Deertrackers
Info.
HomeInfo.WallaceShrewMintakaJemmaProgenyGalleryLINKS

mintaka180209002.jpg

Deertrackers is based on the edge of the Cotswolds with the main species of deer in the area being muntjac, roe & the occasional fallow. I also work my hounds on foxes when requested to control them. This just adds another dimension of work for my hounds.When hunting, whether from high seat or stalking on foot, I always have a hound at my side.  Stalking without a K9 companion would be so much less enjoyable.In the past I have trained Labs, spaniels & the one who gave me much pleasure was my cocker X Brittany, Barrington. It wasn’t until I purchased my first B.M.H, Wallace, from Jan Andrews that I became aware of the work I had been making for myself by using other breeds. At twelve weeks of age I laid the first track for Wallace, aged it for approximately six hours, what an eye opener! You could see by his whole attitude, the way he buried his nose into the whole blood track, how he didn’t lift his head, that this is what the B.M.H lives for and excels at above all other breeds. To train a B.M.H takes a lot of commitment.  If all you require is a dog for hot scent work then get a labrador.

Bringing on your B.M.H I personally keep my hounds living indoors, rather than choosing to kennel them. I personally prefer to have them around me, which is part of what owning a dog is all about. Other people kennel their hounds, but the B.M.H is such a loyal companion, I feel they do better spending as much time with their master as possible. It will also depend on individual circumstances of course.Even though the B.M.H is a natural cold scenting hound this needs nurturing, from a very early age they are best encouraged to get a love of blood. Eight weeks old is not too young. This is easily done by dragging a piece of deer liver or heart a short distance across grass, give it ten minutes, take your pup to the start of the track, encourage him to sniff the ground and follow the trail. Don’t worry about how long he takes, just praise him, your pup might seem to take for an age to move on; as he wants to lick all the blood up as he goes. At the end of the trail should be a piece of liver/heart, as a reward, it is also good to have something the pup can play with at the end, as this will register with the pup - tracking results in reward, food and play time. I have found the tail of a deer is good as they can easily carry it and if the bone is left intact it gives them something to chew on. The best reward you can give your hound is much praise from you the master. 

You now can progress slowly, never overmatch your hound at such an early age, as it will only bring disappointment to you, which your hound will pick up on. As your pup grows, swap the dragged liver/heart to just some deer pins(hair) at the start of the track with a fair amount of blood, this is to replicate the point of shot. Dribble the blood from a bottle to where you want to end, use plenty of blood until you can see your hound is really working, once it is obviously working for the scent you can start leaving gaps between blood spots, introduce a few shallow turns and introduce the slots of deer to the tracking training. This is easily done by wearing yourself tracking shoes, which are basically a metal or rubber sole that you attach deer slots to, and then wear them over your boots. To start with you can just use a decent hazel stick with a slot attached by jubilee clips.

trakshoo.jpg
waidwerk tracking shoes

What you should be trying to achieve, is for the hound to make a relationship with the smell of blood to the smell of the deer slots. Always when using two deer slots, make sure they are off the same beast. You want your hound to be able to track individual deer through herds of the same deer. You and your hound now slowly progress, longer tracks, turns of various degrees, lays included on the track, using less blood and ageing the track. You should at the very least be looking at tracks of twenty four hours old, by the time your pup is nine months old.

Bavarian Mountain Hound Breed Standard
General Appearance
A well balanced, lightly built, muscular and powerful, clean cut hound, of medium size. Body slightly longer than high.
Characteristics
A natural ability to hunt cold scent with perseverance and endurance.
Temperament
Calm, devoted to owner, biddable, reserved with strangers, not shy or aggressive.
Head and Skull
Moderately broad.  Skull flat, with no pronounced occiput. Well defined stop. Muzzle shorter than skull, moderately broad, lips pendulous of medium thickness, well pigmented with corner of lips clearly visible. Nose of moderate size with well open nostrils. Black or dark red.
Eyes
Medium size, not too large or too round. Dark brown or hazel, alert expression. Well fitting lids, eye rims well pigmented.
Ears
Heavy. Set moderately high. Broad, rounded at tips. Hanging close and flat to head. Reaching no further than the nose.
Mouth
Jaws strong with a perfect regular and complete scissor bite, set square to the jaw.
Neck
Strong, of medium length. Skin somewhat looser on  throat.
Forequarters
Muscular and strongly boned. Shoulders well laid back. Upper arm long. Elbows close fitting to body. Forelegs straight and parallel when viewed from the front; standing well under the body when viewed from side. Pasterns strong, slightly sloping.
Body
Back strong and supple.  Topline rising slightly from withers to long, level croup. Ribcage oval, deep, long and reaching far back. Loin short, broad and well muscled. Slight tuck up.
Hindquarters
Good angulation, strongly boned and well muscled. Upper thigh broad. Lower thigh relatively long. Hocks well let down. Rear pasterns vertical and parallel.
Feet
Strong, turning neither in nor out. Oval feet with well arched, tight toes. Pads well cushioned and pigmented. Nails black or horn colour.
Tail
Set high, tapering, of moderate length, not reaching below hock. Carried level or slightly lower than back.
Gait/Movement
Light, springy, ground covering with good reach in front and strong drive from the rear.
Coat
Dense and close fitting, moderately harsh, finer on head and ears.
Colour  
Deer red, tan or fawn, any of which may be interspersed with black hairs, or brindle. The back and tail generally being more intense in colour. Muzzle and leathers darker in colour. A small, light coloured patch on chest allowed.
Size
Dogs: 47-52cms (18 ½ – 20 ½ ins ). Bitches 44-48 cms (17 ½ -19 ins).
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Note 
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.