2020, 03:01:58 PM

Thanks for the info Missouri.

My wife is getting another Chinese Crested. They are a terrier with a high prey drive initially used for ratting.
Our last ones were more driven by eyesight than nose but..... toward their senior years they could get on a fresh rabbit track and follow it perfectly to a log pile or wood shed.

I think the bigger issue early on was me. I'll work with the pup and see what we can do as a team. Worst case scenario we end up with a lap dog only and I get something else when ready.

Saturday will be the day we bring him home.

larry f · October 23, 2020, 01:33:24 PM

Very interesting topic. How about tracking in the snow, have you guys with the dogs have any issues with any of the types of dogs regarding snow. We are think about getting a dog that will be a house pet and be able to track with the chance that there will be snow on the ground sometimes.

Missouri Sherpa · October 23, 2020, 02:51:50 PM

We seem to do nearly all of our hog and deer tracking in the dusty dry conditions of West Texas or before we have snow in Iowa. I have been able to follow hoofprints in the snow and blood shows up prominently in the snow, have not had the need to use a tracking dog in snow for deer. That said these dogs will track down pheasants, cats and coons in the snow all day long, without blood. I doubt it would make much difference to the dog.

Ryan Rothhaar · October 23, 2020, 04:25:08 PM

Hey Larry, we have tracked in some very cold snowy conditions. "Warm" snow, up near freezing, is real easy, like wet ground. Very cold snow sometimes is tricky for the dog. I think more limited scent as it freezes hard. The only time I've had a real issue is with freezing rain over a blood trail on snow, then it got around zero. That blood froze in under the ice layer, you could see it, but it was like the dog couldn't smell it. Only happened one time in 11 years.

Now our short legged dog would have problems in really deep snow, but I'm short legged too!

Ryan

Ps..been a long time since Walter's and quadding out of the wildcat hills

Tedd · October 23, 2020, 07:53:04 PM

[attachment=1][attachment=2]

Tedd · October 23, 2020, 08:02:10 PM

Nothing like those doxies for tracking. Molly is gone now. I learned a lot from her. She didn't know I was going to be so dumb! But we found some anyhow.
We stopped short few times when 10 more yards would have put us on a deer. And I didn't believe her a few times when she was taking me "the wrong way". The dog could communicate with her eye expressions. Their nose for blood and desire to stay on blood is second to none.
Guys who say "my dog will track anything" might re think that. The best dog for tracking wounded game only tracks one thing.
I would think the very best tracking dogs are owned buy people who prefer to blood trail over hunting. I can be hard work. And takes a commitment. Also good tracking dogs live live with you like a pet.
Tedd

Cyclic-Rivers · September 27, 2021, 10:59:00 AM

Very proud of Leroy. He found his first. Relatively easy trail but it was about 100 yards, he did good for being a toy breed. Took us right to it. [attachment=1,msg2977039]

Bisch · September 27, 2021, 09:31:07 PM

Zeke can't wait for Saturday morning to get here so he can track another deer!!!

[attachment=1,msg2977092]

Bisch

Terry Green · September 27, 2021, 09:38:30 PM

Mule Creek Oufitters, a Sponsor here, is also is in the dog tracking business. I've seen there dogs as I have hunted with them twice. Anyone ineterested should check them out...

Just click their banner up above.

Basinboy · September 29, 2021, 06:58:24 AM

Quote from: Tedd on October 23, 2020, 08:02:10 PM
Nothing like those doxies for tracking. Molly is gone now. I learned a lot from her. She didn't know I was going to be so dumb! But we found some anyhow.
We stopped short few times when 10 more yards would have put us on a deer. And I didn't believe her a few times when she was taking me "the wrong way". The dog could communicate with her eye expressions. Their nose for blood and desire to stay on blood is second to none.
Guys who say "my dog will track anything" might re think that. The best dog for tracking wounded game only tracks one thing.
I would think the very best tracking dogs are owned buy people who prefer to blood trail over hunting. I can be hard work. And takes a commitment. Also good tracking dogs live live with you like a pet.
Tedd

My condolences Mr Tedd
I had the pleasure of being part of a Wirehaired Dachshunds life as well. Best dog I ever owned. Lost her a few months ago. I sure miss her.....

Cyclic-Rivers · September 30, 2021, 01:21:10 PM

In sorry Corey