The American Beagler Forum

I took my 9 month old female beagle out today for the first time (other than a fenced in run with a tame rabbit). I saw a rabbit at the end of a field when I pulled in. So I got her out hoping she would see it then chase, the rabbit saw us and ran into the brush without her seeing it. I walked her out about 20 yards and she struck the trail so I turned her loose and she headed straight where it did.The rabbit ran a small circle, I heard it down below us, she worked right where I heard the noise and the rabbit ran right to the woods. I caught her and praised her then took her out into another field. She was in the brush above us and I jumped a rabbit to my right, I hollered at her and walked her to where I saw the rabbit run, she trailed it into very thick cover. She never opened up on that track, but she wanted it. Her tail was goin crazy, and she was very fired up. So I gave her some time and she soon ran to the end of the fence where I caught her to take her back into another field. She tracked into a small brush pile, by then it was about dark and I just wanted to catch her. As I got to her a small rabbit took off out of a brush pile then crossed a fence into an other thickit. She didn't see the rabbit run, when I caught her she struck where the rabbit crossed the fence. I just told her good jod and that I was proud of her and left. How was this run and what should i do differnet next time?

i would if i was you find a older slower dog that you know will run the rabbit the right way without extra mouth or back tracking a real clean older hound that the pup can run with and smell it with and see the older dog barking on scent and chasing it and then the pup will catch on and off you go with your new pup!!!!

Don't catch the pup, let her hunt and mill around as long as she wants to. Catch her when she comes back to you, then you can start some place else. let her find the rabbit it will make her a better jump dog.

I have to agree with the above: don't catch her right away. Let her track and run til she looses it, then call her and praise her. You want her to be able to eventually circle the rabbit not just find it and stop. JMO