Blood tracking dog

[courtgreene]

I’ve got a black mouth cur, and to be honest about it I didn’t know she was one or even that one existed until I was trying to figure out what to do about another dog and stumbled across a picture that looked like her and started researching them. That said, I was already thinking about teaching her to blood trail because my former expert blood trailer died tragically (cancer, which is how we ended up with her).
Here’s why I am coming to you for help: the great one (deceased) was a beagle and just happened to be an expert blood tracker. My current dog (cur) didn’t take to it naturally, so I’ve got to train her. I figured I would thaw some meat, lay a trail in blood and reward her, reset, repeat, add challenge. Some internet sources say don’t use blood, use skin/fur/perhaps a tail. I see the wisdom in both methods, but I haven’t killed a deer this season and don’t have any of those three things until I do. She’s a smart dog so she’ll learn, but which way do y’all suggest so I don’t have to go back and start over due to my own ignorance?

Pic just because.

 

[BigBore44]

Curs are great dogs. I own a Catahoula. You need to take her to trail your first deer. You might just be surprised how well she does with no training. I have friends that track their deer with pit bulls. No training has ever been required. Just field experience.

If you want to train your dog, train them with the smells they will find in the field for the game being pursued.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I trained my Pit to rabbit hunt by shooting one an slowly walking toward it until she found it. Excited praise motivated her.

 

[courtgreene]

Thanks
I tried her trailing one last year, just to see if she'd do it naturally. She seemed confused... so I figured starting in the yard would be a more focused move. Having said that, it seems your comments agree that just blood wouldn't be right as she'll be searching for an animal with blood in it and not merely blood? As in wait until I shoot one?

 

[LRDGCO]

Never underestimate natural ability. I'd say go with what you've got. Train her on blood now and when you have access to a pelt later, train her on a pelt drag too.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Curs are great dogs. I own a Catahoula. You need to take her to trail your first deer. You might just be surprised how well she does with no training. I have friends that track their deer with pit bulls. No training has ever been required. Just field experience.

If you want to train your dog, train them with the smells they will find in the field for the game being pursued.

Lots of dogs are naturals. I have a WPG (Wirehaired Pointing Griffon) that was GTG out of the box. Natural pointer and tracker. I had to work with her a little to teach her to flush on command, but she picked it up pretty fast. Mostly I found that some training is required to control a dog but if you have a good dog they will hunt from instinct. I call that a hard wired dog.

 

[Patocazador]

My Boykin spaniel had no trouble "learning" to blood trail. I had to break her of trying to run deer so she immediately picked up on it and when it ended at a dead deer she was in heaven.
If your dog shows any interest in any game animals, I'm sure he will pick it up quickly. I trained a sheepdog/terrier mix to retrieve ducks so anything is possible. However, any dog from hunting stock will pick it up easily. A man who hunted deer with dogs told me that a dog that won't hunt deer won't hunt anything. He used a Brittany to run and trail deer. He got the dog free because it wouldn't point quail and the owner got rid of it.

 

[courtgreene]

Thanks, I started her on blood today. She took to it really well. So now it's just instilling the commands and responses I want her associating together, and adding challenges so that, hopefully, by the end of the season she can actually find one and enjoy success.

 

[courtgreene]

Success!

Obviously there’s work to be done, especially since, after finding the deer she was scared of it. I think we are on the right track, though, and I appreciate your advice.