Trapline dog?

[Cal Taylor]

You are pretty much on the right track Tman. I have a dog that came from Missouri. He was a high dollar pup that was supposed to be a coon hunting trial dog, but they claimed he wouldn't stay treed. I got him up here and he has made a hell of a decoy dog, but I figured out why he wouldn't stay treed, he can't smell for nuts. I really use him alot and he is as good of decoy dog as I have seen, but I doubt I would ever breed him. I want a dog to do several things, including trail cripples (under the plane), find critters on drags and find dens, on top of decoying, and he just isn't the total package. But I will continue to use him for what he is good at. He is way too good to get rid of.

[trapperjoemo]

Robert Kemmer told me once that all pups don`t do everything. On that we all agree. (OK, not ALL of us) but, he did say that most of them will be good at something. They are a very versatile breed, and can often be trained to do several jobs.
If he is a super decoy dog, and even if he can`t trail as good as his parents, I would not automatically assume his pups could not trail. After all, you would probably breed him to a female with strong history of good trailing dogs. They both bring something to the table, so to speak.

My definition of cull was more in line with Websters. It talks about rejecting for inferiority or being worthless. That`s something Cal`s decoy dog is not.

You can cull from a bloodline too, but that was not in the post.

I`m glad you like the Curs Cal.
Joe

[trappnman]

actually it IS about rejecting inferior specimens. Like Cal said, he will never breed him. And he shouldn't. Any dog below the breed standards, shouldn't be bred.

While I've had labs and Airedales and coonhounds of one sort or the other, my love was and is beagles. I've raised 100s of pups, and have never had to put one down, but I certainly always culled to continue my bloodline.

and as you say, dogs can have other used tan what was intended breeding-

breeding for Fd Tr beagles my criteria was stringent- but my bloodlines produced excellent pet and rabbit hounds- my faults were fd tr faults, not pet or bringing a bunny around faults.

if he can`t trail as good as his parents, I would not automatically assume his pups could not trail. After all, you would probably breed him to a female with strong history of good trailing dogs. They both bring something to the table, so to speak.

lots of people think that, and occasionally it works out. You ever here the story about the famous author, and the beautiful girl?

Don't remember names, but the gist of it was the beautiful girl remarked "we should have children- with my looks and your brains, they would be perfect"

He remarked "Dear girl, with my luck, they would have your brains and my looks"

but you are right- if he comes from a good trailing family, than yes if bred to a good trailing bitch, would have I'd guess some pretty good pups- that is, if they got mostly his parents genetics, rather than the sport genetics (sport genetics are a throwback or trait reoccurring- sport can also be very good too btw) present in him that limits his ability.

I agree with the old breeders truism: "if given a choice to breed to a super dog, with a very poor background, or a mediocre dog from a super background- take the later"

but why make that choice?

breed strength to strength-

esp a stud- never, ever, ever breed to a stud that has faults or lacks traits important to you- far too many others out there that fit the bill.

Robert Kemmer told me once that all pups don`t do everything

All pups is a very big brush- and I've owned or admired many hounds over the years that WERE perfect- that had no bad traits or faults. Are they rare? Of course.