I Need Advice

[Guest]

I baught my first beagle from a guy about three days ago and he is 16 month old. He has a nice pedigree and is supposed to be a "Broken Rabbit Hound". He has previously lived in a kennel and hunted with 6 other dogs. I have him living in the house because my wife wouldnt stand for a dog braving the weather. As far as living in the house goes he is as good as gold and everyone loves him

I took him in the feilds behind the house (Which I know lack rabbits) the first morning I had him and he behaved very well. His nose was to the ground constantly he he came to me every time I called him.
I had to work yesterday so we couldn't get out. This afternoon I took him to a place I knew may have a rabbit or two and it was alot of fun to watch him with his nose to the ground in all of the brush.

The problem is that the fellow I baught Buddy from said that he hadn't run trash before but the first deer we came accross the dog took off. It took me an hour to find him and when he returned I scolded him good. I thought I had lost him for sure and besides almost making me ill I knew I would have to listen to an "I told you" so from my wife.

I don't have room for another dog and my family is already attached to this one so he will have to do. I don't mind spending the time getting Buddy up to snuff and I'm thinking of getting a shock collar for him. I was wondering if you guys have any other suggestions. Thanks!

[Richard]

First advise I can give you is that it does no good to punish a dog after the fact. He did not understand why you were so mad at him for coming to you when you were calling him. You must punish him when he is doing the bad thing such as running deer. I think an E-collar is the best tool to correct a deer runner, but be sure you use it correctly. Talk to someone who can give good advise or you will ruin a good dog fast with an E-collar.

[BobC]

Richard Thanks for the info!
BOb

[Joe West]

The best thing you can do for the hound at this point is get him to a spot where there are plenty of rabbits. Save your money on the e-collar at least until you see how the hound does when there are rabbits available. Even then I'm dead against the e-collar. Better off running him down and shaking him then risking ruining him.

[Beagle Bum]

Go with the e-collar. Much as I respect Joe West, we strongly disagree on this topic. Used properly, an e-collar will do wonders and it sounds like you have a hound that will learn quickly.
The problem with "catching and shaking" is that unless you're lucky, by the time you catch them, they are usually done running that deer. You might have better luck catching them off other types of "trash" but a deer can move out and they leave a pretty good scent trail for the dog to follow.

[blackdirt beagles]

go with the collar, you wont be dissappointed. remember it is only a "tool" and how it works depends on you. if you "use" it and not "abuse" it they are great things.

[BobC]

I appreciate all of the advice everyone has offered. I will keep working with this dog thru the year. I'm attached to him and he he's attached to me so we will work through this problem.

Thanks!
Bob

[fat head]

i live right down the road in burlington have dogs and shock collars if you want to go hunting sometime leave me a private message

[guest]

I will tell you I have used e- collars and they do help, but the best suggestion I can give you to break the dog of running deer is to simply put deer scent on a mousetrap, take the dog out in the field let him run around make a small scent trail with deer dander (scent) right to a mousetrap I would guarantee he will will think twice before following his nose on that smell again. I used the shock collar on my dogs and it stopped the deer running for about two weeks then i had another incident and I used the mousetrap, I have had alot of days since hunting with no deer chasing. p.s. Dont tell youre wife what youre gonna do they dont like the idea. also If you do try this technique after the dog sets the trap off reset it in a different spot and i bet the dog doesn't go near it, alot cheaper than a collar and i think more effective.

[Bev]

Scent breaking has its merits, but there's nothing like a good ol' tail-flagging sight chase to make a dog leave his good senses behind. I wouldn't be comfortable until I knew my hound would turn down the sight chase, too.

[BobC]

Once again I want to thank everyone for their help. Bev, I hadn't thought about a sight chase. Buddy didn't have his nose to the ground when he took off so I suspect that he saw the deer and I didn't.

[snowshoehareguide]

joe how come your so against e-collars ? especially new ones adjustable at transmitter, ? i dont think anybody can ruin a dog with an e-collar he couldnt ruin the old fashion way. pete

[Joe West]

Pete: Just ask yourself how the shocking collar works. With no commands from the handler the hound leaves a hot chase. The entire principle behind the collar puts a hound at risk for being ruined or set back. The adjustability of the collar means little. the way it works is the key.

[snowshoehareguide]

do not shock a dog on one deer and think hes broke. lot better to do it twenty times on twenty different deer, every deer smells different to a dog. its easy to break him off one deer. its the other million or so you have to worry about if dog is timid or shy use collar accordingly. dogs have been ruined with shock collars before . theyve also been ruined with every other method, i think the cure rate with shock collars is the highest. i shock my dogs when running hare. they come back with tail wagging , after a few times i just use warning tone . works wonders. ok im doing same thing id do if i wanted to break them off hare except i praise them big when they come . i use lowest setting i can to make them stop. if trash breaking a normal dog i would use a high setting . and with a pup i run for truck pretend im afraid of the deer too. this leaves an impression on young hound. pete

[blackdirt beagles]

pete- sounds good to me. thats about how i do it .