Finished Catahoula Working Dog For Sale
First, let's define finished dog: Able to find(locate from scent on the ground OR IN THE AIR!), stop(from running), as demonstrated below by 2 Catahoulas at the Cutter Creek Bay Pen,
bay: (to intimidate the prey by barking, and alert the distant help of the location of the prey),
control: (the fine art of knowing how much pressure to apply to maintain stationary control, without applying too much and causing the prey to break and run), AND....then most importantly: WAIT FOR HELP! if needed.
Waiting means maintaining the bay at a safe distance and thus not getting cut or run over, and at the same time, being capable of tightening up the distance if the prey appears to be about to run for it, even if that means getting in there and biting the tail or pulling some hair on the hind legs because the prey has turned 180' away from the dog and is about to run for it, as seen below...
AND...most importantly; waiting means: NOT LEAVING the bay(unless severely injured and trying to survive or called out by the master)
the 2 photos above are copyrighted and compliments of Elizabeth Lynch Hanna
OK, that describes hunting ability, and says nothing about basic ease of handling due to obedience training.
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And any finished dog should in my opinion be easy to lead and work on leash, load in the truck on command, and come on command when NOT leashed, even if being called out in the heat of a bay, AND... very important here... eventually coming to look for me if I am not coming around soon enough looking for them. And that is functional teamwork based more upon genetics and relationship than obedience and training.
Now here is where we really need to understand that a finished dog that has accomplished almost everything it needs to survive the dangerous activities that a cur dog encounters WITH IT'S MASTER is going to need a period of transition from the seller who may also be the breeder and trainer to the new owner. And I want to begin to emphasize how at this point(as a finished dog), a lot of what the dog does is based upon teamwork, AND a loyalty, devotion and love for it's master that money cannot buy and it has nothing to do with the sale price, genetics, breeding, training or experience. You and only you, as a prospective new owner can and must put a relationship in that already finished dog that cannot be bought with any amount of money, it must be earned by investing time in the dogs everyday life even if, AND especially if, it is not hunting season!
A well bred, raised, trained, experienced finished dog, no mater what you think, must be re-finished by the new owner if the dog is sold.
Now on that note most prospective buyers of finished dogs presume that a finished dog will work for anyone, anywhere, anytime and anyplace because it did so for the master who has spent 100's of hours training AND building a relationship of mutual trust.
And they are right, it will. IF it has time to build a relationship with that new owner, it will! And that is why 95% of prospective buyers fail to "find" a good finished dog because they do not understand that a finished dog that was finished by someone else and has demonstrated their can do with that someone else, is now ready to serve you, IF you are willing to finish the sale or "transaction" by putting a handle on them(obedience) and putting a relationship into the dog's heart and mind that motivates them to hunt for you, even to the point of risking their life to get the job done.
Refinishing
Now if that kind of service is possible with someone who finished that dog what makes you think that you do not need to "re-finish" that dog in relation to you? Ohhhh, yes! You do!
They can and do hunt for someone else, so why do they not want to hunt for you?(could it be your fault and not the dogs that YOU failed to re-finish?)
Now one couple who owns a ranch in east Texas is attempting to sort out the serious finished dog buyers from the wanna be's by insisting that a prospective buyer come out to the ranch and spend the weekend(or at least 2 days and one night) in order to see if we have a match with the right dog. And my understanding is that applies to the puppy buyers too.
Now why would you want to subject yourself to this and they want this from a perspective buyer? Because they know that if you are not willing to invest a couple of days at the ranch in order to get to know them(the husband and wife) AND the dogs, in order to qualify to buy a puppy, you don't deserve one!
I have to go for now.....but I will re-edit this later and expand the details of what you as a prospective buyer must understand about re-finishing a finished dog.
I am Marcus de la Houssaye, breeder, trainer, dog whisperer, and here to serve you, if you give me a chance! If you buy a puppy OR finished dog from me, I am for the life of the dog available for consultation if you need expert advise.
You may own the dog, but they will always be family to me and you may become family too, if you give me a chance to get to know you.
If you are wondering if the two photos below are photoshopped, I don't blame you, but yes that is me at work as a Louisiana Swamp Tour guide with Bob and Beauty in the background observing my animal control methods on a de la Houssaye's Swamp Tour.
FYI: I know this alligator very well, and it knows me too!
I am the original swamp people, and my dogs are always there too!
I can be reached at 337 298 2630, please call if you are serious, as based upon my experience, people who text or email, are just wasting my time, not to mention: NO, you cannot have my email address either!
