How to manage multiple dogs?

quail hound

quail hound

Moderator
I've always been used to running only 2 dogs but now I have 4 to work. Here is my problem. How do I split drops between 2 seasoned dogs and 2 rookie pups? I want to run the pups together or by themselves until they are successfully making game for themselves, then they can run with the "big dogs". I hunt with my brother so we can run 2 at a time so should the vets get first drop cause they've paid thier dues? Do the vets deserve more time on the ground or should the pups get first drop (hunting is best in the morning) and more time on the ground because they need the experience?

All dogs will have days when its just me and them also, I'm more asking about how to deal with them on trips where all 4 will be with us.
 
I don't know what is "best", but here is what I did.
The early hunts/work is super important to a young dog. I like to hunt them by themselves the first several times. Making sure that they find their own birds.
If this means the older dog gets hosed, so be it.
With a friends dog that was having problems getting a young dog on birds, we took an older dog, found a covey. Then put the older dog up and brought the pup back for the singles.

In your case, it sounds like they all can find birds. But you might see if the pups tend to play together rather than hunt. You may have to try different combinations.
 
I take every field on a case by case basis on what dogs I am going to have on the ground. If it is a spot that I am certain I will get into birds, I will take the pup to give him some experience. I also mix it up with pup, sometimes with a brace mate and sometimes alone.

In my case, I also factor the cover. If it is a big grass field, the setter gets the nod. Cattail sloughs/thick cover gets the springers out of the box.
 
Thanks guys, that's what I was thinking too but I can just see the look in JP's eyes now when I leave him in the box.:( The pups will be getting lots of hunting in this fall, I'll just have to plan more day trips for just the ol' boy and me to make up for it.:thumbsup:
 
I would definitely have "all in" as part of my rotation. Yeah, it's good to give the pups special attention and blah blah blah.:p That sounds like advice that wise, experienced dog handlers would give you...

I think hunting with all four at once sounds like my kind of circus.:thumbsup: Why not try it? You can figure out by the first field or two whether or not you really need to use a rotation. And if the dogs just push each other farther and farther out until birds are getting up way out of shotgun range, or if your pups are just jacking around instead of hunting, well, then you know for sure that you need to employ a rotation.

I don't claim to know S### about dog training/handling, but I know all about having fun. And more dogs = more fun.:thumbsup:
 
Personally, I'd run a pup with one of the older dogs, or both of the older dogs. Unless you are hunting something restrictive, I don't think there would be a hard fast rule of only so many dogs on the ground at once. I have seen some dogs turn out great that never had any formal training, they just got thrown in with older dogs and got "on the job training." Pups are gonna screw around, run, romp, and stumble on to birds their first season. They will learn through watching the older dogs work, and pack/hunting instincts will play a big part. Running both pups together without a solid older dog would probably lead to some frustration, and possibly allow bad habits to form imo.
 
The pups get hunted alone until they have a handle on things themselves. I believe this is important to develop them. I have seen too many times where a young unseasoned dog is hunted with a much more season dog and the only thing that happens is alot of backing and following by the pup. I think that they simply can't keep up and don't have the necessary tools yet to keep up with an older solid dog.
 
Different strokes, like I said, I've seen the opposite. Breed dependant maybe? Best of luck though, which ever route you take.
 
Hey there, FC, hold your horses!:eek: The man said "hunting" not "training". I never said anything about blasting a 12 ga in a pup's ear. Presumably if the man is taking the dogs hunting next season then his intro to gunfire would be complete, otherwise he would not be taking them hunting.

Worst case scenario, it doesn't work and he has to run them separately until the young dogs get it figured out. That's what he was going to do anyway. What's the harm in letting the whole pack run once and seeing how it goes? What if it works great and his life is simpler and his dogs don't eat his car seats while they are waiting for him to return?

I guess I assumed these two young dogs are farther along in their training to where there would be no harm done. But I do not know the situation... Sorry if I was handing out bad advice. For some, hunting is training. For me, training is work and hunting is fun. I don't get too worried if the dogs make mistakes or I make mistakes while hunting. It just reveals what needs to be focused on later in training.
 
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Thanks again guys, I really apprecciate all the advice. Just to clarify these "pups" are now over a year old and have learned as much as I could teach them, one pup even got out a few times last season and got his first wild rooster but the other has never been on a real hunt. We start hunting mtn quail and grouse Sept 8 and valley quail starts second saturday in october. Its best for me to only run one dog quail hunting so this will give me 2 months of hunting the pups before pheasant season opens in November to sort out who does what and so on. I run the dogs in an area where they can usually find some quail and rabbits fairly easily and I'm actually surprised the pups hunt pretty independent of one another for the most part.

Toad, I have a spot in mind. Its 80 acres of rice stubble thats always left for the first few weeks of season and no one ever hunts it (even pointer guys). I think 4 guys spread out with 4 springers working will be great fun in that field.:cheers:
 
Where are your posts Ken? While I truly respect everyone's help on this I was really looking for your advice and you confirmed how I should approach this dilemma. The only reason I didn't ask VIA pm is because I figured I wasn't the only person who might be facing the situation this fall. Again thanks to everyone who weighed in.
 
I tried to pm you Ken but your inbox was full so here is what I wrote.

Hey Ken,


I just want to thank you for all the knowledge I've gleened from you over these past few years. I want you to know that I take your advice very seriously and I always look forward to reading your posts. Thanks for all your help, you are truly a great asset to this forum:cheers:.

Robert
 
quail hound said:
I tried to pm you Ken but your inbox was full so here is what I wrote.

Hey Ken,


I just want to thank you for all the knowledge I've gleened from you over these past few years. I want you to know that I take your advice very seriously and I always look forward to reading your posts. Thanks for all your help, you are truly a great asset to this forum:cheers:.

Robert
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I agree wholeheartedly. No offense taken or intended in anything I read or wrote previously.:thumbsup: The training advice from FC sounded great and clearly the quality of his dogs is a reflection of his skill as a trainer.

I just understood the question differently so I gave a different answer.
 
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