What is this Thing Called a Rabbit Dog

[golden acres]

I never said left a track at the sound of a gun shot, but if a dog he looking for a rabbit and hears you shoot he must believe you found one. remember a rabbit dog know you are his partner

[steve w]

A rabbit dog is the one that finds the only rabbit on a tough day and is the one to do the most or all the work on a good one.
A rabbit dog is the one that runs like there's nothing wrong in the field then you get him home and he's limping and you find the thorn or cut pad.
A rabbit dog knows when he's going hunting, he's the one by the gate waiting while the rest are in the box sleeping..
A rabbit dog is the dog that everybody else brags about, and the owner doesn't ever need an excuse for.
A rabbit dog is the dog you really don't want to leave behind, and makes you feel guilty when you do.

[LaMarr Rhoades]

not one to toot my own horn but theres a dog in my back yard that i the truest rabbit dog ive owned,and would say he would fit almost anyones discription

[wireman252]

Buck , ole friend, if you are wanting a road trip and are up for it, say the word. I'll drive ya there at no charge buddy ....... Sure sounds like we had better take our best though

[Bunnyblaster]

If my dog left the track to come to where the shotgun was fired I would not be very happy about that. I could have the wrong idea here but I want my dog to follow that track to the end and find the rabbit that he earned. Not cut across country because he heard a shot. What if I miss, then he is off the track.

That is the exact meaning of "whatever makes you happy".

[Bunnyblaster]

All you have to do is look at all the different definitions of a "rabbit dog" to see and understand that it means something different to each of us. IMO it all has to do with what you want and can tolerate..........no one else can tell you that.

Buck, your beagle that runs rabbits and fox I would just call a rabbit dog and a fox dog. We spend so much time trying to make these dogs do what we want them to do we sometimes lose track of letting them do what they were born to do. We can "steer" them in the right direction at times but the dog down the road from me that the guy sent away for continually running fox might just be your next best dual purpose dog???

My personal definition is this:

A dog that obviously wants to run rabbits, is ready to go every time, gets excited when it sees me load up the dog box or bring out the gun, will tally ho(because I've got some that don't very well) and understands that we are there together for the rabbit not just to run a track in circles one after another after another after another. I want my dog to know there is generally gonna be and end to the track...........if I can manage to actually hit something!!

[bucks better beagles]

Jamie, I think you got it pretty well right on. Except for the gun blast thing, some disagree with you. Now the big question for you is how many of the type of dog you have described, have you owned?

[golden acres]

Buck the answer is 3. Hollywoods whistling dixie which gave to a older gentlemen where I live he owned her for about 4 years where him and his friends good times with her. Second was Golden Acres Zeus which I gave to a kid when Zeus got older and 10 years later the guy is still rabbit hunting different dog of course ,but old Zeus hooked him for life. Third was Black Point Dozer which at 8 I just gave away to Brent Haskins and she made the winners Pack at Blue water in back in November. All three of these dogs never ran anything but a rabbit, loved to please me. These 3 dogs together had at least 10 wins in trails combined and were given away to owners that would give them a good home. The big male I am currently running has a few wins, but still has not shown me he is a rabbit dog and may never.

[bucks better beagles]

Black Point Dozer is the mother of my new (old) dog that I just got back yesterday. He has some places in the derby trials so I hope to run him with Wireman 52 in the big trials as soon as possible. I also hope to put him on a fox tonight. Let you know how that turns out.

[JCM]

You gotta love how a good question that could bring about quality discussion turns in to a bragfest. Here's a news flash for the braggers--no one really cares about your super duper rabbit dog and no one wants to read all of your bragging.

Please stop blowing up every thread bragging about your dog. If this post offends you, you know how most readers feel when they are forced to wade through a bunch of blowing to read a post.

This is a public service announcement provided to help all members of the non bragging beaglers.

[tiny timber]

When I met you at the world hunt running the check dog three years ago I knew I liked you Jim.

[THALL]

A dear friend mentioned this to me yesterday. Said he had a "Rabbit Dog". It occurred to me that many people would define these two words with different terms. I know I would. I love a "rabbit dog". Can't say as I ever truly had one or if I did, I got rid of it in a hurry. May have come close but that's like kissing your sister. Any dog I have ever owned, had some little thing that kept me from really calling it a rabbit dog. Now, I have had many that could run a rabbit like pouring cold water on a hot skillet but, in the end they would do something that would keep them from earning those words.

Right now, I have a couple nice ones but they run fox and I love it. Therefore, they can never be rabbit dogs by simple definition. My friend has a couple good ones but they run squirrels, no rabbit dog there. Another friend has a good one but he catches the rabbits. What good is that since a rabbit dog is supposed to run rabbits, not catch them. I have heard many people say, "yea, she will run a dear but man she is a "rabbit dog" '. No she isn't. No matter how good you run a rabbit, you shouldn't run deer.

So, How would you define "Rabbit Dog" ? What faults would you overlook in order to give out that moniker?

My rabbit dog has won some trials, but is really to faulty for me. She's my dog that I throw in the box when my buddies want to kill rabbits. She will find a rabbit in the Parking lot at Walmart and run it on most any old day. She my hit the back end every now and then or bark too much, but she will show you a bunch of fur! She's seven and has ran a million miles and loves the gun. She's earned the title of "rabbit dog"

[augerhead]

A rabbit dog!!! A term used way to loosley. I've seen alot of good dogs, owned a few good ones but I've seen very few rabbit dogs, what Buck and some other old boys would call a rabbit dog. To me a rabbit has to do it all, no trash, endless hunt, and most important tracking abilty. Also it should know who it is hunting for handling is a must. A rabbit dog ony barks when they are moving the track in the right direction, it should run that track with the desire to catch. When other dogs are messing up, it should clean up the mess and finish the track to the hole. I rabbit dog should never disappoint you. Good hunt to me dosen't mean just going, twisting is pretty but finding rabbits is the key. Maybe I've owned one, but by my description I doubt it.I have a good dog now that I have called a rabbit dog, much to Bucks distain, But I guess he really is a little short of being a RABBIT DOG.

[mybeagles]

The higher your standard the fewer "Rabbit Dogs" you have seen.

For some.....every dog they own is a rabbit dog and better than everyone elses. Otherwise know as kennel blindness.

For others....no dog will ever be good enough.

I tend to fall into the second category but that approach can be faulty as well. Dogs never make old age at my place.

Some consider a good field trial dog a "rabbit dog". Some consider a hard hunter that accounts for their game a "rabbit dog". IMO a "rabbit dog" is impressive everywhere you drop them down....be it field trial or woods and a "rabbit dog" is quiet in the kennel, handles well, doesn't eat crap, doesn't eat the 2X4's in the kennel, doesn't crap in the box, easy keeper, just to name a few.

Mybeagles

[bucks better beagles]

Mybeagles, augerhead: Now you are talking the language. Standing in a garage doesn't make you a car!! There is something intangible about a "rabbit dogs" and when you own one, you will know it. After you own one, you will never be happy until you get another.