good rabbit dogs

[Yager]

hey everyone what would a good breed be for a rabbit dog i was thinkin about a beagle. ive hunted with them greats dogs but they do bark alot and have attendency to dig out of a fence any other dogs worth getting for chasing rabbits

thanks

[Ian Wileman]

speed wise - Lagunna Whippet! FAST AS! AND RUN FOR ENGLAND! not sure if you can get one over there though.

Moochy/bramble type.....my border terriers are the dogs bullocks!

open field....coursing etc.....collie x greyhound x greyhound

Fox dog......pitbull x greyhound...

anyone else any other ideas

[Shaun Byrne]

Bramble basher/good nose, Cocker or Springer

[Ian Wileman]

Realistically, to get a proper answer to this question, you should describe the type of land and what you want the dog to do mate. do you want the dog to chase and catch? In open land? woodland? hedgerows?

[Yager]

well there is alot fo trees and brier bushes (thorn bushes) and im looking for one to jump rabbits for a hawk

[Coedhirion]

Brittany every time, Im biased :lol: but real quick learners, obedient, super familly lap dog pets. Give em bramble, gorse or any thing they will work till they dropped dead if you aren't careful, they will still be working the hills when U an your birds ready for home. They go into any thing hold a point then flush on command. only drawback is colour. Red an white, can take a bird a bit to get used to.

[Yager]

do they have a good nose on them i know a beagle can smell a fish fart in a water fall so thats why i was leaning towards them

[Varmint]

I'd agree a Brittany is an awsome field companion and although a diff attitude to the beagle, just as good a nose, maybe better, and with the added advantage that it will point, letting you know of an imminent flush, it will mark, allowing you to ferret, if legal in your country and it will live in the family home, hopefully without eating everything!

[Peregrynne]

now some might laugh at this, but mini dauchshunds are supposed to be excellent rabbit hunting dogs. Jack Russells are on that same list as well. If you want a good read on rabbit hunters from a good source get "Rabbit Hawker's Dogs" from Eagle Wing Publishing. It is co-authored by a group of very experienced falconers that fly on rabbits regularly.

You can find the book at www.eaglewingpublishing.com

hope this helps some

[Yager]

yay finally someone agree's with me thats probably what ill get

thanks agian

[TheMeanPitBull]

i have a beagle hes still a puppy but a beagle is the only dog in the usa that is best for rabbits because they are smalland go into the bryer batches and bushes to flush out a rabbit they can also where a rabbit out and slow them down after a long chase u should get one there great dogs for rabbits.

[Mary Quite Contrary]

Cairn terrier x border terrier.

[Coedhirion]

A Brittany will try to go any where a rabbit does, get a Brit you know it makes sense. :lol: :yawinkle:
I had a terrier whippet cross. She was a great rabbit catcher but not much use for falconry as she sneaked up on them and they were dead before they knew what had happened. I think 13 in 2 hours was her record!!! great for the freezer but not much fun for a BOP :tonqe: :lol:

[HawkStir]

I had a Beagle but he voiced to much and scared the bird. I have a Dachshund pup that I'm training and associating with my bird. Hopefully he'll prove himself this fall.

[TimberDog]

Depending on what type of Rabb hunting you want to do you will be hard pushed to beat the Old Jack Russell my bitch flushes to the gun and is not daft she can smell if anything is in the cover / hedge and will not dirty her paws unless she smells quarry and she is never wrong and each time she goes to cover to flush rabbit is flushed or pheasants etc.

They also set warrens well with Ferrets and of course if you get a miniature like my bitch ya always in for some good digs etc Rabbits of course!

Last of all they are bloody tough as nails and i prefer a bitch as they tend to be more faithful and wander less from gun point etc..

Tess my bitch:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/timberdog/Picture045.jpg

edited so the picture shows up. gregmik

[BlackHawke]

nope none of those for me.... wot i got is an 8 1/2 stone rottweiller. got a great nose and goes through anything!!!!lol bushes, trees, fence panels doors!!!! he'll go through em all!!!lol

[TimberDog]

Big boys rottys!!

Known as Devil Dogs???

[BlackHawke]

oh and that is soooooo true!!!!!!! :twisted:

[Jack Merlin]

Beagles are easy going and good rabbit hunters, but not very easy to train if you want the refinements.

All the spaniels are very old breeds and have been used for falconry for hundreds of years. The working English springer is very popular in the UK and they are usually good workers and easily trained. I'd avoid the show dogs for serious work.

Lots of good books on training spaniels but DO start the training young by teaching them to SIT immediately on command.

