ORIGINAL: Dryridge
The One the runs rabbits the best is the one best suited for your area. Papers don't have a thing to do with it.
I agree with this statement ... bloodlines can matter though, but the best rabbit dog I have ever seen was a beagle terrier mix ... that dog was small and could fit in the rabbit holes ... unreal!
I currently hunt behind 2 beagles that do not have papers and they are awesome dogs .....
Papers will NEVER replace running the dogs ... period. The more you take them out, the better they will most likely become.
As far as how fast or how slow ... A Basset runs beagles very slow, yet they produce wonderfully ..... great rabbit dog
So don't worry, and put the dog on rabbits as soon as you get it as a pup .. they sell scent you can use also . ..... WHAT A BLAST!!