brush piles

BBOARDING3 · Post by **BBOARDING3** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:18 pm

Well I have not been able to take my pup out like i have wanted too. We make it out like once a weeks maybe twice if Im lucky. When we hit the ground he just ran around in the open. The would run in the fence row for a min the come hauling but out. he would run 100 yards away from me then come running back and go in the row again. I walked down to a small brush pile and just stood in it for a few mins. Smokey followed me in the would walk out and run around again. I was getting so mad. I was wanting to know what I was doing wrong. I even thought about getting him cut and putting him up for sell as a pet. After about two hours of walking around and trying to get him to stay in the brush, I was like forget this we are going into the thickest brush I can fine.

I went into it and just stood there. Smokey followed me in and just stood at my feet, so i moved. He would follow and just cry. well every time he did i went to thicker spot. Well when i got the thickest spot i just waited to see what he would do. He found me and was kinda just standing there. Then he put his nose to the ground. Man i tell you as soon as he did you could not stop him in the brush. He started wagging his tail and would not let anything stand in his way. If anything go in his way he would back up just a little then he push his way thur. when the scent lead him out of the brairs he would smell around then jump right back in.

He still have not opened up but i know he is smelling rabbits. I watched him follow his nose all the way to a rabbit hole. I'm pretty proud of my little pup.

He normally does not have a problem with the brush and has been doing pretty good but the last time out and earily in the hunt today he has not preformed. Glad he started to pick it back up.

SilverZuk · Post by **SilverZuk** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:22 am

How old is the pup?

Also, no dog will drive into a brush pile unless it is following its nose. There has to be some scent for the dog to push into the brush.

BJK · Post by **BJK** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:31 am

"Also, no dog will drive into a brush pile unless it is following its nose. There has to be some scent for the dog to push into the brush."

Not true

Joeyman · Post by **Joeyman** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:31 am

I would have to disagree with you silverzuk. I can understand a young pup not going into brush. But you stated a dog must follow his nose into the brush pile. In most casses this is true. But when I tell my dogs to go in they better go in. And that's that. If they don't go in and search for mr. bunny on there own then I will not hunt with that dog. I have dogs to do the work for me. They must get in the brush brush piles following there nose or not.

indian_creek_beagler · Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:07 am

I agree with joeyman.

SilverZuk · Post by **SilverZuk** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:15 pm

If I tell them to get it, get it, get it they will hit it flying.

Take a dog out for a couple of hours in an area absolute void of rabbit scent. The dogs won't drive into the brush, they will skirt the edges, walk paths under the brush, and around it. They usually start out hard as usual, but slack off once they never smell anything.

Unfortunately I have hunted areas like this. The dogs were hunting, but they would only push through the brush if they were smelling rabbit scent.

Joeyman · Post by **Joeyman** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:23 pm

Yeah I could agree with that. They start off strong in there search then slack off a little if they don't find anything but they should still never quit they should always be in there looking. What I do to help with them slacking is I start yelling, look over here look over there, it always gets them in hunting mode. I always keep them on the move.

Rabbit Huntin Fool · Post by **Rabbit Huntin Fool** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:45 pm

Well it sounds like you and your pup are new to rabbit hunting/training...First How do you know he is smelling bunnies? Did you see the bunnies? Second of all how is your pup supposed to know what he is looking for and that they are located in brush piles??? If you are going to try and start your pup in this manner then you will need to actually SEE a rabbit to expose him to.Then this must happen over and over and hopefully he will get excited when he smells the rabbit scent and actually start to whimper excitedly and possibly try and move the line a little.. This method is much slower than a starting pen and rquires alot of PATIENCE, as it seems you are getting upset and expecting him to know what he is now doing is any diferent than a walk or outing that has taken place before or if he has never been out then its even newer to him..SLOW down as this never just happens at the flick of a switch...You may want to get an older slow line control dog as a puppy trainer to get him to go into the woodpiles,briars and find some bunnies so he can get used to searching for his own and learning to hunt and also something to make sure he doesn't stumble across a Deer/Fox trail...Good Luck

gus · Post by **gus** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:40 pm

SilverZuk wrote:If I tell them to get it, get it, get it they will hit it flying.

Take a dog out for a couple of hours in an area absolute void of rabbit scent. The dogs won't drive into the brush, they will skirt the edges, walk paths under the brush, and around it. They usually start out hard as usual, but slack off once they never smell anything.

Unfortunately I have hunted areas like this. The dogs were hunting, but they would only push through the brush if they were smelling rabbit scent.

It depends on the dog. I have owned several and own two now that if they are hunting they go into every briar patch and brush pile without me saying anything. I have one and have owned a couple more, if I call, instead of coming to me in a path, they will hunt through the thickest cover on their way back to me. I have also owned some like you mentioned. The only way to get them in a briar patch is to pick them up and throw them in. These dogs have spoiled me.