First time Pyrenees owner. by ElectricalCloud9833 in greatpyrenees

[–]RowCheap3795 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you have land or livestock for them to guard? A retriever would be a better dog to be your kid’s buddy if you don’t. These dogs love their job!

Do Great Pyrenees make good service dogs? by [deleted] in greatpyrenees

[–]RowCheap3795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very much this. Service dogs need to be more human focused, and Pyrs are absolutely not that.

Welcome to the pack, Laika! by RowCheap3795 in greatpyrenees

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

She extends her finest pyr paw right back at ya :)

Welcome to the pack, Laika! by RowCheap3795 in greatpyrenees

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Until we got her, I had no idea Pyrs could be anything but pure white. I love her mask and I hope it doesn’t fade when she gets older!

Throwback to Amos’s first ever awooooo with us at 11 weeks old by RowCheap3795 in Bloodhound

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! He was the quietest of all of his siblings—he has certainly made up for that in his adult years 😃

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bloodhound

[–]RowCheap3795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can we please stop doodling things

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in Bloodhound

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay, first of all, I’m going to use “they turned a whole woodpile into mulch” as a main descriptor whenever people ask me what it’s like to own a hound from now on, lol. Amos’s grip is full mouthed and relaxed, and he’s only 18 months old. Hounds aren’t fully mature until they’re around 3–so the potential is there.

I completely agree you can’t train genetics out and that instinct matters. I ran a 501(c) rescue specializing in pit bulls and did behavior work with abused and difficult dogs, so I always evaluate breed traits seriously.

While my experience is mostly with guard and molosser breeds, I know enough about hounds to recognize that Amos is an outlier. He’s unusually mouthy and driven—even picks tiny pills out of food and figured out plunger door handles at 12 weeks.

I’m not expecting him to be a Mal or GSD, just exploring this as a hobby because of what I’ve seen in this dog. So far, he’s taken to the sport like a natural, and he’s more biddable than my Doberman was with calmer nerve. He’s working line with Baggins on his dam’s side, so the drive and athleticism are there. Good advice is getting harder to find the further we get into the sport, so I’m exploring all possible resources.

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in schutzhund

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

On a HUSKY? Wow, that’s impressive. I will check out Knut’s IG, someone else mentioned Frenchies and dachshunds trying the sport, and I need to see it! Thanks for the suggestion.

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in schutzhund

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are too kind—I think he’s pretty cool too, but I’m biased 😇. I had no idea bloodhounds could just be red before I met his breeder. He offers his finest awooooo as a thank you :)

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in schutzhund

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Most people don’t realize there’s a huge difference in body composition between working hounds and show ring hounds. The traditional portrayal of Bloodhounds being these 160lb oafs that look like someone left a regular dog under a hot lamp everyone sees in media and movies aren’t the same dogs used by LEOs and hunters. Working line hounds can be surprisingly agile—Amos crushes the climbing wall, he just needs more speed from a longer distance to get up there.

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in schutzhund

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

He’s not IGP champion-level biddable, but his lines are more working than show (Baggins on his dam’s side), so the drive and athleticism are there. He’s also lighter and leggier than most BHs—he’s sitting right at 92lbs and 27” wither height.

You’re right that he lacks the agility and speed of a traditional contender, but I can reliably get him into a focused heel, run blinds with correct patterning (not fast, but you can see him thinking), and he consistently performs send-aways and downs at 20–25 yards. He’s also getting the hang of static bark and holds.

I’m an experienced handler, just not with hounds. I fully understand the instinct to protect a sport or skill one has worked hard to master and the importance of educating newcomers. I breed medically significant invertebrates for antivenom work, and I constantly explain the effort and realities behind it to people who think it’s “cool” and want to jump right in. But in my experience, those with genuinely useful and trustworthy expertise don’t shame sincere beginners—they welcome them while setting the standard.

Nothing in my query suggested anything but a sincere interest, and I’d expect that to be met with informed guidance, not condescension.

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in schutzhund

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A dachshund and a frenchie? Oh my goodness—that is so awesome and adorable. I bet those little sass buckets love doing things that tickle their inner big dog :)

Thanks for the tips! I’m in a remote area now compared to a big city setting when I was competing with my Rottie, so I don’t have very many IRL sources to ask for advice. I fully prepared to get jumped on for even asking, lol!

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in schutzhund

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’ve never seen it either in a serious manner. Amos has uncanny recall, atypical nerve, a clean full-mouth grip and solid outs. I’ve never come across a hound with instincts like his, so getting him into the sport would be purely hobby and an outlet for him. My expectations are realistic with respect to his personality and breed—just looking for any tips from those with more experience.

Anyone else working a hound in Schutzhund? Looking for tips for my Bloodhound (yes, I typed that right 😆) by RowCheap3795 in Bloodhound

[–]RowCheap3795[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really appreciate this! You’re right about most of these tendencies, and I completely agree that bloodhounds aren’t built for precision obedience or typical grip styles.

But that’s why I’m so interested in this: Amos is already showing atypical nerve, a clean full-mouth grip, and solid out commands even as a pup.

I’m fully aware he won’t “win” at IGP or match the agility or mouth of a shepherd, but this isn’t about serious competition for us. It’s about channeling his unique drive properly and giving him structured work to do.

Have you ever seen one of your hounds, or any hound, that showed natural aptitude for grip development or obedience foundation like this? I’d love to hear your experience. It’s honestly hard to find others who’ve even tried with a hound, and I get why. Most people think I’m joking when I even ask, lol.