Head Hunter
4 Pointer
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Joined: May 9, 2024 4:59:50 GMT -5
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beagle
Oct 27, 2009 10:23:32 GMT -5
Post by Head Hunter on Oct 27, 2009 10:23:32 GMT -5
i have a 2 year old beagle that hunts rabbits great. The only thing is i cant get him to bark. Anyone have some tips
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beagle
Oct 27, 2009 22:00:18 GMT -5
Post by grizz1 on Oct 27, 2009 22:00:18 GMT -5
That is a new one for me, I'm probably little to no help.Not sure what to do. May I ask, can he bark or does he bark at other times? I have had Walker coyote hounds that would silent track for distances of say a hundred yards with only one bark or two. They did this to outrun the other dogs, which is not fair so I would either sell them or use them toward the end of a hunt to catch the coyote. I would be sure he is OK first, then try running him with another dog that barks well, it might get him started. It's not good though, a beagle sounding off while chasing a rabbit is where all the fun is.
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beagle
Oct 27, 2009 23:52:17 GMT -5
Post by Kt29 on Oct 27, 2009 23:52:17 GMT -5
That is a strange for a beagle. Was times I wished mine wouldn't bark. Anyways, might try running him with someones elses beagles that do bark. Maybe the competion would inspire him to bark.
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beagle
Oct 28, 2009 8:13:38 GMT -5
Post by LongSpur39 on Oct 28, 2009 8:13:38 GMT -5
That is a strange for a beagle. Was times I wished mine wouldn't bark. Anyways, might try running him with someones elses beagles that do bark. Maybe the competion would inspire him to bark. Was gonna say the same thing. Maybe we can get em with Johns loud mouth yipper this winter!
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beagle
Oct 28, 2009 14:36:39 GMT -5
Post by THE GOB-FATHER on Oct 28, 2009 14:36:39 GMT -5
i have a 2 year old beagle that hunts rabbits great. The only thing is i cant get him to bark. Anyone have some tips I don't know if I understand your question correctly? I have a kennel filled with beagles that "hunt" and every one of them "bark", or "open up" as they say in the field. I don't see how a beagle (purebred and akc registered) can do what you're referring to?? Can you please explain more? No offense, but this has to be the oddest question regarding beagles I've ever heard in the beagling circuit. Is he broke yet? Cuz if not, I'm not sure if what you're saying is the truest form of what would be considered as "hunting great" ... by beagle standards that is. I've been running beagles for over 15 years now with over several field champions going through our kennel so I'd love to share my knowledge and experience with you if you could fill me in more on your query.
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Head Hunter
4 Pointer
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Joined: May 9, 2024 4:59:50 GMT -5
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beagle
Oct 30, 2009 10:30:30 GMT -5
Post by Head Hunter on Oct 30, 2009 10:30:30 GMT -5
Thanks guys, I talk to a beagle breeder and he said he has had a few dogs act the same way. He said the best thing he has found is to hang a dead rabbit from a tree just out of the dogs reach. Let the dog stay there till he starts barking, then reward him with the rabbit after he starts to soung off alot.
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beagle
Oct 30, 2009 20:16:44 GMT -5
Post by THE GOB-FATHER on Oct 30, 2009 20:16:44 GMT -5
I'm still not getting what the issue is but I'll try to go off from what's been written and give my 2 cents on this one based on many years of beagling.
I'd like to start by saying that a beagle "pup", which is normally within the 1-2 year old range will certainly (with the right pedigree and genes) have the instinct to "hunt". But there is a difference in "hunting" and "opening up" on a rabbit. A beagle pup has the desire to be out searching and sniffing about. Normally unable to put two and two together. It will show interest but not know what to do. I certainly gets scent but from there gets overly excited (in most cases) and loses it's focus.
That said, a pup needs to be "broke". In other words you have to get the dog to "open up" or bark when it's on scent. When your beagle gets scent and associates it with excitement and the desire to hunt that scent down and THEN barks or "opens up" and does so each time it gets that rabbit scent in it's nose... then it's considered "broke". Not as in "broken" or it don't work. but rather you "broke him in" to understanding how to play the game.... like a good catcher's mit... broke in and ready to play ball!
Now, there are a million ways to go about breaking a pup. One of the most common and effective ways is to join a local beagle club that has a "pupply pen". Most have a small fenced in pen that has several varying rabbits in it and allow the dog to work around in brush and open areas to get "scent"... after a while of sniffing around, eventually a rabbit is going to "jump" as in "jumping a rabbit" (in other words the rabbit spooks and shows itself), and the pup will see it. NOW it has sight association with the scent and in many cases, not all, will open up and chase the rabbit until he can't see it anymore. THEN, that's where the nose and being "truly broke" and/or able to "truely hunt". It's what beagler's refer to as being a "true hound", in that it's nose is true to the hunt and is barking on scent, not excitement.
When the rabbit is not in sight and/or the dog loses scent, that's when the dog's instincts should kick in and start putting it's nose to the ground to get the "line" or in other words "the path in which the rabbit went whereas it left scent for the beagle to follow".... when a dog loses the "line" and is "hunting", it's now "truely hunting" and is what they call putting in "check work". A check is where the dog searches out the next freshest available scent. When it is "checking" and then "opens up"... it's what they call "picking a check". What that means is that it lost the scent, regrouped, hunted with it's nose and then found the line again and continues to "line out" (or move the rabbit forward in a straight line) the rabbit and the game continues until the hunter shoots it or the rabbit "holes up" which means it found a sanctuary which would be a place in which the dog can not get to. Most cases it's a hole, a stone fence... hollowed out log etc.
So, best advice I can give....
Get your pup into a puppy pen. Get him to associate the scent of a rabbit with proper beagling. You'll be happy that you did.
Also, there are many people in the beagling circuit that charge a nominal fee to break your dog for you... might want to look into that if you don't have a club nearby and/or the time to invest in such endeavors.
Hope that helps?
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beagle
Oct 31, 2009 14:16:16 GMT -5
Post by LongSpur39 on Oct 31, 2009 14:16:16 GMT -5
Very good read and informative!
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