[FREEPOP]

My friend and I went out on a scheduled hunt sunday morn with the new snow. Snow didn't cooperate but we decide to be outside listening to my Rudy would be a good time. He got on a couple of trails but they ended quickly. He's just learning and I haven't seen him cold trail at all. Could have just been squirrels. Well we moved off to one of my clover plots, as the rabbits seem to love those. Bingo, two steps in the brush and the chase is on. Rudy ran him about 125 yards thru a very wet swamp to me waiting with he gun. We waited for him to track him up there and rewarded him. About 40 yards down and the chase was on again. This rabbit almost made it to where we jumped the other one, and he lost the track there. A very good day and my friend was really impressed with my Rudy dog, as he's only been hunting for a couple of weeks. My friend also thinks that at this rate Rudy will be one heck of a hunter come next season. I just want Rudy to be happy and have fun and I'll try and help him along, but with his intellegence, I think he'll figure it out just fine.

 

[rabbit whacker]

Cool

Just continue to get him out to "discover" bunnies. Your right, he will pick it up on his own. Isn't it great listening to them howl chasing a rabbit Its got to be one of the best sounds, I could sit for hours listening to a beagle run a rabbit. I think it is important to meet a young dog at the end of a rabbit run and give it a lot of praise.

 

[Robert W. McCoy Jr]

Sounds like he is really comming along well.

 

[huntingfool43]

Sounds like he's coming along good John. Keep putting the bunnies in front of him and he will be fine.

 

[FREEPOP]

Thanks guys. Everything is going real well with him so far. He comes when called and isn't even interested in deer at this point, a double knock on wood. We have come across many a fresh deer track and he gives them a sniff and moves on. I only hope that he will continue that.
When he gets to a dead rabbit, he doesn't want a treat so I pet and praise him. He wants to move right on and get another one.
Another bonus is I think I've lost about 7 lbs since I got him. No more couch potato in the winter for me. With rabbits out the back door, we'll steal every hour we can chasing the wascally wabbits!

 

[Happy Jack]

Isn't it fun to watch these pups learn and grow. I'm kind of in the same boat with my 8 month old, my first beagle. Bunnys are kind of scarce in my area but my pup finally jumped one in the open last week,first time he got a good look at one. He took off like a shot and I was waiting to hear that sweet howl for the first time on a rabbit. Only thing is he was so excited all I heard was a pitiful whine almost like he was hurt. I just had to laugh. Oh well maybe next time.