Need advice about dogs

[unsavery]

Last Christmas I purchased 2- 3 month old litter mate female pups for my son and brother-in-law. They have been out all year and have sight chased several rabbits but would rather play with each other than hunt. So my wife's uncle took 1 of the females and put her with 1 of his older females and I brought 1 of his females home and put her in the pen with the other our other female. Well the pup I have still will not get in the brush with the older dogs and the female at the in-laws will not do anything but stay under the truck. The female at the in-laws was showing more interest than the other but know doesn't want to do anything and has become timid around gun fire but has not run off. I don't know what to do with them at this point. We thought that maybe separating them and putting them with older dogs they would get used to following them but that hasn't happened. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. We have started dogs before but have not had this difficulty with dogs by this age.

Thanks,
Steven

[Checkpoint Beagles]

Did you buy these from known hunting stock or an ad?

Tim

[unsavery]

Both.

Steven

[ohlinger]

You should look into sending them to a starting pen. There are plenty of rabbits for them to sight chase and really get there interest in rabbits. There won't be as many distractions with other hunters and dogs. You should not shoot around pups that are'nt running rabbits. That is the fastest way to make a dog gun shy. Never shoot around a dog until it is on a rabbit and running it well.

[Alabama John]

Sad story, but not one that unusual either.

Don't get mad, but in my opinion I would start over with two dogs running and hunting already that you like.
Dogs are cheap now compared to a few years ago and you can find good hunting and running dogs for $2-3oo.oo. all day long. You will spend that quickly on these pups and still probably or, in my opinion still have a dog you won't want. Hard lesson, but we all have been taught that lesson and its not cheap.
Sorry!

[mybeagles]

I agree with Alabama John,

Buy a couple started or running dogs. Go see them run before you buy, and ensure that is what you are looking for. Pups take a lot of work and experience. Once you get a year of running the older dogs and you want to start a pup, get a pup from a reputable line of dogs and plan on spending many hours with that pup. Its a project, some like myself really enjoy it, some would rather send their pups to a starting pen.

If you dont want to give up on these two pups, I think its good you have separated them. Take one at a time to the field with some running dogs. Dont expect anything from them and eventually they will start going with the older dogs. Dont pay them any attention, some go as far as to run them off with a stick if they hand around your feet. If they see they are not wanted around you, they will go look to see what the other dogs are doing. Unfortunately, some pups never work out even out of the best of breeding.

Mybeagles

[tenntreedog]

sounds like they already have some running dogs if so i would shop real hard for a couple of pups either started or ready to start out of some good dogs.