# beagle ?



## bart (Jan 4, 2010)

i have 1 year old taken her out six times so far but she shys away from thick stuff.i've tried leading her through but if i get out in the clear so does she.should i be worried or does she just need more time or ran with another dog?


----------



## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

Once she starts jumping and running rabbits in the thick stuff she'll figure out that's where they are found and will start busting brush on her own.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to run her with other dogs. She's old enough to keep up with them. I like to run a young dog 2-3 times solo for every one time with other experienced dogs. They learn a bit from the older dogs, and gain some confidence on their own.
Just make sure the other dogs you're going to run her with have GOOD habits.


----------



## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

Some dogs are bred to bust brush & some are bred to run until they hit trails & pick up a bunny. Is she hare bred or cottontail? If she won't go into thick brush now, I doubt that she will in the future. No offense, just telling it like I've seen it.


----------



## upperlimits (Jan 15, 2008)

has this dog had any rabbits put in front of it yet?


----------



## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

i also feel some dogs are great brush dogs and some will be ok brush dogs. you could run with another brush dog to help suck your dog in and show her there are bunnies in that stuff. i suggest keep walking through it yourself to get her in it and when ever you see an opening going into the thick stuff put her in it head first and encourage her to get into it. just remember dont get frustrated if she wont stay in it she will notice it and may think she is bad and associate it all the wrong way. another thing is find a nice cattail spot and start walking through it. she will have to go through the thick then and this time of the year the bunnies may like the cattail cover  it is also not as bad for you as walking through a briar patch. 
have fun and be patient some of the best bunny running is right around the corner for your dog.

later, dave


----------



## Lindsey (Jan 22, 2000)

Your dog is young. She'll work through the brush more as she gains experience with rabbits. Don't force her into brush. Let her sniff the edges if that's what she wants to do. Walk through or over good cover and she'll follow you, like PredatorDave suggests. Just keep working her in good rabbit habitat and she'll eventually figure out that rabbits are often found in thick cover and begin going in on her own. Once she comes nose to tail to a tight sitting bunny, whether on purpose or by accident, she'll get the idea and become a brush buster. Six trips to the field aren't much experience for a dog. Beagles need lots of time in the field to learn and develop. Keep taking her out and be patient. She'll turn out fine.

Lindsey


----------



## scottmi (Jan 17, 2008)

Dogs with great hunt are few and far between. It's either bred into them or it's not. There's lots of things you can make them do but bust the brush isn't one of them.


----------



## J-D (Dec 8, 2008)

bart said:


> i have 1 year old taken her out six times so far but she shys away from thick stuff.i've tried leading her through but if i get out in the clear so does she.should i be worried or does she just need more time or ran with another dog?


Bart, My dog was the same way in his first season. Every year he got more agressive in the brush. He is 3 1/2 years old now and can't go by a brush pile without crawling through it. It's true that some beagles start out being bulldozers in the brush but given time and experiance, they figure out where to look for rabbits.


----------



## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

J-D said:


> Bart, My dog was the same way in his first season. Every year he got more agressive in the brush. He is 3 1/2 years old now and can't go by a brush pile without crawling through it. It's true that some beagles start out being bulldozers in the brush but given time and experiance, they figure out where to look for rabbits.




Thank you for giving the fella some reassurance.

My 2.5 y.o. Basset Hound was also like that. Now he there isn't a tangle or pile he won't make a bee-line to and root around in. 
I had him out this morning and 2 of the 3 rabbits he ran he had flushed out from under snow covered tangles of brush & vines by going in there and searching.


----------



## bart (Jan 4, 2010)

just wanted to update.took her out again last sunday she kicked up four
only got one shot off drew blood but got to hole first.think i'll use my 410 this weekend.


----------



## sixft4par (Apr 1, 2008)

I would get a live trap and use blended up apples for bait. Catch a rabbit and let the dog chase the rabbit after you let it go.....you really need to get the dog started and running and it will figure out where the rabbits hide. Has the dog opened up on a rabbit track before? When you say kicked up is she opening up and circling the rabbits?


----------

