Best tracking dogs?
 

I need to by my son a puppy. I would like to get one that the family can enjoy and can work too. Has any one ever tried a basset hound as a tracker. Most of the people around here use a Lab. Any suggestions?

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Basset hounds are old hunting dogs and will trail a deer. Most any kind of dog can be trained as a blood dog, several people use daschunds.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Some dogs, regardless of breed, pick it up pretty quick. The best tracking dog I've ever seen wasa poodle/schnauzer cross. No lie. That was one bada** poodle.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Pudelpointers are supposed to be really good at that. Never have mine along during deer season though.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Never thought about a daschunds. That would be great too, the reason I was thinking basset hound was because of the height. We had a guy with a Lab come track one through a thicket this weekend and it was tough for him and us following him. Thanks for the feed back.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Red Bone............Bon Ami

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Ive got a dashund that I take squirl hunting, boy he loves it......also I used to have an english mastiff that had a thing for rabbits....spend an afternoon on the 4 wheeler chasing him around going after them....I miss that dog

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Are you talking about for tracking deer or for general tracking? According to some of the folks taking part in the raging catfight on another thread, that new breed of super beagle that can run a deer down may be your best bet if you are talking about deer hunting. When i was young we had a dog that was one hell of a mongrel mix, but he could track everythng from pheasants to coons. I miss him more than any of my old girlfriends.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

I wanted one that would help recover a deer that has been shot and has run.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Lots of folks that are not normally alergic to dogs are allergic to basset hounds, apparently they have some kind of skin secretion that some people are allergic to, might be worth having the family spend a little time around a bassett before making a purchase.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

A beagle or basset will do ya good

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

I have a mutt, 1/2 catahoula, 1/2 great pyrenese that is really turning into a grat tracking dog.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Did not know that thanks for the heads up. I'll check that out before I buy

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

I know that around here people make great side money to get their dogs and and track one for you. That is not why I want something but I think it would be fun to have a dog that could help you or your buddies out with recovering a deer you may not without a dog. There is not a worse feeling than knowing that you shot an animal and couldn't recover it!

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Daschunds do make great tracking and lap dogs. She keeps her nose to the ground quite diligently.

My lab has a bad habit of getting on the wrong track, usually my scent instead of the blood.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

For blood trailing, why you need a Blood Hound, of coarse. lol.

Actually any of the hound breeds would do a good job, but Dachshunds are one of the best for that.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

I have a Weimeraner/Lab (Labmeraner) mix that I just started training to track. So far, she's taken to it quite well, even though she's only 11 months old. I had a mini dachshund that would follow any trail you put him on, and dig the critter up if need be, so those would be a choice as well.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

Thanks for all the comments. I am leaning tword the weenie dog

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

How does one train a dog to track wounded animals

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

PRACTICE your shooting skills and a dog is not required.

RE: Best tracking dogs?
 

This is how I was told to do it, and so far it's working:

Take the skin off a recently killed deer and tie a rope to it. Take the deer heart and cut it up into small chunks. Drag the bloody skin thru the woods where you want to train the dog and leave it. Don't let the dog see you do it. Take the dog to the spot where you started the drag. When the dog finds the skin, give lots of praise and some of the heart meat. After a couple of times, the dog will get the idea. I also ask her "Where's the deer?" as a verbal prompt to get her going.