In this episode, Mike examines practical strategies to help coonhound owners and handlers make better decisions before and after a competition hunt by applying a traditional business tool—a SWOT analysis—to competition coon hunting. By examining strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, owners and handlers can create a more fact-based plan for success. Winning consistently requires an honest assessment of both dog and handler, intelligent hunt selection, careful recordkeeping, and a willingness to prepare for the conditions you are likely to encounter.

You will learn how to evaluate your hound and determine which elements give the dog its best opportunity to perform well. Mike talks about:

• How to evaluate your chances without wishful thinking

• Why a dog’s competitive window should not be taken for granted

• How to conduct a SWOT analysis for your dog and yourself

• How to choose hunts that fit your dog’s strengths

• Why studying other dogs and handlers matters

• How journals expose performance patterns

• How environmental factors affect a dog

• What it takes to be a world-beater

• How to recognize low blood sugar and other health concerns

• What emergency tools you should carry

This episode’s topics include competition coon hunting, competition coon hunting strategies, coonhound training, competition coonhound training, how to win coon hunts, coon hunting tips, coonhound handling, coonhound obedience training, coonhound recall training, coonhound competition, training a competitive coonhound, coon dog training journal, coon hunting safety, hunting dog hypoglycemia, coonhound health, PKC, UKC, ProSport, competition hunt rules, and coonhound conditioning.