good family/rabbit dog?
 

i have time to train but not alot of it and i have a 2 year old and 4 yr old so family friendly is a must. i am open to any suggestions, thank you.

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

Beagles---they are great rabbit dogs and most make really good pets.

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

I agree with bigangrychicken,a beagle would be a great choice. Just one thing make sure you have a well fenced yard or the beagle will be off hunting without you.

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

Can't go wrong with a beagle. Although I have never heard of anyone hunting with just one dog I am sure it might be possible. They also make great family pets

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

Beagles are your # bet! They're great companions, phenomenal rabbit hunters, and make for good household pets. Do some research on pedigrees and running styles before you buy one. If you have any questions, just hollar!

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

coolbrze0, is it possible to use only one dog?

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

Definitely, every one of my dogs (not counting puppies) can solo a rabbit back to the gun. I prefer to run 4-5 at a time and keep 2 packs (10-12 dogs) so I can do this, but one good broke dog can easily circle many a rabbit back to you. Make sure you see it run 1st. Bloodlines are VERY important if you're looking to breed/register your beagles. Some dogs are med. some are fast, some are slow, etc. You don't want to run dogs of different speeds together as it will cause headache after headache!

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

i dont have the room or a wife that would want more than one. not to mention it would be like having a third child running around. so what should i look for in a puppy if i plan on running one dog? thanks.

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

In a puppy, I would want to see the parents run, that way you can be "sure" it's coming from good hunting stock. If you have any buddies that have rabbit dogs, ask what speed their dogs run. Speed is relative, but if you run w/ some buddies who have dogs, you will want your dog running the same speed. Faster isn't always better, I run 2 packs, on a scale of 1-10, my A pack runs speed 8.5 and my B pack runs a speed 7. It's enough of a difference that I don't run them together.

You will also want to check the puppy AND PARENTS for deformities and conformation (good looks). Some things to look for are crooked backs, offset tails, knobby kneed front legs, straight stance, over/under bites, etc. etc. you get the point. I'd recommend getting the pup around 8 weeks old, give or take a week. 8 weeks is a good age, it's given the pup time to socialize some w/ it's mother and siblings, yet it's still real young and will take to you and your family like a kid in a candy shop after a day or so when it realizes it's new home.

Honestly, if you find a dog out of good hunting stock, you will probably be all right. I usually overdo it, as you can see :)

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

thank you for the advice. what speed would you recommend if im just running one dog?

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

Speed is a personal choice. If you want your rabbits flying by you as you are hunting, then get a fast dog. If you want them just to be hopping by and occasionally flying by, then you should go with a good medium speed dog. That being said, running a dog solo will generally tend to be slower than it can when running with another dog. There is the competetion factor with another dog, and also the other dog can help things along as far as when the dog looses the track . The more noses on the ground, the faster they can pick up the scent again and be off.

One other breed you might want to consider is the bassett hound. They are outstanding rabbit dogs as well/ You just need to make sure you get one from a long line of hunters, as most people that have them got them from puppy mills and the hunt is long gone from them and they are all full of deformities. The American Bassett Hound Association has a website for the hunting bassetts, you can find good hunters from there.

Personally, I am a beagle man but I would love to try hunting over bassetts someday.

RE: good family/rabbit dog?
 

That's a matter of personal preference. I run 2 packs, my A pack runs a speed 8.5 and my B pack runs a speed 7. It's enough of a difference that I won't run them together. I'm not sure what the cover/terrain is like up there but that will also dictate what speed you could run. In Central & Northern VA where I mostly hunt, SPO hounds (med. speed) are the most popular due to the terrain. In heavy cutovers orhuge tracts of land where you need dog power & speed to bring the rabbit back, I'd recommend a faster stronger style dog.