My Beagle pup is 2 months old. I figure by 3 months I would like to try to start training it on rabbit. Does anyone know if I can buy rabbit pelt so that I can use as a training tool? Either that or I look for road kill!
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My Beagle pup is 2 months old. I figure by 3 months I would like to try to start training it on rabbit. Does anyone know if I can buy rabbit pelt so that I can use as a training tool? Either that or I look for road kill!
Not sure how a pelt from a fresh rabbit would do being shipped...but I know Fox just did up a bunch this past week he's going to dump.
If you willing to pay shipping and handling, I'm sure he could freeze up a couple, vacuum seal them and then ship them Purolator to you...
If it was hunting season I could help , but I don't think you really need one.
I have never used a pelt for training nor have I ever seen it done. If a hound is from good hunting bloodlines it will end up training its self despite all of our efforts. Rev. Parks has a decent book on raising and training Beagles.
[Breeding Better Beagles. Rev. John Parks]
You can buy a bottle of rabbit scented spray at Cabelias.
It's my understanding those bottle scents are intended as breaking scents.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowwalker
Well it works. Spray some on her toy bunny and drag it around and she follows the scent. When Macy is out walking, she hits a rabbit trail and it's full time sniffing. Till she hits the rabbits.Quote:
Originally Posted by swampsinger
X2Quote:
Originally Posted by swampsinger
Can't post what we used to do , but I'll send you a PM.
Run your dog- at around 5 months- with a mature beagle. Only do it for a couple weeks.
Seriously, keep an eye out for road-kill to use as a drag. Freeze it, re-use it, get rid of it when it gets too punky. That's what I've done in the past.
Nothing better then the real thing. Get your self a long check cord and take it for a walk in a likely area that has rabbits. It will start to explore sents as it’s in a beagles nature. When you notice it starts following a trail follow closely while moving with it on the check cord. Keep doing this a few times until you guys bump a cottontail and it’s game on. Let go and let it chase to build up its desire to find rabbits. Before you know it you will have a great rabbit hound. Good luck.
Check your PM’s
I've used the store-bought scent with my last beagle when it was 3-6 months old.
But the best answer is Swampsinger's - if it's from a good hound breeding, it will learn on its own.
All it needs is practice time in the bush.
I think that's what the beagle trailers do - just run the dogs where there are rabbits and they'll figure it out.
If you need to teach your dog what a rabbit smells like - it's going to be a long road.
The biggest problem, is where to find rabbits , as the coyotes clean them up with rapidity.
My neighbourhood is full of cottontail rabbits, but it's also full of cars.Quote:
Originally Posted by jaycee
It's also illegal to hunt in the city, or let your dogs run at large.:rolleye::silly:Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowwalker
Thanks. The mother and father are fantastic hunters. I plan to have him run with his parents in September when the small game season opens so that he can learn from them. I know the old school guys buy live rabbits and have the pup chase them in a pen.
I already told the breeder that I want to run my dog with its parents in September after the opener. The best way my pup will learn. At that point he will be 5 months old.
No it is against the DISCHARGE BY-LAW to shot a gun or bow.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by jaycee
As for at large, if your hunting the dog would still be under your control.:thumbup:
I just don't want my dogs under a car..:sad:
Well if you really think about how most discharge by-laws are written ..a super soaker squirt gun is illegal.:confused:
Shhhhh :) Don't let him run with other too long or he will become too dependent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank16
With all the gizmos and gadgets out there to train dogs surprised someone hasn't come out with some kind of rabbit fur covered radio controlled analog that you can boot around a soccer field to let the pup chase something :silly:. Got a couple of kits that are calling the back yard home. The dogs, although they know better, just can't help trying to track them down and point 'em. Don't think you really need to train the dog to find rabbits its in them you just need to bring it out. Much like I don't teach my dogs to point just bring out the most of one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank16
Think the main thing to instill is a strong bond with the pup as some point you'll want it to return to you.
Yup got that....can't sleep in the bed or sit on the couch without the dog laying beside me, and touching me with a paw or her head..Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
Ok next..
Buy yourself a Garmin GPS tracker.
My best training spots were public lands along semi-urban trail systems such as rail-trails. No gun hunting allowed and good cover that holds rabbits. My buddy and I would go at the crack of dawn and get in a couple hours of chases before most of the people showed up. Most walker/joggers we encountered were amused by the sounds of beagles on-chase.
If you want a rabbit dog, then first and frequent exposure to rabbit scent, with lots of praise, is essential to reduce the chances of your dog taking a liking to deer.
Save your money Frank. :) At some point you are going to need a GPS unit. None were available when Dad and I were breeding /training beagles, therefore some were lost .
A good time is now before you start running your dog and that is some obedience training. Walking on a lead, sit, come and come to a whistle before you ever turn him loose...
Obedience training is a must, start it now!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo D
A lot of owners want to get their dogs into running game, forgetting about obedience training, then get all upset when their dog takes off on game and for all their worth, they cannot recall or call the dog off when necessary.
Hounds can be the most obedient dogs out there they flip the switch when their nose gets into it, hence all the beagles in shelters that ran away, no, they were let off leash and they got on a scent, they are stubborn things. We had 1 beagle that would no chase anything until you left the front lawn of the hunt camp, then it was hunting time. Another would smell the guys who set in the block line and turn around, rarely kept going on a deer, those were the only 2 that kept their obedience once on a track or around game.Quote:
Originally Posted by jaycee
No kidding....our dogs would do everything commanded of them till their nose picked up a scent. Then they were running till the deer was shot or crossed the river.....even then we had a few cross and get lost on the other side until some kind stranger called us to let us know they had our dogs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox
5+ miles on 1 deer for one of our boys, the camp shot the deer and set the dog loose again, on the way back he got on to another track and ran another 3+ miles before he was picked up, this was the ridges of the Ottawa valley. That dog had a couple days rest after that very long day, this was a beagle/walker cross.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
I agree. Obedience training is a must. Worried my first one wouldn’t hunt and spent all my time training him to hunt Once he got on his first rabbit he was like a machine but there was no way I could call him in once we were in the field. Spent hours trying to get him. Just got a second beagle pup and I’m spending all my time teaching him to come to a whistle. The hunt drive will just kick in once he’s in the field like his older brothers