Perfect Ten Kennels

Breeding for 2012

2012-01-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

So after much deliberation, I finally set the breeding for this spring. I had intended to breed Rose to her nephew LJ, but as of this season he hasn't really impressed me much. I've said for years the only dogs to breed are the two very best running dogs you can find, and it's time for me take my own advice. As much as I was hoping to produce a pure Redclay litter this spring, I have to take my own advice and breed the best genetics I can. Therefore, when Rose went into heat around New Years I put her in a breeding pen with Cole. Cole has definitely earned his right to be included in the breeding, but being just one year old on December 20th, he still hasn't figured out the birds and the bees. So after two days of no action, I removed him from the pen and sent in his dad, BG. Well within 10 minutes BG hung Rose, and then after he had I put him back in his pen and returned Cole to the breeding pen. Cole hung her once I think before she went out, around 2am I heard the whines and whimpers that indicate a hookup. So as long as everything goes well, Rose is pregnant with either BG or Cole's pups. Both Cole and his dad are very similar and two of the best dogs I've ever owned. BG has proven pups on the ground besides Cole, so I'm 100% positive he'd produce some great pups, as would Cole. Rose is one of the best female hounds I've owned, and I'm anxious to see what the pups turn out like. With BG at 17" and Rose barely 14-15", the pups should be a good size for deer beagles. I'll keep everyone updated as the pregnancy progresses, and pictures will be posted as soon as she drops. At 4 weeks of age when we give them their first vaccinations we'll start taking reservations for people who would like to buy a pup from the litter. Haven't yet decided on price, but will keep you updated.
Thanks for checking in and please come back soon!

Curt Lytle - Our Idiot of the Year

2011-12-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

Curt Lytle- former professional BASS fisherman has started a campaign against hunting with hounds in Virginia. You can read most of his lies and mis-information on his poorly designed website http://www.virginiacontroldeerhounds.com/ FYI he's included his personal email on the site,(curt.d.lytle@gmail.com) which I encourage you all to use to send him your opinions on his "solution" to hunting with hounds in VA.
I'm suprised PETA has not already attacked him for his threats to set leg-hold steel traps for hunting dogs, in an attempt to mame or injur them. This man is a spoiled rich boy who wants his cake and eat it too. I can't count the days I've been sitting on a peaceful river or lake enjoying some quality free time fishing, when 30-40 high speed bass boats came racing through at 90 mph, up and down, up and down, and running overtop recreational fishermen at fishing spots. Curt was one of them, and back then he could have cared less how his actions impacted the enjoyment of others on the water. Now that he has retired with his fat check, and bought himself a little hobby farm in the middle of hound-hunting country he wants everyone else to suffer so he can have ultimate enjoyment of his land.
Curt's "solution" is to limit hunting hounds to fenced-in enclosures, thereby completely outlawing outside running. Because his public support has been so futile, and his relization that throwing his big money at it doesn't work either, he's now looking for support from the Virginia Dept. of Game&Inland Fisheries. The same state organization that receives millions of dollars a year from hound hunters statewide.
This clown not only aims to stop deer hunting with hounds, but all outside hunting dogs including rabbit, fox, coon, bear, waterfowl, and upland birds. According to Mr. Curt Lytle dogs should know how to read POSTED signs, and therefore should stay off POSTED lands. I'd love to know his training methodology behind teaching them to read, I could make millions in the training business. ;)
If you research more into his previous statements and actions, you'll find this man is not someone who should be respected or involved in hunting law regulations.
Please contact the VAHDA, VADGIF, and Mr. Curt Lytle directly and let them know your opposition to his "solutions", and your support for responsible and ethical hunting with hounds in VA.
THANK YOU

2011-11-30T16:20:00.001-08:00

This is Cole, the son of BG and Cookie. He was my pick of the litter and has been my best friend ever since. He sleeps in the house, walks on a leash, sits and stays, and rides in the front seat of my truck with me to work and everywhere I go. However, don't think for one minute he doesn't earn his keep. Cole has been undergoing training for blood-trailing and deer recovery. He started jumping and running his own deer at 4 months old and he hasn't quit yet. Just this weekend he was leading the chase with his father BG as 10-12 long legged walker hounds brought up the rear. He's got a great temperment and I just can't say enough about his nose and tracking abilities. He's a great all around dog, great with kids, other dogs, and cats chickens and pigs. Oh and did I mention he's housebroken?! :)

Cole is currently at stud, as is his father BG. I'm reluctant to breed to Cookie again as she had some hormone problems after the last pregnancy and subsequently gained a lot of weight. If you've got a good gyp your looking to breed either BG or Cole would definitely add something to your pack that it's taken me a long time to find, an outstanding all around dog with superior nose.

