starting pups

[mainstreet]

I have two females that will be four months on the 20th. Should i take them out together or seprately? The pups are sisters. Thanks

[crossfire731]

If you got them ready to start you can start them together. Now after I get them going a little and I see one that needs extra work or time then I'd run them a little by them selves. But if you get on going the other generally wants to get involved and do some tracking and barking too.

[Joeyman]

in my experience starting pups. if you put them together they will run and play and bite and jump and play play play. You won't know till you try. Seperate is better to get them to open on scent. once they open then put them back together. Run them together.

[Newt]

in my experience starting pups. if you put them together they will run and play and bite and jump and play play play. You won't know till you try. Seperate is better to get them to open on scent. once they open then put them back together. Run them together.

I totally agree. If the pups have never been out then it's OK, IMO, to take them out together. If you are trying to get them to take a line, any distraction makes it more difficult. Another pup will want to play, plus two pups are more likely to wander off and get lost.

[chipper]

Your pups are still very young.If you take them out together they will want to play around more than anything else.If you hope to get them started right now I would get them out one at a time.After they find out what rabbit is it's a whole different story.Have lots of patients and don't get discouraged,it may take awhile,they are young.Good Luck

[crossfire731]

I agree with you guys. if you take a couple pups out to start them and they know nothing your right all they'll do is play. But I started a couple at the same time by starting in the yard. by dragging a dead rabbit in front of them then getting them to site chase san juans I done that for a month or so, then I took them where they'd see wild rabbits and when that female seen that rabbit run across the yard, she looked at it and then at me, and she was off. She site chased and then trailed it about 40 to 50 yards and then it just kept getting better with her but the male took a few more weeks before he opened up I was beginning to wonder if he would then he took off on his own rabbit and they just kept going from there. I guess thats what I meant by getting them ready to start, they worked together in the yard and started in fiels together

[bill huttozac]

Mainstreet - You did not say if the pups had been out of the kennel and walked through rabbit habitat a few times. If not, I would walk them both at the same time. At 20 weeks of age, very little can be expected of them as they are just pups and have to experience the smell and feel of leaves, grass, crickets, mice, etc. Before expecting them to be interested in a rabbit they must gain confidence in themselves that it is alright to be away from you.
If they have had several trips (walks), introducing them to a domesticated rabbit is suggested. Let them, together, sight chase the rabbit, learning what it smells like and when they run it down, get the feel of fur in their mouths. When the rabbit outruns the pups, which is not a great feat against a 20 week old pup. the pups will start searching. (heads down, trailing and will eventually open on the track). Pups are a great deal like humans, they do not all mature early or even at the same age with the same experiences. So, as mentioned in other comments, PATIENCE, PATIENCE, and more PATIENCE.
Personally, I like to run my pups together, young dogs together and older dogs together. This way undue pressure is not brought to bear on a dog that is not mature enough to handle it. After they start, run them together, the best pup will pull the second best and there will be little, if any, "dog chasing".
Wishing you the best of luck with the pups.

[mainstreet]

They have not been in the brush yet. Been working in the yard a little with a few commands. Just wasn't sure if together or seperate was the way to go. Weather is trying to straighten up here in Mo. so I thought a little extra exercise would do em good. My goal is to have them going by this fall. Thanks for all the input.

[crossfire731]

Bill's right about takeing them out in the brush. I'd take mine out with the older dogs for two reasons. one they get intoduced to rideing in the dogbox and two, yeah they play, but they get to run thru the brush and briars. Where do you live in MO? I live in south MO. The farmer markets will be starting up before long, if nothing else get them a tame rabbit to chase around the yard and if you get up early drive around and find you a rabbit thats be hit and bring it home and drag it in front of them. You got plenty of time to do all this and with spring comeing on and you take them out where there alot of young rabbit and they see one of them rabbits take off running the chase will be on. And you just gotta keep taken them and don't get to down on them when they do play around.....there pups

[goodpickens]

The farmer markets will be starting up before long, if nothing else get them a tame rabbit to chase around the yard and if you get up early drive around and find you a rabbit thats be hit and bring it home and drag it in front of them.

I saw on the semo forum that a guy will be at the Sale Barn in Poplar Bluff with San Juan rabbits for the next few weeks, rain or shine.