Bloodhound

Gypsy's best buddy is a hound mix.  Earl naturally tracks with NO training whatsoever. Have him hit the shelter and get a hound mix!  He doesn't need a Bloodhound--that is waaaaay too much dog for a forst time owner.  I assume he's a first time owner from the questions he's asking you.  Am I right?

BEVOLASVEGAS

I'm pretty sure that he would be disappointed with the dachshund.  They are stubborn, & hard headed.  They work only when they are seriously motivated to work, & they are very much a family oriented breed.  I don't think that they would handle being an outdoor dog, & I'm not sure that they would be capable of doing tracking without some serious work on your brother's part.

not necessarily true, at least for a small minority of them . the link i posted earlier highly recommends doxies for tracking wounded game.

http://www.teckelclub.org/ and have a look at these guys. sure you wouldnt want a mini.... but a true blue full sized doxie would be great. 

There's a program that Fish & Game runs in upstate NY called Deerwatch that uses dogs to track wounded and road-hit deer in rural areas- it's open to any breed of dog, but most of the dogs in the program are dachshunds and terriers- drivey, stubborn, smaller dogs. I took Indy through part of the training and he lovd it but I couldn't manage it at the time, phsycailly 

 Still, for an outdoor dog, a coonhound or a pointer is probably his best bet, as far as dogs that can cope with being an outdoor family dog.
 

I know this is like the WORST thing to do, but someone has a blue tick coonhound puppy on Craigslist, says the dog is from hunting lines and has gone on a hunt (probably not actually hunted, but went along).  The dog is $50.  Might show that to my bro.  He's just not going to be interested in a $1000 dog with a championed pedigree from a reputable breeder.

Liesje

No way would the shelter around here let him have a dog.  They do lots of screening and interviews.  They would not release a dog to someone who was going to use it for hunting/tracking, most likely keep it outdoors, yadda yadda.  They want them to all be family companions. 

A puppy?  Isn't he taking a chance that the hunting instinct may not be strong.  I placed a field pointer to a hunting family and the reason why my foster was selected was because of the pointer's strong hunting instinct.  The family had one as a pup and was hoping my foster would teach or at least activate the drive in the other. 

Also, I almost got to foster an adult bloodhound.  We rarely see bloodhounds and that particular one got snatched up right away, but they do show up in rescues.

I know an Akita that was trained for blood trailing and she was well EXCELLENT at it.

Speed would be an asset I should think? Quicker you find the deer the better?

DPU

A puppy?  Isn't he taking a chance that the hunting instinct may not be strong.  I placed a field pointer to a hunting family and the reason why my foster was selected was because of the pointer's strong hunting instinct.  The family had one as a pup and was hoping my foster would teach or at least activate the drive in the other. 

I don't think the drive needs to even be that strong.  The dog would track, not hunt.  Like others have said (and I agree) you can really train any breed to track, especially when there's actually blood on the ground.  He mostly hunts large game where the dog is used to track wounded game.  I'm sure he would love hunting birds and coons and stuff and probably would if the dog was interested in that, but he's mainly looking for a tracking dog and constant outdoor companion when he's in the woods and fishing.  He took my uncle's dog everywhere with him and I think he really got used to having a dog at his side.

I'd rather look for a shelter adult, but like I said, no rescue or shelter around here would place a dog into a home where it would be an outdoor dog, primarily used for tracking and hunting.  Our local groups are all about "forever" homes that mean indoor only, companion animals. 

Gina - he CANNOT get an Akita because I will be insanely jealous and steal it!!! 

Liesje

Gina - he CANNOT get an Akita because I will be insanely jealous and steal it!!! 

LMBO...oh that was less a suggestions and more a general random comment about the subject of blood trailing LOL.

Another thing to think about: Most hound breeds are not really "constant companion at your side" kind of dogs while out in the woods. Is he expecting a dog who will sit at his side quietly or follow him around the woods? Because most likely he's not going to get that with a coonhound, or any hound really, at least not without some serious training unless he keeps them on leash at all times until he's ready to work them. You know how a lab just like sits next to you in your blind quietly waiting for his chance to work? Hounds aren't so much like that.

 its true.. hounds are constant forward moving dogs... i hate how the cartoons have made hounds look lazy and sleepy... the only lazy and sleepy hounds i've ever met were either sick, dead, or dogged out from hunting and running...

houndlove

You know how a lab just like sits next to you in your blind quietly waiting for his chance to work? Hounds aren't so much like that.

That is one of the reasons we have essentially ruled out 'lab' as part of Bugsy's mix and hound in.

rwbeagles

I know an Akita that was trained for blood trailing and she was well EXCELLENT at it.

Speed would be an asset I should think? Quicker you find the deer the better?

 

Um...Gina, that Akita might just find them some bear as well.  LOL!