A general forum for the discussion of hunting with beagles, guns, clothing and other equipment and just talking dawgs! (Tall tales on hunting allowed, but remember, first liar doesn't stand a chance)
I was Runnin the dogs Tuesday, and all was well. Got home, and opened the box door like always. I always let the dogs jump down on their own....I've even had other beaglers tell me that's the way to do it. "No beagle is gonna git lifted down offa my tailgate" is what I've often heard them say. Well, one of my females wouldn't put her leg down yesterday. I took her to the vet, and it is one of two things. Either she's pulled her tendons in her leg and it should heal in a few weeks, or (and this is what the vet thinks) she's torn a tendon and she'll be out of commission for at least 4 months. Just a word of warning to you all who do this. I'll start lifting my hunting partners down.....I don't care how it looks. Brian
My Monday running buddy won't ever let his dogs jump off the tailgate, probably for that very reason. I try to keep mine from doing it, but sometimes they get away from me. When I drive, they are in the trailer that is much closer to the ground and then they can just pile out and run.
Emery
Be ye kind one unto another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
had a 3 yr old male jump out of his above ground kennel, couldnt been more than 2 foot to the ground and blew a disk out in his back, went lame immediatly in the hind legs and had to be put down. all from opening up the gate so he could run around the back yard for awhile.
i saw a little female do the exact same thing, was out for 2 months. i dont let mine jump down anymore. thinking of makeing a little ramp to slide in beside my box.
Phillip West / Wolf Creek Kennels
Breeding Gundog's First
I never really thought about a hound jumping out of an above ground kennel before,thanks guys. I will take care of this problem before it happens to one of my hounds.
I don't understand how lifting a dog out of a truck will protect him from injury. Here in East Tennesse he will get much more streneous activity running rabbits than jumping from a truck. Don't your dogs jump off ditch banks, off rocks, over logs, and climb fences.
Are those hunting dogs or trial dogs?
Just like us, dogs can sustain an injury at any time. Yes, dogs will jump off of things while chasing rabbits and some do get injured during the hunt. The point that was trying to be made is why take the chance of injuring your dog by letting him jump off the tailgate?
Let's do a little math here, a beagle stands 15" and the tailgate is roughly 2-3 feet off the ground. You may stand about 6 feet tall, do you jump off of something that is 12 feet off the ground on a regular basis? I know I am not comparing apples to apples here, but use a little common sense. Someone had an injury accident and wanted to let everyone else know about it so maybe they won't have the same thing happen to them.
$.02
Emery
Be ye kind one unto another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
I will not let a dog jump from my tailgate.......someone told me a few years back about their beagle dieing from spinal injuries from jumping off the tailgate, I decided then to lift my dogs.
The way I see it is a cold dog is like a cold human.........they need to stretch out and warm up the muscles as well.
It dont take much effort to sit dogs down from the tailgate and be safe.
Have seen more than one dog injured by jumping from heights sure it looks cool,and macho but think about how often do you jump off of something that is 2-3 times your height .Used to jump off trucks when i was working construction because it looked cool or so I thought until the day I slipped and cracked my egg . Can't be good for them
Brian,
Had this happen to a female, I had here. She hurt a left front shoulder, took her to 2 different vets, had xrays, but they couldn't find anything. One said it might be in the muscles. When she is on solid ground she puts it down, but when she gets in thick stuff she just lets it flop back and runs on 3 legs. We run her with the slower dogs and she has the top alot of the time. Brian go to TSC and buy Absorbine horse liniment in the gel type. Rub this in the area once a day until the time you are ready to put it back in the field. I use this when I have some sore muscles.
thornie
To old to cut the mustard, you can always run beagles
I don't know, I have been letting my beagles jump off my tailgate for over 40 years with no problem. Of course my beagles usually have good conformation which would help prevent injury. My beagles have a tough way to go lots of times running a rabbit, so a little jump off of a tailgate isn't anything more difficult than normal running. I have had some pull a muscle out running. They soon come out of it. I don't give them much slack, I just keep running them and they will soon go back to putting all 4 feet down.
I am Emery's Monday running buddy. The best dog I ever owned was injured jumping off the tailgate after a day's run. The vet was not able to help him. I talked a chiropractor into treating him and he recovered completely. I had this happen previously one other time. This dog recovered on his own after many months of barely being able to move. Why have an injury that is so easy to avoid? When a dog is tired and stiff after running, he sometimes will land awkwardly from off the tailgate. This is when injury is most likely to occur. You guys can make fun of me and my dogs if you like, but I will continue to lift my dogs from the tailgate.
this is why athletes stretch out and warm up before games. football players dont show up to the game 5 minutes early and dress and then line up for the kickoff... same for dogs... how many ride 30 minutes or more in a dogbox to run. cant expect them to be loosened up and fire out of the box with no problems. ive never had any troubles but cant say that its not at least a "fair" chance of it happening.
i haven't been into beagles that long but my truck is a decent sized truck and teh way i have always seen it better safe than sorry adn have a dog get hurt when it could have easly been avoided but that is just me who cares what any
Brian
Can't be good for them
