Melon Ranch Hounds

I was recently ask my thought process on deciding which hounds we breed for a litter of puppies. This question is far more complicated for me than simply breeding a good male to a good female. In truth, I’ve bred a lot of great males to great females that produced puppies that weren’t worth the feed bill.

The number one thought, in my opinion, on what hounds to cross lies in what you, the hunter, expect from your dogs. I know I say this a lot but if it is your desire to hunt simply to hear dogs bark or call yourself a hound man, it doesn’t matter what you cross. For me, I hunt to catch cats, period. I want my hounds to have a love for chasing cats that is beyond explanation. Likewise, I want my hounds to have a genuine hatred toward bobcats with an overwhelming desire to catch and kill any bobcat that they smell. With this kind of mindset, my crosses require a little more thought.

First of all, I don’t do line breeding, I think it is weird. I’m sure it works and there is nothing wrong with it but I just don’t do it. So, when I start considering a cross my first thought is what isn’t closely kin. For example, brother/sister, father/daughter,niece, brother/aunt, and grandparent/grandpuppy are all a no go. After I’ve figured out this mental note, I then consider the other hounds that I will cross. It is my opinion that at least 65% of the females traits will pass on to the puppy and 35% from the male. For clarity’s sake I’ll mock this up as if I was considering breeding my hound Shooter to one of my better gyps. The better females in my pens right now are Annie, Stormy, Rain, Bella, and Laney. Stormy and Rain are littermates to Shooter so lets take there names out of the hat now. This leaves Annie, Laney, and Bella. All three of these gyps are really good cat hounds; each with heir own special trait. For Bella, its nose, disposition, and toughness. Annie is a speed demon and does it correctly. She’ll trail, and fight the devil himself. Laney can and does contribute to every part of the race. Laney has also had a litter of puppies that all made great hounds and she’s a good mother. At first thought I think a lot of people would pick Bella due to her nose and being so tough. My thinking might be a little different. Shooter has a cold nose, sometimes colder than Bella’s. To me this cross would run the risk of creating something that I call cold trail happy at 4 or 5 years old. No doubt this cross would more than likely make some incredible hounds but I worry more abut the finished product than I do the younger version of it. Where nose is concerned I want a balance but I don’t want something that might ball up or return to a spot they’ve already barked on. This would take Bella out of the mix. Shooter on Annie would make some fire breathing killers without a doubt. In my opinion I’d be running the risk of having more speed then sense which I also don’t need or like. Running a cat is very different than running a coyote. Although speed needs to be there they need to have breaks also. Laney is a proven producer, she does everything really right, and she is just good to be around. For me the clear choice is Laney. Laney will give the puppies a lot of outstanding past cat hound blood based on her pedigree. Laney will also most likely pass on her ability to always be in the right place at the right time on most every race. Laney is one of those hounds that doesn’t get the credit she deserves. But, once you know what she sounds like and pay attention you realize that she does a hell of a lot more than what we may think. She will pass a lot of that onto her babies. Shooter is simply one of those hounds that has it. My dad told me that if you have to ask what it is, you don’t have it. Shooter has “IT.” Shooter will take all of the things that Laney does and make them better. Where Laney might need the trail just a little more fresh to open, Shooter will add the confidence to start. It’s these little things to me that I try and build on.

At the end of the day I am trying to create a hound that lives in my mind that cannot exist. No hound will ever be that perfect. But, it seems to me that as long as I’m striving to create that impossible hound, I’m going to land somewhere north of good.

PS- due to this article, the next time Laney comes in heat, I’m breeding her to Shooter. I can’t believe that I haven’t already.