anyone running?

[bart]

just wondering if anyone is running their beagles in this weather?took mine out sunday after the storm ran 1 right past me.only opened up a couple times got hot quick.

[sixft4par]

I've been running mine behind the house a couple mronings/evenings a week if its not too hot. We have a huge crops of rabbits this year, but I don't like to turn her loose if its too hot. Early in the morning its been cool enough to let her run for a bit. I just take a cup of coffee and once she gets one going I find a seat, relax.....and listen to the hound music.

[bowhuntr81]

I've got a new beagle, 14 weeks old this friday. Guy at work said to start him, when we find rabbits to hold him steady toward them letting him watch them move and when the rabbit takes off let the dog go after it...sound good? I'm assuming i should have a long lead line on him so the pup doesn't take off. I've trained dogs for obedience all my life, but never for hunting, so any pointers/tips/advice would be greatly appreciated! The dog sure has a nose!

[sixft4par]

Yard training first. Hounds are not like other breads and are not made to stick around.....you have to train them to come back everytime. Typically you can get them started on rabbits between 6 months and 1 year old. I would invest in a high quality shock collar that has the range of at least 1 mile....preferably more. Dogs are not born deer proof and if and when that young hound runs a deer you will need the collar to break him off them.

After you are confident that the dog will come back to you live trap a rabbit. Use a cage from TSC and bait it with chunks of apple......this is easiest to do in the winter with snow. Let the dog see and smell the rabbit and get him really worked up.....hold the dog and let the rabbit run away and let the dog chase it.....he will sight chase at first but them realize he can smell and follow the trail.

Repeat that a few times and once he is started good and opens up on rabbit scent run him alot solo and with other trained dogs. It takes a few years to get a decent finished dog.

I would recommned teaching the dog to come back to a whistle of some sort. I train mine by blowing a whistle and giving them a treat, I do this from the first day I get them. The whistle can be heard form a great distance which is very helpfull when the dog gets out of shouting range. Rabbits run pretty big circles at times and it takes some getting used to to let the dog get away and trust that you can get him back.

Good luck with the new pup.....they are fun to get started!

[Jumpshootin']

Originally Posted by sixft4par

I would recommned teaching the dog to come back to a whistle of some sort. I train mine by blowing a whistle and giving them a treat, I do this from the first day I get them. The whistle can be heard form a great distance which is very helpfull when the dog gets out of shouting range. Rabbits run pretty big circles at times and it takes some getting used to to let the dog get away and trust that you can get him back.

This is exactly the way I have been doing it for about 40+ years now. In one day I can have 6 week old pup coming to me from across the yard every time.

Keep in mind that the if the dog starts running a rabbit it will likely never come to the whistle while on trail. I've never had one that would break off the chase. It's after the chase is over or lost that the whistle will bring it back in to you.

Do a week or so of yard training this way and then let that pup go after a rabbit.
I usually like to do it in as controlled of a situation as I can. Meaning that there are no roads nearby, and that I'm in an area where the chance of jumping a deer is about zero.
That way I get the pup running rabbits fairly well before I start deer breaking.

It would be a great help to you if you were to get together with an experience beagle or two and run with their dogs. That way you get a chance to see what it's about. A good way would be to attend some UKC or ARHA competition hunts and see how fellas handle their dogs.

[sixft4par]

[QUOTE=Jumpshootin';3259605]This is exactly the way I have been doing it for about 40+ years now. In one day I can have 6 week old pup coming to me from across the yard every time.

Keep in mind that the if the dog starts running a rabbit it will likely never come to the whistle while on trail.

Do a week or so of yard training this way and then let that pup go after a rabbit.


I agree.....but don't be suprised if the dog does not open up for a while 14 weeks is pretty young. Most dogs are good to go in the 6-10 month age. Lots of yard training and good abedience is the key to having an enjoyable time in the woods.......it sucks spending hours chasing after them to get them back in the truck.

[michhutr]

Too Hot for me. Bugs terrible.

[packmaster]

had some good running tonite.rabbits would head right to the beans,and stay in there.bugs were bad,had to use lots of deet.only ran a couple hours due to heat,and out of shape hounds.

[40 Yards]

ive been running every night when i say everynight thats 7 days a week for atleast 2 hours no matter how hot it is i start about 6 630 running was awsome up untill 3 weeks ago then got spotty but its coming back tonight was real good but i have a spot i run with a stream so after the first hour i take dogs down there to cool off and then back at it

[Jumpshootin']

It's been way too hot around here all summer for much hound work. Overnight lows are in the low-mid 70's. Last Sunday was the only morning cool enough to get the dog out. It was 58 at dawn. A bunch of baby bunnies kept Barney interested but didn't make for any good runs.

[sixft4par]

turned the dog loose for a bit this morning after she show rabbit cross the yard and head into the cornfield. About a 20 min run before the bunnny ended up under the neighbors shed. Good crop of rabbits in SE Michigan this year.

[FREEPOP]

Had a good run last Saturday morning, temps finally got in the 50s. They ran a rabbit for a little over an hour.

[Shoeman]

Ziggy caught his first one of the season, while running the edge of a pond Sunday night.

Hope he doesn't make it pattern I think we're on number 13 with several other opportunities missed do to a lack of shooting skills...lol

Not bad for a hound that just turned 1 last week

[sixft4par]

[QUOTE=Shoeman;3271763]Ziggy caught his first one of the season, while running the edge of a pond Sunday night.

Hope he doesn't make it pattern I think we're on number 13 with several other opportunities missed do to a lack of shooting skills...lol

Not bad for a hound that just turned 1 last week[/QUOTE

What are you shooting this time of year? I didn't think the season was open.

[Shoeman]

[quote=sixft4par;3273365]

Originally Posted by Shoeman

Ziggy caught his first one of the season, while running the edge of a pond Sunday night.

Hope he doesn't make it pattern I think we're on number 13 with several other opportunities missed do to a lack of shooting skills...lol

Not bad for a hound that just turned 1 last week[/QUOTE

What are you shooting this time of year? I didn't think the season was open.

The 12 came from last season. I started running him at 3 1/2 months