hunt in a dog

[kbbeagles]

I have a dog that i really like he handles really well, can run a track great picks up a ton of ckecks, but doesn't hunt very hard just wondering does a dog hunt harder as it gets older or at 1 1/2 year do you think he hunts as hard as he'll ever hunt,or is it time to cut him loose?

[Rabbithoundjb]

Dogs are different but I have raised my own bloodline of grade dogs for oh 25 years now and its my experience that the real bush dogs are that way basically from the get go. Alot of people don't know what a real bush dog is. I will elaborate: covering ground and hunting are two different things. The best hunt/jump dog I ever saw would jump rabbits where other dogs had already been regularly and she would do it when she was 8 months old until she died. They where covering ground, she was hunting.

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

have you soloed the dog? thats the only way i seen an older dog get to hunt harder. as long as adog wont stand around my feet i can deal with it if its a great track or check dog . but it better be great at something it if dont hunt hard. and it still cant be a path walker while other dogs are hunting or a stand by me kinda dog . it maynot hunt real hard but it better be out there looking some.

[bluemouse]

What I have seen is folks will turn a dog out and the dog will take off at mach 5 zigging and zagging, cutting left then right, stop to smell a mushroon, cut back to where all the hounds have done their business etc. and some cat will say that dogs hunts hard. But they never jump a rabbit but will fall in on a chase. To me a dog should have a purpose when turned out they should be hunting rabbit habitat not running like fools. I got a female that is a rabbit jumping machine, she slips around like a cat not burning a bunch of energy, she is one of those hounds that have the ability to find a rabbit in any conditions. She wears a swiss bell like all my hounds but she is so under control and slick she can sneak up on you even with a bell on. To me hunt is not speed or covering 100 acres at a time, its a hound that has one think on its mind while in the field and thats where is the rabbit and it will continue to hunt untiil the rabbit is found.

[Ron Conroe]

you are right rabbithoundjb. a good jump dog is hard to come by, its almost as rare as them once in a life time great all a round dogs. the best jump dog i had ever owned was tyke, you could turn him loose in walmart parking lot and he would find you a rabbit. he just knew where to find them and they are a special hound.

[bluemouse]

Dang JB, I had to feed mine a bunch of briars to get them that way, I guess since thats all I got is briars they were bound to get it sooner or later. Hope your doing well.

[bucks better beagles]

The question was will he get more hunt or should you cut him loose. I say cut him loose. You can't give a dog more hunt than he is born with.

[pineridgebeagles]

In my opinion jump dogs a born not made,I have a male that is a jump machine and makes it look easy,and I have a female that hunts very well but does not have the ability to jump that many rabbits.Yes exposure to thick cover and solo time helps, and makes better dogs but most times not great ones.If a young hound has the time on the ground and is not a great hunter by 10 months it never will be a great jump dog.Ive been lucky i have had 3 great jump dogs in my life and lots of so-so dogs that i call utility dogs,I still love them all but wont keep a dog that will not hunt. Al

[Alabama John]

I simply have to comment.

These are some of the wisest post I have read.

These men understand beagles! Way to go.

[Alabama John]

One more comment, the one that is not hunting is usually the one that will breed you females that come in heat during your hunting trip.

[pineridgebeagles]

You got that right Alabama John

[Dale L.]

I have only owned one true jump dog to date. And as said in the other posts he was crawling through the briars at 4 months old. Even before he was started on rabbits he had a desire to be in the thick stuff. I would say if your dog is a year and a half old and his hunt doesn't suit you then it probably never will. Just my opinion.

[#1beaglesNeil]

If a dog does not hunt for me it cannt eat my feed,but thats just me.

[a-dog]

one thing i have noticed that the best jump dogs are usually a little shy as pups .and i totally agree hunting and hunting for rabbit are two totally different things

[Rabbithoundjb]

Mr. Conroe I have only seen one great dog in my lifetime and she didn't belong to me but she was a great jump dog, great check dog and great track dog. She was just as good by herself as she was with a pack of dogs and let me tell you I had the pleasure to hunt over this dog and run with this dog many times over about eight years and she was ALWAYS, ALWAYS THE BEST DOG ON THE GROUND NO MATTER WHAT SEE WAS RUN WITH. I don't consider a dog outstanding unless they are great at all 3 phases, shes the only outstanding dog I've spent much time in the woods with, I'm sure there are more but I'm also sure there a lot further apart then thought.

Dave that Sis is a nice dog buddy, any rabbit hunter would be lucky to to feed her.

KB I'm not saying get rid of your hound, all I'm saying is its my experience that true jump dogs are born not trained. In my personnel experience this is also something that I have seen most jump dogs will improve running a rabbit as they age and most track will not noticabily improve jumping rabbits as they age. I have seen really good check dogs in both. Nothing scientific, just what I have seen.