[kycottontail]

Old dogs...When is enough..I have a buddy who will take a dog for as long as breathing..If running(slow walking and barking) which is less than 50 percent of time. He constantly has to yell for her to keep up with...Lucky other dogs dont pay any attention to.. Dog is just 11 1/2.. Im sure she might have been a good dog in earlier life..My question is do you want this or do you get rid of her and get younger dog...I know he is loyal to her..But he never carries but two dogs and will keep her until she dies..Im sure many will just keep her in pen and have other dogs to run but it is costly and sad. Im sure there is no clear cut answer, what are you all's opinions

 

[kycottontail]

Oh by the way I am about 9 1/2 in dog years myself...So someday I may have to make this decision myself. There is nothing much good in getting old...

 

[5 Solas]

I would personally leave her at home when I was out hunting with the pack. At this time she is subtracting form the pack. I know she has been a great dog for him and all and he wants to be loyal like she has and give her what's due. I would take her out and solo her every once in a while or brace her with another sloooow old hound if I wanted to give her the opportunity to do what she loves.

 

[Foxxy]

My dogs die in the kennel, they are senior citizens and treated me with joy hunting. I respect the effort they put in as pups and running dogs, they deserve a decent life in their later years. I will make the end for them as comfortable and pain free as possible. JMO
As far being costly feeding one more is a minimal cost, if you are feeding 2 dogs 3 is not much of a increased cost. I keep the old dogs will take them out and put them in the exercise pen that they walk around and lounge in the sun. Other then aging and not running in the pack the dog will live out its life as they have known it for the years living in my kennel. Other then finding them deceased in their kennel the hardest part is digging the hole through the blue clay 2 feet below the top soil. I have dug holes knowing one will die, makes it easier in the burial process. JMO

Out back I have the true pet cemetery buried beagles and bird dogs.

 

[TJRANGER]

I probably waste more money on soda pop and candy than it cost to keep my old dogs. I feel they deserve to spend the rest of their days with me for all the joy they have given me. Saying that I only take them hunting when it’s me. I don’t run them with my pack anymore or when I hunt with someone else. I use to just let them run around the house before I moved and a busy Highway is to close now. They will die here

 

[kycottontail]

Well I have been thinking about this a lot lately...I understand everyone view...I am as soft hearty as any...I think for the rest of my life I will get rid of my dogs once they get 8 years old...I want to remember them as the great hunters that they were...I will sell or give away to good homes for breeding or pets or still hunters...I want my last few years watching the best I can have or afford.. this is truly a great sport and I want to see and remember it at its best..JMO

 

[Spini Boys]

I get rid of my hounds at about 7 or 8 years old. By then the young hounds are running them pretty hard. And they are still worth something to some folks that just want a good dog to run for a few years. I have developed quite a few folks that wait for my hounds to get old. Cant keep em all! I would have a farm full of old dogs.

 

[TJRANGER]

Lol. Spini that’s what my wife tells me!!

 

[mitch huguet]

The ones that stay nice till old die here and rest here. They and the hounds before them were born here this is home to them.

I pack the old ones and hunt them in a geriatric pack as long as they want to go and we kill lots rabbits and have a lot of fun. They do really well when you pack them together. The old ones really like that. They appreciate not being left home.... you can see it in their eyes and their faces they let you know they are grateful. They smile at you when they are glad. Those old dog packs do good together and you see flashes of greatness and gameness too. You may have to help them out of a canal, up a steep bank or over a down tree every now and then but they get it done...Yes they do.

I love running a pack of 10-12, year old dogs. They try hard and have so much fun then they are tired for a week. Some time the old ones do some cool things with a rabbit you never see a young one do and that is so awesome. I let them die with their boots on. A few I helped them die when they wanted to and couldn't. I have let some old ones out of the pen when their time was close and let them run till they went down and never got up alive. They didn't want to die in the pen they begged to get out their desire was still strong but their little bodies just give out.

 

[rick Watkins]

I am in TJ and Foxes camp. It is special to me to see one of my old dogs come back to me with a tail wagging. I don't holler as those 2 are so deaf it would not matter. The other dogs ignore them. Sometimes I get lucky and they get to join.

 

[will messer]

I had a racoon dog that was 12--and blind--had to set him off the tailgate---he would hunt and if he came to a fence he would set down and bark till you set him over----he would hunt till he treed one racoon----balance of the night he was by my side-----when dogs treed his ears pricked up and he whined----i enjoyed those hunts even more thru his last days

 

[Ken's Kennels]

I have 3 12 year old deer beagles 2 are sisters the other was born just 3 days after them. I ran them all last week because idk if they'll be able to next year. I raised them from puppies out of.my own linebreeding. They have been as good of dogs as I have ever had and they outdid themselves. I could tell they were tired by the end of the week with ears and faces torn up but they kept wanting to go jumping at their gate every day. They may not run next year but they will stay right where they are until the die.

 

[KyBrushBuster]

I turned my old female out of the kennel about a year ago. Now if she wants to go run a rabbit she can, if not she can lay around on the porch. If I turn the others loose she will go with them but that's about the only running she does. Any dog that works as hard for me as old Cupcake has will get the same treatment when their time comes.

 

[JMS Ky Kennels]

This is a good topic/conversation.
I see both sides. If your in it for the sport and hunt then your probably more prone to get rid of the older ones.
my beagles are like family. If they perform and do a good job at there younger stages of life. Good Lord willing they will spend there last days with me.
I’ve only been in the sport a short time but I plan to hopefully keep my Line going for years to come and I’ll hopefully look back some day and see where it all started! 2 Mtn ash Dino female blue pups and my Grade female named Bell.
my brother was teasing me about someone wanting to buy my pack this past weekend. I said 5,000$ Wouldn’t do it cause there NOT FOR SALE. LOL

I ENJOY seeing a young dog mature into a adult hound. And I look forward to seeing my hounds grow old with me.

 

[Huntsman]

I retire mine to the kennels when they get too old to keep up, or go deaf, etc. Usually that is around age 11. Some of my best hounds have done their best work at age 8-10. I am a big fan of the old timers!

 

[tangibeagler1982]

I keep them around as long as they are healthy enough that they are not in any physical pain or distress. I make it a point to get them out every once in a while and let them hunt. For all the joy they have given me they deserve it! I don't believe that anyone else that I sold or gave them to would care for them the same way.

 

[5 Solas]

I retire mine to the kennels when they get too old to keep up, or go deaf, etc. Usually that is around age 11. Some of my best hounds have done their best work at age 8-10. I am a big fan of the old timers!

Huntsman I would venture to say they do great work that late in life due to better conformation, right? The hard work you have put into breeding a dual-purpose hound has paid off!

 

[Huntsman]

Thank you, Solas. Yes, good conformation definitely adds years of service, while poor conformation can do the opposite. There’s a lot to be said for keeping your old hounds hunting as long as they can. All that experience can make a huge difference when the going gets tough. They can teach a lot to the younger hounds too.

 

[Culverbeagles]

If one comes here it’s likely to stay here till I bury it. My last old gyp got to where the rabbit was running her lol. So I retired her. I still let her out every day to run around the yard up till she died

 

[Spanky86]

Guys I appreciate the posts. I have one that is 15 and she ran until she was 13 and still putting on a show. She became deaf and couldn't hunt with other dogs so I retired her. She isn't looking in the best shape but still so happy to see me everyday. Hard to let go of such a great dog. Not looking forward to that day