Cole will continue his blood trailing training this winter/spring, and hopefully next fall we'll be advertising him as a deer recovery service in central VA. $50 for within 35 miles, $75 up to 50 miles and $100 for within 75 miles. No deer, no pay. May consider going further if I have time. But if you've shot the buck of a lifetime, don't risk losing it, the small fee we charge is a drop in the hat compared to the taxidermist :) haha

2011-11-30T15:54:00.001-08:00

Possible Breeding for Spring 2012

2011-11-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

Sorry for the delay in updating the site and getting back to interested beagle owners. I've got a new laptop and after much haggling with internet service providers, I've taken to sitting in McDonalds parking lot using their free Wi-Fi. We've gotten a tremendous amount of interest in our dogs since the site went up, and the emails and phone calls continue to pour in. To answer a lot of the questions I figured I'd just write you all at once here on the site to clear up any confusion and to save time.

The majority of persons contacting me are in search of buying broke grown dogs, of which I'm particularly not too fond. Primarily because any beagle hunter worth his weight will tell you that if you've got a good dog that works for you then you'd have to have Uncle Sam take the house and your wife first. It just doesn't make sense for a guy/gal to sell a dog they've raised from a pup and hunted behind for years. I've seen a lot of friends end up disappointed after buying a supposed "broke" dog. I know of one such dog-mill here in VA, where the guy has over a hundred beagles on site, and he'll guarantee you the dog will run or your welcome to come back and swap out for another one. What he doesn't guarantee is that you'll be able to catch the dog, or that it isn't harboring parasites that could infect your entire kennel, or that it has other serious health problems not visible to the eye.
We started breeding dogs for the purpose of creating a better deer beagle, not to get rich, so we don't usually raise and break dogs before selling them. What we DO, is we take exceptional care of mother and pups through gestation/pregnancy providing top quality food, vitamins, and vaccinations. ALL our puppies are raised by us, we handle every one from day one. We provide supplemental feeding of vitamin enriched milk replacer to ensure that each puppy has the basic foundation of a healthy long life. We expose the puppies from a very early age to chase and reward, a main reason we don't sell pups immediately at 6 weeks of age like some breeders. Basically I would rather sell a hunter a puppy from a mother and father who both run deer exceptionally well, a puppy free of genetic health concerns, free of parasites, and ready to be trained. That's not to say I won't train or work with a puppy purchased from me. I'm willing to work out something with the guys who want a puppy from our stock, but don't have the intense amount of time required for the early stages of puppy/dog life. I do have friends with beagles they are sometimes willing to sell, mostly because of financial reasons, and I'd be happy to put anyone in contact with them should I hear of any, but I cannot guarantee anything about someone else's dogs.

Our upcoming projects are building a half-acre to acre excercise pen to give the dogs a place to work out and allow me to work with them more.

We're planning a selective breeding this year between Rose and LJ(not yet pictured on the site). LJ is the first son of Louie V and Hazel. He's one of the best examples of Redclay Beagle we've produced so far, and we have very high hopes for this limited line breeding. I'll be watching Rose and as soon as she goes into heat I'll be sure to update ya'll.

