Cold Weather and Hounds

[krakadawn]

Hmmmmmm 3 posts and you're attacking people who believe a responsible dog owner should have made a better call. Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe in calling anybody(especially Peta) but those conditions can cause some real issues. I've run coyotes before people knew we had them so don't paint me in the wrong camp.
I'll bet it wasn't noses bleeding, I'll bet it was ears. The edges of ears take a real pounding in cold weather, not hard to spot an eneven edge due to many days of cold running, and small raw edges can bleed a lot.

And by the way my labs are not fat so find someone else with that example.

[69firebird]

Yep 3 posts and probably not many more on this site, not much here for dog hunters.

[last5oh_302]

Yep 3 posts and probably not many more on this site, not much here for dog hunters.

You'll be missed.

[krakadawn]

Yep 3 posts and probably not many more on this site, not much here for dog hunters.

Actually Firebird, there is quite a body of experience here on this forum. Perhaps not always agreement but good experience in numerous dog venues...not just hounds.

Everything from health clearances, pedigrees, training, trialing and problem solving.

There are some folks with many years of experience and some of the hardest trainers you could find.

Stick around, participate but be prepared to back up what you think/say

[69firebird]

Thank You KRAKADAWN. I might only have a few posts here but it doesn't mean I'm new to the subject. My hounds live in a barn with access to outside and straw boxes. Theres no heat, they live in the temperatures that i expect them to hunt in. That doesn't mean i would let them to freeze to death. IMO and lots of others, more dogs die from heat than cold. I could go out tonight and some would be laying outside their straw boxes. I hunt hearty bloodlines that hunt hard and in tough conditions. They have the feet, coats, stamina, and muscle condition to do it. I watch the conditions and how the dogs are preforming closely and make my decisions to pull dogs etc. because i want them to be there and able to run tomo and the next day and the next.

Now imagine the same cold conditions and different dogs living in a heated area (when not hunting) and not properly conditioned. In that case I too would wonder how stupid could the owner be having their dogs out.

The situation needs to be analyzed before starting this thread or posting that someone should have called the humane society etc.

[dutchhunter]

some times my little hound comes out of the bush looing like Jason with a chainsaw ,she gets just coverd in blood from her ears and snoot ,the white hair makes it appear much worse then it realy is ,her ears get tore up real good from the berry canes and her snoot gets it from dragging it thru the snow like a plow ,the cold does not bother her a bit ,but I do watch her close and if I feel she is in any danger she is in the truck ,I would be unable to carry on hunting if it ever came time that we could not run hounds .growing up my family has run hounds all over Canada and the us on coon trials coyote deer and bunnys ,hounds are as much a part of hunting as guns and trucks are ,Dutch

[yellow dog]

I know many people who run hound crosses in sprint dog teams and they do require special care. They consume double the amount of food required to keep them warm and fit during the winter months. They require extra bedding in the dog house, dog box when traveling and watered in before a sprint race and after a sprint race. I have personally ran them competitively for a good friend of mine for many years in extreme conditions -35 to -38 in a 4 mile sprint race and 8 mile sprint race. They require immediate care after they have cooled down and watered in. They need to be put in the dog box after this period to prevent them from freezing to death. I have seen them all bloodied up from tongues flopping and hitting the cold snaps on the neck line and the gangline. They are tough buggers but to require a person with common sense to realize the public is always watching and the more you can do for the dogs to make them comfortable the better the chance it will be accepted.

[Sharon]

Great day to day! Only -10 and all 3 dogs had a great time + me. -8 to morrow so we will be out again. So good to get out after weeks of -20s.

[Cass]

Sounds like I'd be too soft for that game lol

[Cass]

The fiancé and I took the pups out for a walk today too. Much nicer household now. The dachshund required a sweater and we only lasted half an hour due to the cocker looking like the abominable snow man but both are much calmer right now. It's wonderful