how I trained my dog skippy

[rt]

This is how I trained my dog skippy I went out and bought some tame rabbits that looked wild and turned them loose around the house as long as you have places they can get under and hide they will stay around you have to put food out and water for them too. So they become some what feral they act similiar to a wild rabbit but not as flighty they wont hide as bad and and there not as fast so your puppy can get longer chases in before the rabbit is lost out of sight. These rabbits wont stray far from your home and so every time you let your new puppy out to play the rabbits will be there, let him run them around and make it a great game for him. Soon he or she will be looking for bunnys as soon as they are let out my dog cant wait to chase them and he looks forward to it. I also let hom smell and lick on dead wild rabbits and tell him (good boy) and (get um)try to get him worked up as much as possible not too hard if you have a jack russel They should be ready for wild rabbits next mine doesnt show any difference in tame or wild he hunts both equally they look and smell the same to a dog.

[jondarp]

RT,

How do you like the Jack Russell? I've beaten brush for a falconer who used one for falconry and his dog was a lot of fun to watch in action. I remember Gary Brewer speaking highly of the breed as well.

Most of the falconers I know use beagles or Teddy Moritz dachshunds.

- Jon D.

[Weasel]

It's kinda funny the way that works out actually. I know alot of falconers in the north that use either beagles or hot dogs, down here I know alot more falconers that use Jacks.....I have three of em' ;D

[rt]

I like my jrt because he doesnt push a rabbit as hard as a beagle they basically just flush it up. Ive owned a beagle and they are great dogs for gun huntin but they put a lot of pressure on a rabbit that is if they are good beagles anyway. Its neat to watch a beagle run a rabbit they 9 times out of ten end up making a big circle with a rabbit its great to watch and listen to.

[bobdale]

Very true, rt. My beagles are hard on rabbits. They come in handy here b/c the rabbit population is a little sparce. When we find a rabbit we don't want to lose it. A beagle will scent it out and reflush it. One day Red and Beagel jumped the same rabbit (i think ) five times.
After an hour or so of this the bunnies start to jump when they hear the dogs getting near. They wont pin down quite so hard. Sooner or later, the bird is going to get that wascally wabbit!

[rt]

So how do your 2 beagles work are they good falconry dogs?

[bobdale]

I LOVE them! And so does my bird. I let the dogs out after Buzz is ready to fly. I turn them lose and wait for them to yip. Buzz looks up as soon as she hears the first sound from them. I let Buzz go and she follows them. They are fast becoming a team. It's an amazing thing to watch!
As i've said many times before, most of the hawkers in MO use JRTs, but rabbits aren't as plentiful around her as they are in the cities. If Buzz misses a bunny on the first stoop i can count on the beagles for a reflush. JRTs are great jump dogs, but the beagles assure several good flights, even if it's the same rabbit.

[Minca]

Seems like around here it's either beagles or jacks.
I've been out with both and to be honest I like the jacks best. The beagles vocal communications are nice, but they have no sense of teamwork at all. Once they are in the field they seem to lose all sense that anyone else is out there at all, other dogs, humans, anyone. The jacks, on the other hand, seemed to know where everyone was and were conciencely trying to work as a team, responding to their owners commands for the most part and such. Ofcourse it could just be the way people train their dogs around here, or lack thereof.
I haven't really seen much of doxies in the feild, but I know what they are like as pets and I'm sure they would probably do a great job in the feild as well.