If your approach to hawking is a bit laid back and you are not much good at training dogs (or reading books about how to do it!), go for the beagle. If you choose a coursing dog, there could be conflict between hawk and dog, i.e. which catches the rabbit first!

[Coedhirion]

Too True Jack Merlin, plus disastrous results if the bird gets there first followed by a keen dog !!!

[Falco_Forms]

I have a Itallion greyhound made small so they can get in the rabbit holes. He isnt trained but if he sees a rabit he is off! He is 2yo but still ready to learn and easy to take care of due to small size. I would never use him in MN cause winters are like -35F so hed die but id like to get rid of him. If youd like him we gcould work something out im sure. I dont want him, too cold.

[Coedhirion]

How can you not luv these :lol: They had been working steep hills for 5 hours, pointing lots of rabbit above and below ground. They were still willing and keen to carry on it was the humans and the birds that had run out of steam :lol: :lol:

[shortwingn]

Greetings,
I run mini long hair Dachshunds in front of red tails, harris, and gos. All I can say about them is feilds where I thought there to be no rabbits we now find them. If the rabbit makes it to a hole there in big trouble.
Erik

[Fraser Hamilton]

beddy x whippet all the way:supz:

[F.Red Tail]

How can you not luv these :lol: They had been working steep hills for 5 hours, pointing lots of rabbit above and below ground. They were still willing and keen to carry on it was the humans and the birds that had run out of steam :lol: :lol:

i suppose the collars must keep them going all day eh.. pmsl... they will be to scared to stop or they will be jumped started .. lol :lol:

[OutFlying]

They are beeper (locator) pointing collars not electric shock collars - I believe.

Jim.

[F.Red Tail]

They are beeper (locator) pointing collars not electric shock collars - I believe.

Jim.

handy things jim.... :supz:

[OutFlying]

Bloody noisy :lol:

[Roberto]

To hunt rabbits in the bush there´s nothing better than a Portuguese Podengo.

http://podengos.org/

[OutFlying]

If you live in Portugal,

Springers or cocker spaniels seem to work well in the Uk after a few hundred years of breeding for the job,

Jim.

[Roberto]

I guess you are right about Springers and cocker spaniels Jim,they have already proved their merit, but i sincerely believe that the Podengo can
excel in rabbit hunting the same way in Portugal as in the U.K, and there
is a place for this breed in rabbit hunting.
Just one more link for those that want to know a little bit more about the race, or simply love
dogs.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/portuguese_podengo/did_you_know.cfm

[Big JoeJoe]

A well bred Springer Spaniel or Cocker for me. There is no other breed in their league :supz: And that is a Fact:supz: :supz:

Cheers Joe

[Sighthound]

Hi Roberto,

I worked with Fernando who I believe you know. He also had a podengo back in Portugal which he hunted his HH's over.
Sound useful dogs.

[Roberto]

Yes i know Fernando, i have bought him a gyr/peregrine in 2002 when i was
in Spain at his place. It was nice to visit him and have the opurtunity to see for the first time an Aplomado flying.
Joe, about Podengos i´m sure if you could see them hunting your opinion would change.

Cheers,
Roberto

[Big JoeJoe]

Yes i know Fernando, i have bought him a gyr/peregrine in 2002 when i was
in Spain at his place. It was nice to visit him and have the opurtunity to see for the first time an Aplomado flying.
Joe, about Podengos i´m sure if you could see them hunting your opinion would change.

Cheers,
Roberto

Roberto no offence mate but I doubt my opinion will change. But I am sure they will be worth a look at.

Cheers Joe

[Jiff]

do you want the dog to catch rabbits or set them up for the bird, the best coursing dog for rabbits i have ever come accross was a first cross bedlington/whippet superb dog,i gather that in the states the dachound or a cross of the breed is widely used in falconry, at the end of the day any dog will find rabbits, martin hollinshead uses a border collie, pick a dog that you're going to like, both in looks and temprement,it's pointless having a dog that you can't bare to look at, terrier types can be a hand full and will go to ground given the chance, which could then cause problems, i think the coulsons of the states use dachunds or crosses, they seem to do quite well off em, give it a good deal of thaught mate,but remember any dog will find rabbits for you.

[Fraser Hamilton]

or get a hob ferret and train it the the whistle lol am tryin it

[PeelsBells]

I still stand by my black lab would put him against any springer/ cocker run all day for you and marks like a trooper.:supz: Excellent under the gun.
Just gutted he is 8 and coming to the end of his of his hunting days. Thinking of try a labradoodle bitch next!