What is this Thing Called a Rabbit Dog

[bucks better beagles]

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?

[Roseland]

My definition of a Rabbit Dog: Hard Hunt/Jump Dog,Will come running to the Crack of a Shotgun,Medium - Fast Track Dog,Keep the track going & work out those long hard checks - Patience,Brains,Nose,and a "Honest Mouth". All day stamina with absolutely No Quit. Handles like a dream,and dosn't run any Off Game...

Merry Christmas

[Ron Conroe]

i will take two of them for christmas roseland.

[Katelyn]

Buck ,I've found 2 true Rabbit dogs in my life.
FWR / HBCH . Branko's Blue Beard Could run a rabbit right up the hard top road & was one of the fastest I've ever seen doin it. (but he's gone so we love em & miss em)
Blue beard could really run at rabbit at a really fast pace & his only fault was he had a little extra mouth. but could jump a rabbit & run em down.

So now. & not because he is my dog. !!! 2x FWR . KK's Blueway Super Sonic is one of the truest rabbit hounds Ive ever sseen.
* Sonic has 2 wins ,2nd ,3rd & 4th in 6 trials his derby year. (2011)
Sonic is the Kind of dog that is a hunters' dream. (everyone that has seen him under the gun sez he is by far the best) Always Finds the Rabbit; & Will run the rabbit Second to nobodys dog .All day everyday hunt & extreme Speed ZERO extra mouth!! Caught 18 rabbits in 3 months -inna pack or solo full grown rabbits. Whether it's Hot or Cold, Wet ,Snow or Dry; Always gives it all he's got; But most of all, Always runs the rabbit right !! We are Proud to have bred a dog of his calibre !

[APFII]

Buck
So now. & not because he is my dog. !!! 2x FWR . KK's Blueway Super Sonic is one of the truest rabbit hounds Ive ever sseen.
* Sonic has 2 wins ,2nd ,3rd & 4th in 6 trials his derby year. (2011)
Sonic is the Kind of dog that is a hunters' dream. (everyone that has seen him under the gun sez he is by far the best) Always Finds the Rabbit; & Will run the rabbit Second to nobodys dog .All day everyday hunt & extreme Speed ZERO extra mouth!! Caught 18 rabbits in 3 months -inna pack or solo full grown rabbits. Whether it's Hot or Cold, Wet ,Snow or Dry; Always gives it all he's got; But most of all, Always runs the rabbit right !! We are Proud to have bred a dog of his calibre !

Does this dog also walk on water.

[Katelyn]

Auctually he does
& If you dont believe why dont you just Bring your dog on over & check em out !!!

[lebro]

here we go agin. a rabbit dog is one you kill rabbits with .all beagles are not rabbit dogs and all rabbit dogs are not beagles. i dont make them out to be something they are not just like i think a jum dog dog is one that jumps rabbits, thats all. some will say ive never owned a rabbit dog. jmho

[APFII]

Auctually he does
& If you dont believe why dont you just Bring your dog on over & check em out !!!

Young lady ,my old biscuit eaters would not have a chance . You go ahead and be proud of your dog. Just remember the old saying "A mans ego is a heavy burden for a dog to carry ".

[bucks better beagles]

Lebro said, "here we go agin. a rabbit dog is one you kill rabbits with .all beagles are not rabbit dogs and all rabbit dogs are not beagles."

No, it is not here we go agin. There is such a thing as a rabbit dog and it should be defined. You are right of course all dogs that run rabbits are not "rabbit dogs". It takes some degree of experience maybe, to understand what I mean. When I say experience, I mean owning a lot of dogs and looking at a lot more in the field. A person learns to appreciate what a real "rabbit dog" is.

[bucks better beagles]

KK: You go girl. I am going to hire me a driver and come and watch that Sonic go someday.

[Katelyn]

Buck , I PERSONALLY PROMISE you !!!
If you ever come down & see ole Sonic run ,youll never see another like em'.
It is UNBELIEVABLE how FAST ,how HARD he hunts & how GREAT he can hold a line & Juss what a beautiful Hound he is. lol

As soon as he gets Well ,I will Be SURE to Make a video of em' solo & runnin away from the pack !!!
Jusss for you Buck !! Sence youre so Far away & I hope you will get the previlage to See SUPER SONIC go . Merry Christmas too alll.

[golden acres]

Buck a rabbit dog is in the eye of the beholder. When I was between 8 and 12 I had a dog named major spot and he was in my young eyes a rabbit dog. I really do not remember anything about him but I sure thought the world of him. Now 25 years later my discription of a rabbit dog is different than my 13 years old. He has fun everytime out with his dog, but is not looking at what I am looking at. I believe a rabbit dog will run in any condition some better than others. Will hunt as long as you want and handle whenever your ready to go. Will not ever worry about off game, Will stick out the hard checks (you know the ones when you think the race is over he keeps the race going) even though you have other dogs on the ground with him he's the one you depend on. He is the dog that knows the excitement in your voice when your going to put him on a rabbit track. (when he hears rabbit rabbit rabbit or the sound of the gun comes looking for the track ready to to give you the feeling of being 13 years old again.)

[dog]

Buck a rabbit dog is in the eye of the beholder. When I was between 8 and 12 I had a dog named major spot and he was in my young eyes a rabbit dog. I really do not remember anything about him but I sure thought the world of him. Now 25 years later my discription of a rabbit dog is different than my 13 years old. He has fun everytime out with his dog, but is not looking at what I am looking at. I believe a rabbit dog will run in any condition some better than others. Will hunt as long as you want and handle whenever your ready to go. Will not ever worry about off game, Will stick out the hard checks (you know the ones when you think the race is over he keeps the race going) even though you have other dogs on the ground with him he's the one you depend on. He is the dog that knows the excitement in your voice when your going to put him on a rabbit track. (when he hears rabbit rabbit rabbit or the sound of the gun comes looking for the track ready to to give you the feeling of being 13 years old again.)

by golly i must have a rabbit dog then !

[yoteslayer]

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.

[dog]

my dogs dont leave a track for a gunshot , but i'll guarentee they will mow you over to start a track