Thanks... When my dog jumped that rabbit, she was still in the briars and couldn't get out in time, so the rabbit left her in the dust. I swung out my 870 12GA and tried taking a shot (and missed...) but my dog wasn't right beside me and my 870 either. She was running out of the briars by the time the shotgun went off, but yet nowhere near the blast of shot. She just heard the loud boom and came to a screeching halt. It was only the first time she heard a gun go off, so I hope with some training, she'll associate the shotgun as part of the hunt.

One funny aspect of hunting with her (looking back at the picture of me...) I'm kneeling down smiling in the photo. My dog Amber wasstill growling at the two game wardens and looks so pissed! She's got the nose, the smooth coat, and the hunting ability of a beagle, combined with the protective guarding instincts of a german shepherd. But in reality, she's just a big chicken.what's that saying... "her bark is worse than her bite".