[dblevens]

ya'll have to forgive my ignorance, but what exactly does it mean for a dog to have good line control?

 

[twilightstalker]

With my limited knowledge I believe it means that the dog will stay on the scent trail with little or no amount of stray or backtracking. some of you others feel free to correct me on this one.

 

[FB]

Thats pretty much the way I define it.

Staying close to the line and not whipping or weaving back and forth or overrunning very far. Not running the line faster than the dog can handle or than the conditions allow.

Some dogs will gear up or down depending on scenting conditions. Others run, or try to run the same speed every time out and it sometimes causes unnecessary breakdowns in the race.



Here is the defintion according to the ARHA:

3. Line control
a. Line control is simply accuracy in trailing. Speed is not an issue.
b. The hound should pursue the rabbit as fast as the game and scenting conditions allow and still maintain line control and accuracy.​

 

[Michael Gerace]

I was out running my two big males a while back and had them in a pet taxi on my four wheeler. parked the four wheeler in the lane and turned dogs loose. They jumped and came out into the lane and both dogs trailed the line underneath my four wheeler going in at the front and coming out the back chopping the whole way. Apparently I parked right on top the line. Now that's what you call good line control. I laughed and shook my head in disbelief. Will never forget that one. Mike:headscratch::headscratch:

 

[dblevens]

So how do you get a dog to improve his line control? Or is it just how the dog works?

 

[Crofford]

Solo the dog.Run the dog by themself that way they have to learn to run the rabbit without any help.Alot of times when you are running several dogs they will become overly competative with one another and start bumping heads to try and lead the way this seems to be worse when you have dogs that have always ran in a pack and never learned to do it alone it seems to me that a dog that knows how to run alone will stay more focused on actually running the rabbit and working the line than on running with the pack.

 

[dblevens]

sounds like good advice. I will have to try that. I got two males that are big time competitive with each other, and it seems like they will over run a trail alot of times.

 

[Crofford]

If you have the time to do it it does help.I used to have 2 males that did the same thing.I wish I had the time to solo some of my dogs more often.

 

[JenkinsCreekKennel]

my hounds have excellent line control they are about a 7.5 on speed and look like a freight train comming through the woods i raise and run the gay blood lines

 

[MackC]

Dogs with good line control can move a track or line forward with minimum weaving on and off. Notice I said "move a track". Some dogs can't move forward so they keep barking in one place. This is not controlling the line, it is the line controlling them.

 

[Echo Hill's]

Mack has the closet description to fit line control as far as AKC. Steady and accurate forward progress with minimal swaying back and forth to maintain contact with the scent trail. Hanging up and barking without forward progress is pottering (a demerit) and grounds for elimination.

James