is it possible for a dog to hunt till it drops?

[herefordlovinglady]

My dog, bessy, she is part basset and part beagle (some call her a bagel), she leaves the house in the morning around 7:30 and I do not see her again until 7 or 8 at night. she hunts all day long. when she gets home she goes in grabs some water and some food and then straight to bed. Some mornings i keep her in until mid afternoon, because she comes home so worn out that it scares me. i just wonder, is it possible for dogs to hunt till they drop. do they know when to quit? we own 400 acres, but are surrounded by a few thousand. our neighbors are few and far between. i have talked to hunters that come out to our property and the surrounding properties and they all know to watch out for her (she wears a bright orange collar). And then again some days she just lays around the yard and doesn't go anywhere. Oh her partner in crime is our cat Oliver, he is always with her.

I am just worried about her running herself down.

 

[texasgal]

Yes, they will hunt til they drop.

No, they do not know when to quit.

I have to crate mine to shut down his brain (he's a herding breed)

 

[Cindiloohoo]

They'll hunt till they pass out. At least she comes home

 

[wegotchickens]

My grandpa honked his car horn when he went to feed his hunting dogs. It was part of their training. Then, whenever he'd honk his horn they'd come home right then.
He said food was the only thing that shut their brains off of hunting.

Also, he was elderly then and couldn't go get them when out somewhere away from home.

Maybe you could try something like that to make your dog come home earlier in the day? Of course, you'd have to keep her locked up for a few days/weeks until she got the hang of the new system....

 

[SarahFair]

I am a member of the GON forum (georgia outdoor network). Its mainly a hunting site.
I was reading a page where people have had dogs over heat themselves (during summer months) and die.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I remember watching a program about a missing child where bloodhounds were used to follow the trail. I love bloodhounds!! They had to stop the dogs because, although hot on the trail, they said that the dogs would continue until they dropped dead. A dead dog wouldn't be much help. That really stuck with me as I didn't realize how strong the drive is. I've had a beagle, but he had many birth defects that kept him from wandering too far. I now have a basset and if I didn't have a fenced in property I would lose her for sure...in fact, I got her at the pound as a stray.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

that settles it, i am keeping her up until i get home. that will give her late afternoon to run and do without being out in the hot hot heat of the day.

thanks all for your help.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If she is out every day then she is probably ok. Her body is use to it. Hunting dogs an bloodhounds dont get to run every day an will over do what there body is ready for when turned loose.