Any Beagle owners/rabbit hunters?

[Expatriated]

I just recently bought a Beagle pup. 6 weeks old now. She is primarily a pet for the kids but since I've got her and I have the time and desire, I'd like to see if I could get her to hunt some rabbits next year.

I'm wondering the best way to get the dog used to the sound of the gun.

Anyone ever train a Beagle or any other dog to not be gunshy?

Or train to get them to hunt rabbits?

 

[srad]

see how them ears flop over... they help as natural buffers to sudden BOOMS! Took my beagle/jack mix to the range as a pup; started with a .22 rifle, then shot my 9mm a bit, then a 20 ga shotty. He didn't mind any of it one bit.

 

[LUVn40]

My husband and I have trained both beagles and pointers and go to great lengths to prevent gun shyness. We purchased a cap gun, hard to find one but it's possible and the caps are like little primers now and not the old fashioned paper rolls like when I was a kid. Our method is to stand in another room while pup is eating and fire the cap gun. We'll do this several times over the course of a few days until pup pays little attention. Then we'll move into the room where pup is eating, fire the cap gun and again do this for a few days until pup ignores the sound. From there we'll move to our big shed and shoot a pellet gun, graduate to a .22 with CBs, firing into a bullet trap, and finally take pup to the local gun club when they're having a trap shoot. We park a distance away from the action and have pup on a leash, letting him saunter around sniffing and investigating the area. And finally we take pup to the field and shoot our shotguns over him, starting a good ways from pup, 50 to 100 yards, and gradually working in closer. By this time pup is usually oblivious to the racket. We've had great success with this practice. My best advise it to TAKE IT SLOW. It's much easier to spend a little time getting pup used to the sound of a gun than it is trying to break a gun shy dog. Good luck with your efforts.

 

[Double T]

I just had some rabbit stew. The dog is my stepdad's, and it has been trained for a while so I'm not going to be much help. I will say rabbit hunting with a dog is much better than without.

 

[Expatriated]

That's GREAT info Luv. It matches what I've read from other trainers as well. If I understand it right, you want the noise to happen when the dog is eating or some other pleasant activity, correct? That way noise is associated with something good, not something bad to shy away from--is that right?

About what age should I start with the cap gun? She's at 6 weeks right now.