Generations

 There are little boar everywhere this time of year, every year. The older boar are smarter and have learned where not to be. The little boar, not so much. They're getting up in everyone's yards, fields, and on the roads. The new generation.

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チビ猪が箱罠にかかったので、四国犬のヒナちゃん、と3ヶ月の紀州ミヤちゃんに初めて見せました。ミヤの母犬カレンは応援で行きました。 Little boar got caught in one of my traps, so we showed Hina (Shikoku) and Miya (3 month old Kishu) their first boar. Purpose bred vs show line. Miya’s mother Karen came along for moral support.

安房山犬荘 Awa Yamainu Sou(@awamountaindog)がシェアした投稿 - 2020年 9月月17日午前4時03分PDT

So, one unlucky little boar made its way into one of my traps. We got Hina (Shikoku 1yr) and Miya (aka Memester, Kishu 3months) looking at their first boar. I wasn't super hopeful about Hina. The odds of Shikoku (which are pretty much all show line at this stage) turning out as boar dogs is pretty low, but I'm still trying to select toward a proper working dog. Her reaction is as you see it: lot's of interest, but nervousness and not liking the pressure the boar puts on. 

That is what I try to tell people about 'real' hunting (you're dog is not a great hunter because it likes to chase cats or kill lizards). Real prey, and especially boar, put a lot of pressure on hunting dogs. If they don't have a lot of drive, and a lot of smarts, things are not going to work out. Anyway, I don't consider this a fail. A fail is a dog that just wants nothing to do with the boar, tucks tail and makes for the hills. Or worse yet, a dog that does not recognize the threat the boar poses, and is unaware, or tries to ignore the boar.

We took Miya's mom, Karen, along for moral support. Karen's a 100% bailer (bays,barks) and is not a gritty dog at all. That's what I'm trying to produce: Kishu with drive, smarts, good voice, not so gritty, great family dogs (safe around other people and dogs), and healthy. In short, dogs that are a joy to own, and will be around a long time to help you keep putting boar in the freezer. Memester looks to be another step in the right direction. She's ridiculously smart, driven, clever, and ridiculously athletic. Check this three month old pup out doing this.

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What have I created?! 3 month old pups shouldn’t move like this, right? She used to clear it clean in one go before I put that pole up there for the fence I’m installing now...

Shigeru Kato(@kato.the.walrus)がシェアした投稿 - 2020年 9月月15日午前12時14分PDT

She's the next generation of Kishu here. We'll just keep moving forward with the Shikoku as well, until we get 'there'. Hunting season starts in just under 2 months, we'll see what that brings. 2 of my Shikoku girls will be giving birth in the next 2 weeks, so the rest of 2020 is going to be busy!