I am new to hounds and really appreciate all the information on here, the advice and experience is amazing. I am working with a young hound, but am hoping to run more bobcat than anything else. I read LCK's Training Chronicle and will put every bit to use.

My question is after handling training and dog maturity, how do you train to run bobcats, you can't just catch one and turn him lose for the hound. I supose you could but when they fetch 400.00 it's tough to turn him lose.

I have read the article on the other site on cat training, but how do you fire him up if you don't have a bobcat to tree?

If you train him on coon which we do have a few, will he think that a cat track is running trash and not work it?

Could use a bit of help on this.

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First of all the most important thing is does the pup come from a line of dogs that are used successfully on bobcat? if not that is going to be your first problem. 2nd is if you are not willing to put the time and money into the game you will not get any thing back. I said that because of what you said about a cat will bring $400.00 ok that good money right? Do you know what a good bobcat dog will bring? If the dog has heart you will have to teach it what not to run get it going on coon if that is what you have the most of but put your time in a go out looking for cat tracks once your dog knows to take a track walk it out with your dog helping the dog all your can don't get mad at the dog if it don't go like you want it to it will take time. See if you can find someone that will let you go with them and their dogs make sure you have a good handle on your dog first if your dog is out of control they will not take you again. Good luck

Thanks JeffEberle. I did not pay big bucks for the dog. But she is (suposed) to be from a good line Allen Bred dogs. At the time I did not realize how important a proven line was. The fellow I got her from said the dam is the best dog he has ever owned and extremely cold nosed. With all the desire you could want. The pup is 4 months and I have been working on handling, handling, handling. She responds quickly and is extremely eager to please. I will apply more of the training I read in LCK's article.

I trap bobcats here in Utah and turning on loose for her would not be the end of the world. And walking her in on a track next year would be a very enjoyable part of the training, I walk and snow shoe several miles to check one or two traps and then do it again. I will absolutely have her with me while running traps.

We have one small river in our area with farmland that has coons. My boy traps a few each year. So we can get a few for training.

You said get it running coon then spend the time looking for cat tracks once your dog knows to take a track. I will not be messing the dog up by starting on coon and going through all the trash breaking steps. Then exposing it to cats in hopes that it will transition to being a cat dog and not a coon dog. This cross training is ok?

I know of 3-4 decent hounds men with dogs, but all run lion and bear, occasionally a bobcat. But usually it's more by accident than by choice. Is this good training for my dog? I would rather her not run lion or bear, only bobcat.

Again I appreciate your input. This is new to me and it's hard to find many specifics and details on bobcat dogs. You seem to have a good handle on the subject, don't be shy on details. I have a serious interest in this and plan on spending many years hunting with a hound. I would really like to work hard, put time and energy, resources into proper training now, rather than starting over again later due to a lack of knowledge, and training.

Thanks again.

all my dogs run more then one kind of game here I run Cat,Fox & bear then out of state for lion. their is nothing wrong with running more then one kind of game if I could run a cat every time out that would be great but if i can't find a cat I can steal run something. now if you were a outfitter and had money on the line then I can see only wanting your dog to run the money game. But there is nothing wrong with running more then one kind of game you break them off of only the game you don't want to run they are smarter then you think. So is it Jeff Allen's Line that your dog is out of ? if so they are cat bred dogs more of lion but I'm sure some guys run bobs with them

Yes Jeff Allen, but their is no paper work and the sire is a run of the mill dog. The fellow I got her from said he has run hounds cuming onto 27 years and that the bitch from Jeff Allen is the best dog he had seen. Said she would cold nose lions and leave the other dogs a setting.

I will put the time and effort into this little female. I suppose that if she is not all I hope for after a few years I might buy a more proven line.

Maybe I shouldn't wait. I have heard to run bobcats that a quiet dog and one that works alone might be better. Do you find that to be the case? Or should I look for another dog to start now as well? If so do you know anybody fair to close that has proven lines for cats?

Being that you are new to the game I would start out with just the one dog. Yes the more the dog opens on track the more the cat can gauge the dog. I find I catch more cat with just one or two dogs. I will be starting two pup around the first of summer I have two finished dogs, on bear and fox I will run them all together but on cat it will be one old dog with one pup

Thanks again for all the input. I know that many people want success yesterday without puting anything into it. I know this is going to take a lot of time energy and patience as you said. Just hoping to learn from other experience so as not to make major mistakes.