I've also got several dogs at stud this year, including the infamous BG, Louie V, Reb, and our newest addition to our family Cole. Cole's pictures will be up soon, along with Reb's. Reb is the son of Dixie-Dot and Lucky(RIP). He's been a beast in the woods since last year and has really impressed me so far this year. He'll add a lot of speed, mouth, and endurance. Cole may be the next up and coming hound of a lifetime. At only 11 months he's our youngest male, and by far one of the best hounds I've ever owned. Cole was originally intended to be my housepet. He was the runt of the litter and almost solid black when born, hence the name Cole/Coal. I picked him out of the litter because even before he could open his eyes he would crawl out of the baby-pool we raise the pups/mother in, and he would sleep in the corner by himself. I immediately admired his individuality and he's never stopped impressing me. He's house-broken, knows the sit and stay commands, and he rides with me to work everyday in my truck, riding shotgun. At 4-5 months of age he was picking up tracks and jumping his own deer. By 8-9 months he was disappearing for hours, traveling miles running deer. I've also worked with him in following blood trails and baying wounded deer. So far he's 3 for 3 in recovering dead deer by following blood trails, and if he keeps up this success we'll be advertising him for deer recovery services in the VA area next year, due to our new law changes that allow for the use of dogs on leads/leashes to trail wounded deer/bear. Cole not only has the drive to hunt that most beaglers dream about, but he's also got the personality of the most loyal lap-dog. He's great with children, other dogs, and other animals (pigs,chickens,cats,etc). He's at stud to anyone looking to really add some great blood to their stock. He's a 17" tri-color beagle, born to Cookie and BG.
If interested in any of our studs, just drop me an email and we can discuss terms.

I upgraded to the new Garmin Astro 320 Tracking System this year, and I couldn't be happier. I've used much less fuel running the roads, have been in front of more chases, and have recovered dogs/deer much faster. I bought my system from Buzzards-Roost http://www.thebuzzzardsroost.com/ and he provided me with super friendly service, great price, and fast shipping. I highly recommend him, and if you talk to him tell him Matt from Perfect Ten sent you.

Well that's all for now, but stop by again soon as I'll be updating the site regularly, and if there's something you want posted or want to see on the site don't hesitate to email me.
Thanks & Happy Hunting!

Matt Craig
Perfect Ten Kennels
Louisa, VA 23093

Buck of a Lifetime

2011-11-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

We haven't yet started general firearms season/dog season here in Louisa, VA, but I wanted to submit this picture to highlight me taking advantage of the new rule change in VA allowing hunters to use dogs on leads to track wounded/killed deer/bear. I shot this buck at 80yds with my .50cal Knight Muzzleloader shooting 150gr pyrodex pellets, and 250gr TC shockwave ballistic tips. The buck was in a green field, and ran only about 50 yds total, but was in a dense oak thicket. I waited 30 minutes in which time I came home and got my beagle Cole. I returned to the field, and Cole who's just under a year old, literally dragged me into the woods and right up to my buck of a lifetime, his second recovery this week after he found a doe I shot who ran 50 yards into a thicket and across a creek. The buck gross scored 173 7/8" but after deductions scored 165 3/8". The buck was killed on a QDMA farm we've managed extensively for the past decade. This is the 2nd buck over 145" we've harvested in the last two years, and we've had 3 others score in the 130-140 range.
I'll hopefully soon be submitting pictures from our club dog hunts, but wanted to send this in not only because it's a huge Central VA buck, but also because my deer beagle Cole helped me recover him quickly. If he keeps this up I may start advertising our services in deer recovery. LoL Thanks for the great site as always and Happy Hunting!
Thanks,
Matt Craig
Perfect Ten Kennels
Louisa, VA.

All the puppies are gone...

2011-02-18T05:23:00.000-08:00

Friday Feb 17th. - As of this past Monday, all the puppies have been sold. Thanks to all those who got one/several of them, please stay in touch and feel free to email me pics of them as they grow up. We may possibly be having a litter of RedClay puppies this fall, but if we do we'll be asking for deposits, as many of the people who emailed me saying they definitely wanted a puppy from this past litter, then never returned my emails or attempted to contact me back.

For all those who have requested help with breaking pups, I'll have to regretfully decline until closer to Spring, I've been laid up in bed with the flu for an entire week, so I'm falling behind with my work schedule. I'll still be happy to help, but right now I just can't afford the time off. Thanks, and I hope ya'll understand. Happy Hunting!

Puppies are ready to go

2011-02-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

The puppies are 7 weeks old this weekend, and are ready to go. To this who have emailed me I apologize, but I lost the majority of my emails accidentally. Please contact me as soon as possible and schedule a time to come see the pups before they're all gone. $125 each, males and females available. Parents both still on site and doing well. Puppies are wormed but will be ready for their vaccinations upon getting them, I can do this ahead of time for you if you'd like. Thanks and as always Happy Hunting!

