Hello all. I’m considering getting a trap line dog but was considering which breeds you all run or recommend? I trap coon early season then switch over to coyotes and run 95% footholds. I’m in northwest iowa so we don’t have much timber but mostly just drainage ditches and crp buffer strips. I’m looking for a dog to have as a companion and family dog that’s good around people and other pets but also wanting to be out looking for canine sign and helping find micro locations on a property. Also recommendations on male vs female and castrated and spayed or not. We just lost our dog of 13 years last November and considering getting a new one. Any information would be great. Thank you!

terrier

Personally I love my German wirehair and she does everything you stated and then some such as find animals that have managed to disappear with the trap by managing to take the drag further the expected of managed to pull a stake ect, but all that said if I was looking for just a trapline dog that was also a good family one I would look very hard at an airedale terrier or a German drahtharr I don’t think you could really go wrong with either one but both are breeds that you really need to know how to work with and train a dog that is way smarter then average and I would also check bloodlines carefully to make sure I was getting the traits I wanted

That’s easier with the Drahtharr because if it’s papered it’s total ancestry is on record one of the reasons their so expensive because the parents have to pass extensive tests before being allowed to have a litter

But then I’m not one to follow my own advice, I have been trapping for over 50 years and have always had a dog along and most of those have been mutts and each and every one of them has been a help some more then others some of those dogs have been true blue bloods with extensive pedigrees and they as often as not have done no better then the mutts and I don’t think I have ever had one that has been a dud, though some haven’t been all that interested in the trapping part just enjoying being with me and often that was enough

In my opinion it’s more important that you have a dog that will follow commands even when it’s excited at what’s going on so that means you need to know how to train and handle a dog and it’s been my experience that most people don’t, and a dog on the trapline needs to be better then just sit/stay if it going to be more then just a ride along partner that stays in the vehicle

Mountain cur, Airedale, Jack Russell, mix of any of those.

Jack Russel here, little dog, smart, cold blooded killers, I have a lot of customers that are totally impressed with mine.





100 pound dog in a twelve pound body. Don’t matter the size of the dog but the fight in a dog. I would look at the Jag terriers too but from what I seen they could be a liability issue.

wws

IF you are from NW Iowa, I might suggest you check with the Sioux City (or local) animal shelter(s) for a trapline dog. Breeds have little to do with it unless you search long and hard for someone who breeds (and culls) dogs of a certain type and hunting caliber. The dog shows (AKC, UKC, NKC) have about ruined the original intent of many hunting breeds for "looks" and "standards" with no regard to actual/original game getting purposes. Sound pretty down don't I... Well its been my experience that a lot of dogs that have the "confirmation" get bred while others don't,,,,,,, so the public ends up with labs that don't retrieve, pointers that don't point, brittany's that are too hyper, and goldens that can't smell. A good breeder should be willing to take a prospective buyer out on a hunt with the dam to show at least the close genetics. Not that sires don't donate their share of genetic material but this "DOMINATE" word gets used way to freely in today's dog world. If buying a pup or young dog, you would want some proof in a couple of generations back that the pup you get has the potential to hunt and exhibit the characteristics you are looking for. Terriers seem to have a little "game" left in their breeds and the German dogs (shorthairs, wirehairs, even some dachshunds) still show some hunt. If you ask the shelter folks to keep an eye out for the type of breed you settle on they should be accommodating. If not then, they should not be in the business. Plus you can get an older dog (ask for 1 less than 3 yrs old) that has been human acclimated/raised with all the "puppy" out of it and should be ready for your employment. Cost is not that bad for a shelter dog as they sometimes have special adoption days. Some of my best dogs were practically free as I was in the right place right time. Others were washouts for hunters but good companions/house dogs. Some were "cut" from the team as they had some real undesirable characteristics (mean, livestock chasers-killers, uncontrollable, etc.). So consider the shelter option. My experience. ............................the mike

If I was a full time trapper I'd likely look for a specific dog; maybe of some of the mentioned breeds or maybe not. But for the average fur/recreational trapper that is looking for a family dog, I think you can get along with most dogs on the trapline. Keep in mind you likely arent trapping more than a few months out of the year but you are living with that dog year round and that would be my primary focus. My last three have been mutts. Each one has been different with some weaknesses and strengths but when trapping you are relying on their nose and they all have one that is better than yours. When I was pretty young a friend of the family always had dogs and told me something to the effect that you get out of any dog what you put in. Over the years of having some type of dog I'd say that is fairly accurate. For me it takes probably around 3 years to have a decent dog when trapping and over those first years they actually slow me down.

I have a female mountain cur that marks everything of interest to her, just like a male does. She was intact until this June, and nothing has changed since getting her spayed. I have a 3 year old daughter that hangs all over her and dresses the dog up in princess clothes. She will sleep under the covers in the bed if you let her at night, but she is a whole different dog when she has the shock collar on or if I ask her if she wants to go to work.

What use do you want the dog to serve? Tracking drags? Holding and baying a catch? Decoying if shooting? Finding sign?

All different traits and different breeds/strains were developed to highlight one or more so some looking into it needs to be done.

But just off the top of my head for all purpose a working terrier or cur breed would be a starting point.

I have a blue heeler pup I’m going to train as a trap line dog. The little guy is fearless and as smart a dog as Ive ever seen. The next year will be Interesting for sure !!

Them little blue heelers are gritty and smart. Would likely make for a good trapping partner.

I've got a padderjagd that has been everything but the usual jagd story. he definitely has grit but is a 35lb family dog at heart. lazy SOB if I let him be lol. super protective of my kids an wife but smart enough to allow the mailman around. I don't let him in the catch circles as much as he wants but he has held his own with plenty of k9s an survived a few cats after jumping out of the window when told not to....was still learning. he's a drag tracking machine.

I use a bloodhound for tracking drags

My Bavarian Mountain Hound is pretty thin haired , I’m afraid she would cut pretty easy. She is smart enough that I’ve only caught her in one trap . Now she stays in the truck , and raises heck .

Here's my trapline dog. Not what has been suggested but she has been fun to have with me.

Now that's a serious face.

Let's go dad!

SoDaker , my Jack is the same way, backs up and marks all the time. She gets to work a fair amount for me, she loves it. But definitely a dominate dog, she puts a lot of bigger dogs in there place. But she looks like a purse dog. She sets the rules with other dogs but I have never had to put a shock collar on her. I won’t send her under a house , once she is on to something I have to physically stop her or she will damage things.

wws

I've had good luck with the Mt. Cur variety. Good companions, they find the fur and they are good decoy dogs.

Laz, I enjoyed your demo at coyote days. I always thought your cur looked like a good dog, I am looking for one similar to yours as my male I got from John is now 9 years old, if you happen to hear of any litters of brindle mountain curs please let me know.