schutzhund is boring and to political i wanna get into hog doggin with my gsds - Page 2

While it's certainly NOT my idea of a good time, I do have to put in a word of defense for the hog hunters--right now, there is a serious problem with feral hogs in the United States, and short of an outbreak of a fatal swine disease sweeping the country, it is unlikely that we will EVER get the population of feral hogs under any sort of real control.  They breed more prolifically than any other hoofed mammal, can survive in just about any climate save for the truly polar type, and are the cause of an astounding amount of damage to crops, pastures, and woodlands.  Feral swine are extremely difficult to hunt without the use of hog dogs, and additional populations of feral hogs continue to be identified in the US...although I honestly don't think GSDs are the right breed for the job...most aren't going to be quick and agile enough to avoid being seriously injured. American Bulldogs, Catahoula dogs, Cur dogs and the like are popular hogging dogs.

Feral hogs pose a significant risk to the health of the country's livestock, too, because they are susceptible to the same diseases, and can serve as either the primary infected animals that introduce something such as foot-and-mouth disease, or they can become reservoirs for an introduced disease that will make it nearly impossible to eradicate--but either way, they have the potential to wipe out vast numbers of the livestock from which we obtain our meat. In some areas of the US, feral swine are already a reservoir species for swine brucellosis (which is a zoonotic disease), as well as pseudorabies, a swine disease which doesn't affect humans, but can kill cattle, dogs and cats within 48 hours of exposure, and which interferes with the fertility and ability to thrive in hogs.  So while it doesn't sound like something that has any redeeming features, RS, it actually is a far cry from bear-baiting...the hogs aren't confined in any capacity, and more of them escape during a hunt than are ever killed.  It has it's place, though I'll agree that it's not where I'd want to find myself...

Mystere, co-sign on the former A&E needing to drop the "A"...ditto for TLC, with some of their programming in recent years--they've made a mockery of the phrase, "The Learning Channel", and it needs to be stripped from them like a disgraced sergeant's stripes.  And Animal Planet aggravates me when it runs more "I Shouldn't Be Alive" type shows than those which actually involve animals as the primary subject.  Oh, and Bigfoot hunting doesn't belong there, either, IMO.

Thank you for explaining Hex.  I obviously didn't read enough to know what exactly was going on.
  I have nothing against hunting, if it is done quickly.  Maybe this isn't quite quick enough for my tastes,  but we have no wild boars  here, and I realize they can be very dangerous.

  I thought it was in an enclosed area too as this is what came up when I googled it, now I realize they are just training dogs with that little fellow.   The PETA link though?  Not a fan at all of PETA, but is this happening?

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/hog-dog-rodeos.aspx

RS, I have to admit that 'hog-dog rodeo' is not something I was familiar with--my only knowledge of 'hog-dogging' was as it pertained to actually hunting feral hogs in the wild. I had no idea that people had taken that activity and bastardized it into a display of savagery and cruelty touted as 'entertainment'...THAT sickens me.  If THIS is what LoveMyCanine was referring to getting involved in, then do the GSD breed one last favor, and select another breed of dog with which you'll engage in it and leave the GSD's good name out of it.  I'm also no supporter of PETA, or HSUS, but pitting dogs against any confined animal for the purpose of having the dogs attack it is WRONG; what is this bloodlust trait that seems to run in some lines of our species?

BTW, not sure where you're at in Canada, but there are feral hogs in your country as well...
http://brianknudsen.ca/nfpp_more.html

I'm in the tip of Ontario, in amongst the Great Lakes, and there are no hogs here, however, I admit, I never knew they were out west either.  I would have thought it would be too cold for them.  Thanks for the link, interesting.

The trouble with hunting feral hogs, they're very hard to kill using typical means. Shooting them wounds them, but doesn't always lead to a clean kill. Though it looks savage, having a brace of catch dogs hold them while the handler slits the hog's throat is the quickest way. Many places also don't have regular game laws involving feral hog control, because they're a relatively recent invasive. Hogs are also very adept at bedding quietly during the day, and can be easily missed by humans. It's frightening how something that large can blend right into the underbrush. A good search dog can find the hogs, before they find the human. I wouldn't recommend GSDs for hogging, for reasons already said. As for canned hunting, I find that abhorrent. There's nothing sporting or ethical about such.

When you get feral hogs rounded up you have to kill the ENTIRE group.  Piglets and all.  Every Last One. 

They tend to breed young and they breed and produce viable litters year round, even in cold climates (often 3 litters per year per sow).  I work with Invasive Species in my State and feral hogs are here.. and it gets COLD with SNOW.  They survive.. thrive actually.  They can decimate a corn field... and doG forbid they get onto vegetable ground.  NOTHING is left when they pass throught.  They digest food very fast, so they are constantly foraging.  Damage to ground nesting birds and anything that lives on the ground and doesn't move fast (salamanders and the like) are consumed.  The damage to forests can be pretty amazing. 

Hunting hogs requires dogs that drive and dogs that hold.  To stop the hog the dog get on each ear and hold him there.. until the hunter can come up and dispatch him.  Dogs wear kevlar vests because the hogs have tusks and know how to use them. 

Feral Hog "managers" tend to get groups in a enclosed area and then they dispatch them all.  These are not cute little pink piggies like you see in movies like "Babe" (that movie went through several pigs to shoot it because they grow so fast!).  Florida ranchers and farmers have hunts regulalry.

Hog Hunts are not for anyone who is squeamish. 

Dont do it. I train hog dogs and have put a dutchie in the pen and it didnt work . If you are bored with schutzhund go to PSA its more realistic and demanding on the dog.

Interesting post Rass! 

I'm a farm girl and have pretty much seen it all, but I must admit, I'm not as tough as I used to be.  Killing baby anything's is hard, however, if I was a farmer and they were destroying my livelihood, I'd have no problem doing it, of that I'm sure.

Lovemycanine, are you provoking? if not,  you are a  very bad person, I wish that you suffer as much as you make suffer those poor animals whom nothing bad have made you. You bring suffering to this world, it is easy for you but a pity for those innocent victims.