# Beagle help



## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Is there anyone in the west mich. area that would be willing to help me get my beagle started? Maybe run with a good dog.He is almost 2 and will sight chase but that's about it.I,m willing to trade for a late season deer hunt, some fishing, or maybe a turkey hunt.


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## Richards (Oct 5, 2010)

Are you below the bridge??


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

About 4 hours below. I'm 30 miles north of Grand Rapids.


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## sixft4par (Apr 1, 2008)

Two is a late start. Does the dog open up during the sight chase or not?

There are a couple things you could try. 1. A starting pen. 2. Trap live rabbits and start him on those.

If he is not opening up on the sight chase it might be tough.


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Yes he opens up. I've done the trapped rabbit bit and he'll run them for a little while. He just can't seem to work out a track too long before giving up. I 'd use a pen but I can't find one around here.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

If you have access to a spot with a good wild rabbit population, I'd stick to taking him there since he's 2 years old, already. I'd keep trying to get him on scent & see if you can get him to stick. You may even want to go somewhere where there's hare to see if that gets him going. Knowing his background/bloodline could help someone to understand what you have. (Was he bought from a pet store or a reputable breeder of hunting dogs)? Pretty much, with beagles, it should come natural; but running him with another dog might help. If you keep taking him where there's rabbits & you keep getting the same results, you may want to start considering him as a pet. There's a guy around St. Johns with grounds that trains. I don't know if thats close to you; but if you have access to a good spot, you're better off doing it yourself.


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## sixft4par (Apr 1, 2008)

Just keep running him and be patient on the checks. Conditions are different day to day. Even good dogs have slow days. You have to hunt them hard for a few years to have a good "finished" dog.


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## bjw (Dec 20, 2007)

I'd be willing to help out sometime. We could run him with one of my dogs.


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## Wolf_Dancer34 (Nov 14, 2006)

Snow is coming.....great for training a young dog. Just because he is a beagle does not mean he will figure it all out. On the other side of that keep running him. The more rabbits the better and I would suggest you do not run him with another dog....a follower you do not want. It is hard enough for a dog to follow a track let alone a track behind another dog.


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

bjw, thanks for the offer. I might take you up on it this winter. I think I'll trap a couple more and see how he does with them. I know he needs more rabbits to get better. Thanks to you other guys for your advice. This is my first beagle and I can use all the help I can get.


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## jnracing (Nov 26, 2008)

jim wale that owns JWkennels in merril mi has a starting pen


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Where is Merril? Thanks


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Most beagles, if there is a good bloodline, will start and finish by themselves. Does the dog come back to you after sight trailing? If not, give the dog the time it needs to work the track. Just stand there motionless and quiet. 
Keep in mind, some beagles just don't work it out. I had a few out of my dogs that for whatever reason, didn't figure out the whole tracking idea.


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

He works the scent trail for a short distance, opens up fine, sometimes starting over, then gives up. I'd really like to see him in a starting pen. Might answer some questions. He does seem a little more focused now than he was last year.


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## Fish Eye (Mar 30, 2007)

jnracing said:


> Jim wale that owns JWkennels in merril mi has a starting pen


My dog went to Jim twice. Once as a six month old puppy-she stayed for a month. Once at about 1 year to reinforce tracking and to break on deer and train on the gun. Between the sessions at Jim's I wore out a pair of boots running that dog a a minimum of 4 days a week to get her to handle in the field. I started with an outstanding field trial line out of OH that could dual champ on the bench. Cost of the puppy was $300. The cost of the dog is the cheapest part of owning one. Start with the best you can find. I had to wait 6 months to get her. Don't get impulsive and fall for some kind of hill billy "parents are excellent hunters" line in the Sunday paper, on the cork board at Gander, or puppy days at Jay's.

Jim is reasonable. Send your dog to him for a month to see if there's hope. If not, feel free to PM me and I can tell you where you can get a red hot, hard driving, bad ****, brag Beagle.

If you send your dog to Jim, have the worming meds ready, get all the vaccines etc, heart worm/fleas. I would send the dog on the meds and hit him again as soon as you get home.


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Thanks Fish Eye, I'll be checking into Jim Wale.


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## Richards (Oct 5, 2010)

What ever you do, do not keep showing him rabbits. He will get where he just wants you to show him the rabbits. Just get him out in the woods.


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