what do you look for in a rabbit dog

[Pike Ridge Beagles]

I like a dog that can circle a rabbit over and over again with medium or above speed with few breakdowns. Clean running hounds with brains. Hate a front running idiot dog that messes up a good run with its over competitveness.

[beaglerun]

I look for a dog that wants to hunt more than it wants to do anything else. A dog that gets better every time he/she gets out of the truck. A dog that who looks disappointed when there was no rabbit to be found. One that hunts it's butt off even in the worst hunting conditions. A dog that gets back into the truck knowing and accomplishing more than it did when it got out.

A dog who can carry a gun, shoot the rabbit, clean it, and cook it

BeagleRun

[Briarhoppers]

Hunt, heart, brains, nose and mouth have all already been mentioned.

Two things I would add are "checkwork" and "gears."

In regards to checkwork, it is not a big deal to me if the dog lingers in the check area for a while and then reaches OR if the dog snaps back to the loss, checks around and reaches pretty quick. Bottom line is if they can't pick up the track at the loss they NEED to reach. A dog that stays in the check area and boo hoo's for 10 min. is not a rabbit dawg.....doesn't take a genious to figure out the rabbit is no longer there. And its fine w/ me if the dog reaches pretty quick - especially if they have proven that they can hit the line. Bottom line....just keep the track moving!!

Gears have also not been mentioned. Gears are much more important to me than speed. Dog should run as fast as conditions allow...but should also slow down when conditions are tough. I love to see a dog walk a line down a gravel road while other dog are runing around like idiots and then that dog follow the line off the gravel road into a creek bottom and go from walking to smoking that rabbit. Got to have gears!

-Pete

[Jack]

For sure no fighting. Could I feed my family with the dog, in shortest among of time spent hunting. Not too show,take too long to bring the rabbit to the gun. Not too fast, rabbit goes in a hole or he runs it off and loses it. Handles fair. Can be broke without a lot of pain for the dog or myself. Hunts where I hunt. Good homer.

[bradadkins]

Hunt..not in paths but where ol bunny lives. Has to have a good personality..want to please the owner and actually look like they are enoying it.Hunt..Brains..and ability to account for the rabbit back to the gun consistently in different conditions.

[T Hynes]

I want a dog with good line control,speed,nose,and stamina to run all day

[DinoHagy]

Thanks guys i like seeing what everybody likes,looks like we all like the same.

[BriarCreekBeagles]

I like a hound with alot of character, nothing like a good laugh in the backyard to brighten up any day even make a good day better but when them little boogers hit the brush they better be all business. Oh yeah and lot's of fur LOL! A good hound ain't a good hound wihout fur in its ol' chops and they gotta be be able to take a gun!