The Pros & Cons Of A Multi-species Hound

Defining your goals is key in deciding if you want to run your hound on multiple species.

- Kelly Irwin

There is always some controversy on running the same hounds on different species of game. Depending on your situation it might be beneficial or detrimental to you achieving your goals with your hounds. Each person has their own way of training and what works best for them. For the type of hunting that I do, I prefer a multi-species hound. I feel the benefits outweigh the negatives.

PROS OF A MULTI-SPECIES HOUND

A well-rounded dog and with a good head on his shoulders can excel at running different species of game. The more time and effort you put into your hound, the more you’ll get what you’re asking of him. Many people successfully run bear, bobcat, coyote, fisher, and coon with the same hounds. The main advantage is being in the woods, almost year round, with your faithful buddy. This is probably the biggest benefit of a multi-species hound – you’ve got more opportunity to hunt. The hound has more opportunity to develop its overall skill set (trailing, locating, treeing, etc) that will benefit it while pursuing other species. The hounds are also able to stay in shape throughout the year.