Puppies Born December 20th Cookie/BG

2010-12-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Cookie had 9 pups on Dec 20th sired by BG. I'm keeping one, and my good friend is picking one. But the other 7 will be available for sale @ $125ea. Males and Females available. Have a lot of interest so they will go fast. Should be between 13-17". Email me to schedule a visit to the kennels and see the pups. They should be ready to go on or before Valentine's Day weekend.
Thanks

Updates on Website

2010-02-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

***To ALL visitors to the website....***

I'm trying hard to keep the website updated regularly.

Check out the NEWS page, as well as the other linked pages

to stay up-to-date on the latest political info, upcoming field trials,

Stud-Dogs/Brood Gyps, Classifieds and much more.

Please be sure to check back often, and send me anything

you'd like to have put on the site. Also please visit our links

as there are some great sites with forums for houndsmen

to share info, tips, and tall tales.

Thanks for Visiting Perfect Ten Kennels

and PLEASE come back soon...

***JUST ADDED OUR VERY OWN BEAGLE

MESSAGE BOARD***

THE LINK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR MESSAGE BOARD. FEEL FREE TO BROWSE THE POSTS OR ADD ONE OF YOUR OWN.

THANKS

The Birth of The RedClay Beagle

2010-02-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Birth of The RedClay Beagle

For as long as I've been breeding & hunting beagles, I've always heard the Warfield Red Beagle referred to as an all red/chocolate beagle with very particular traits (red/brown nose hazel/green/tan eyes etc) I just always assumed that the Warfield Red Beagle was a rare color variation/bloodline/sub-breed. When the chance came to own some, I jumped on it and have been overjoyed ever since with the stock's success. However, as I advanced my research, and acquired new contacts in the beagle world, both rabbit and deer beagle owners/breeders, I was informed about the original origins of the Warfield Red Beagle.

As far as the history of the Warfield Red, it refers to a tri-color male beagle Field Champion from the 1940's and 50's who carried the brown-blanket back gene and who was a popular stud dog of the time, boasting the picture below with a stud fee of $25.oo!!
So to satisfy the purist, and to seperate myself, and this great bloodline of dogs, I've decided to name the stock of brown beagle's we've been breeding RedClay Beagles instead of Warfield Red's. Every bloodline/sub-breed had to start sometime, and I guess this is their time. I'll no longer be claiming Warfield Red stock, but instead RedClay stock.

A RedClay Beagle is as follows: the beagle should carry the solid brown (various shades accepted) over it's entire top-body, with buckskin coloring allowed on trim-coat around anus, eyes, mouth, neck, feet. White is allowed ONLY on the underbelly, feet, tip of tail, and blaze on chest. There is NO mottling of the colors, the nose should be pinkish/brown/tan and the eyes either hazel, green, or light brown/tan. This breed should carry it's tail straight up, without actually curling over the back, and the body types should represent the beagle lineage, 13-18" tall at the shoulder.

Whereas a red/chocolate beagle is simply a color variation from a recessive gene and so takes both parents carrying the recessive gene to result in red/chocolate offspring, the RedClay Beagle is a dominant gene/color variation and so should be carried and passed on by both parents. Chocolate beagles can come from all colors of stock, including blue-ticked, red-ticked, tri-color, black and tan, or lemon & white. These beagles typically carry some mottling throughout their coats, and often resemble a Red & White rather than the description listed above.

Please pass on this distinction, and maybe it will catch on....

Perfect Ten Kennels

2010-01-20T05:44:00.000-08:00

Perfect Ten Kennels

Matt Craig

Louisa, VA. 23093

Raising, Breeding, Training, & Hunting

Top Notch Deer Beagles

Tri-Color, Blue-Ticked, and Rare RedClay Beagles

The Buck Stops Here...

Perfect Ten Kennels

Breeding for 2012

Curt Lytle - Our Idiot of the Year

Possible Breeding for Spring 2012

Buck of a Lifetime

All the puppies are gone...

Puppies are ready to go

Puppies Born December 20th Cookie/BG

***Updates on Website***

The Birth of The RedClay Beagle

Perfect Ten Kennels

Updates on Website