Beagle Training?

[Expatriated]

I've posted some about an interest in this in the past.

My beagle is now 5 months. I've read a lot online about training her to be a rabbit hunter. I live in a suburb so I don't have acres to train her.

I have worked on her developing her nose since she was just 6 weeks old, dragging food through the yard and letting her track it.

I've now started trapping wild rabbits in a cage and letting her smell them. I let one loose in the garage and let the dog chase it around before I let it go. Then let her track it for a little while. She seemed to REALLY love that so I think there's at least some potential there, but what do I know?


But, I understand that there used to be some "starter pens" in the Central Indiana area, which are like 1-5 acres of land penned in with rabbits in it and you can go let your dog there to track some rabbits.

Anyone know if there is anything around here like that?


Also, what suggestions does anyone have to get my dog ready? I know that letting her run with experienced dogs helps her learn and I'm working on finding someone that will let me do that.

Anything else?

Thanks!

 

[poppy]

Check with the Central Indiana Beagle Club. Just google for contacts.

 

[Bollorollo]

Atterbury has areas to train dogs...Dog training areas are provided in sections 13-B, 13-C and 13-D. (See map)

 

[Fyjimo]

Main thing is to teach your dog "come" when you call her. Beagles think with their noses. I speak from experience.

 

[Expatriated]

Main thing is to teach your dog "come" when you call her. Beagles think with their noses. I speak from experience.

Absolutely. This is without a doubt, one of the hardest things in the dog kingdom!

 

[gungirl65]

Absolutely. This is without a doubt, one of the hardest things in the dog kingdom!

Good luck. I ended up keeping my foster beagle because I couldn't even train him to come back in the house after potty breaks.


I have a PetZoom electronic sound thing that makes the other dogs stop barking. It has been helpful with the beagle to get his attention. When he is being difficult he is more inclined to come in the house if I press the button a couple times.

 

[huntall50]

Since you have had him as a pup that should make the make the MAIN command a beagle needs to know easier. COME!!! Play with your pup in the yard, it will follow you, teach come at the same time. Take the pup by itself some and at times with an older slower dog to a small spot that holds rabbits. If it is in them, it will come out but at varying degrees. Repeat that often.

 

[Zoub]

Anything else?

Thanks!

Make sure you are not putting a ton of effort in to a dog only to have it come up gun shy. I got out of the "Beagle training business" decades ago because, if possible, I did not want to die in the field of a heart attack or stroke. I prefer to hunt over my various friends beagles and sit back and watch them die instead. There are good books out there to read about the sport. Mine are all from the 70's. Between books and real dog owners you can get yourself trained up well. It sounds like you are off to a good start and the dog has some good instincts.

I admit being tempted at various times to get a Beagle again, but up here, they tend to turn up missing so I am over that idea. The reason is, like others said Beagles can get tunnel vision. The Wolves will just run them down until they are tired and they are done. IMHO opinion they can drive you nuts living in the city or suburbs with one. For me it is wolves, for you it will be cars and bigger dogs. Ol' Rufus the Beagle does not know he can be squished and he thinks he is a German Shepard. Beagles are the absolute best and worst of a working dog stuffed into one casing.

 

[gungirl65]

My beagle is the best and worst dog rolled into one. He loves me and my son like no other dog or human ever has but he is also the most stubborn dog I have ever owned.