Registered: Aug 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 1522

Here is the question
Is tracking Style a Heritable quality ?

Example
1.Dog a drifts a track hard always looking for a short cut.
2.Dog be runs his track tight always on the track.

Were the Tracking styles Heritable or Was this a matter of training. We are not talking about tracking ability just Tracking Style. I understand that some of both would be the Great answer
but for the sake of this poll pick a side.<lol> Please Tell us Why you voted the way you did.
Jess

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Jess
Light Foot English

"They are often imitated but never duplicated"

Last edited by hellcat on 07-07-2007 at 03:48 PM

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Northern Minnesota
Posts: 208

I think the way a hound runs a track all depends on the type of nose it has, and how much experience it has had. You take a hound with the best nose for the area you hunt and he won't run a track to his ability unless he has had the experience. If a hound has the track drifting in his ancestry than yes if he has enough experience good chance he or she will be able to drift a track also.
Just my thoughts. So I guess my vote would be hereditary with experience.

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Registered: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 59

I agree with Bud. Some dogs ,no matter who they ran with as a pup will straddle. I think drifting however, is in them at birth. Not all drifters are good at it though. Sloppy drifters tend to overrun more. I think it depends on how closely linked the nose and the wheels are.

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Registered: Nov 2006
Location: Missouri
Posts: 494

I think Budd and Grub have sumed it up.But i also think,as with drifters,that the dogs individual intelligence plays a big part.I believe a good drifter is a smarter hound than the sloppy drifter.Just my thoughts.Nice post.

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Registered: Oct 2003
Location: mid-michigan
Posts: 4437

I've seen alot of dogs that would run and tree bear , coon , and bobcats , but I've only seen 3 , maybe 4 dogs that satisfied me as track dogs.
So , I would say that it is neither. It is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
I have a young Black & Tan right now that has the best potential I've seen in about 15 years. He's only had one hunting season on him , so I'm holding off judgement till after this fall. Don't want to jinx myself. LOL

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: Bonners Ferry, ID
Posts: 776

Darn, I was hoping someone would post and tell us how to train them to cold trail better or drift a track faster. LOL I guess I'll have to keep breeding them to track like I want them to.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: vt
Posts: 1256

my hunting partner and i each had a dog from same cross- like all dogs they had their faults

they were a little toooooo fascinated with running a track as pups and as young dogs-they were just a touch slower than our faster dogs - almost didnt make the cut - they were good cold trailers ,gritty and great tree dogs so kept them around- they got better every year of their lives till old age - those dogs were a real good example of a track straddler ---that did finnaly learn to run -- and when it was just poor running for whatever reason, they sure looked good --cant say it was training but just experience -


i think dogs are born , most traits are hereditary or genetic -
-- they need experience and training -- experience is the big one but some training is needed
if its only 2 % training then that 2 % is still important --

i have trained a lot of dogs to cold trail less or more --- but i cant make them do it if not born with it -- its a lot easier to train some of the cold trail out of a dog then other way around -- ive got a mutt rite now that since a very small pup would go from head down WALKING at track- and instantly go to hi speed heads up --lot of times ,goes to hi speed on an old track-- so makes a loss -- - whats unusual is if she makes a loss , makes the switch to head down--walking again-- she can make and almost impossible track go if you give her the time and i can call her off if i dont want to waste the time--

she is the only dog ive ever seen quite like that - she will make the switch over and over sometimes --

i didnt train that -- she did it at 4 -5 months old -- i did train her to come when called -- and i dont let her grub too much unless i really need to get that track going --

at 7- years old-- she is still doing it-- just got better with experience-but still same style she had as a half growed pup -


her style is a trait i would really like to breed for - and i would do most anything to know how i could train it

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Registered: Aug 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 1522

Well thought out.
Jess

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Jess
Light Foot English

"They are often imitated but never duplicated"

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Registered: Nov 2005
Location: New Market Va
Posts: 4670

For Sure Tracking Ability is hereditary or genetic.. But some tracking tricks can be tought.. If we have a pup that starts the Bloodhound Straddle/Stall, we start training by putting a fast tracker in front of them by 30 secoinds to 1 min then release them on the track this works well and does teach them to get their butt in gear.. If were working them alone and they Stall on track we get in their and start running the track ourselves and Hollar Hea, Hea, Hea.

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