tailchaser
Well-Known Member
How do you keep your dogs,in just a pen, or one off the ground,also can you tell if it makes a difference how they are kept,
Beagle dogs
- Thread starter tailchaser
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Have kept them in a pen on the ground and pen with concrete foundation. What difference do you mean? I just like concrete because its easy to spray off clean.
rabbit hunter
Well-Known Member
I have done both, right now I have 4 off the ground and 2 on the ground, simply because I haven't built another above ground kennel. Health wise, off the ground is better, with worms and things.
Here is two of my kennels,
Here is two of my kennels,
tailchaser
Well-Known Member
smstone22 said:
tailchaser
Well-Known Member
Looks good RH
I dont have pics but i have above ground kennels inside of a large pen im in the process of switching over to the plastic kennel flooring and might even convert a storage barn into a 6 run kennel with boxes inside during the winter especially pups. I saw a kennel set up thats bigger than most houses the other day, man itd be nice to have something like that!!!!!
Above is definitly the way to go but some of the best dogs i ever seen stayed on the ground with nothing more than a barrel!
Above is definitly the way to go but some of the best dogs i ever seen stayed on the ground with nothing more than a barrel!
That's like asking a Ford or Chevy question.I keep mine on a concrete pad that i wash off everyday into its own septic system.I have never had a pad problem on their feet or any health problems.The raised kennels with the wire floor, in my opinion are hard on their feet, and the wood floors will absorb urine and can cause odor problems.I have tried all 3 methods and prefer the concrete over all others.I do have little platforms in each pen for them to get up on so they dont have to lay on the concrete all the time.Some like them some dont.
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
Hey guys, i just got me 3 male bluetick beagle pups and i need some pointers from some you old timers. Theyre 3 months old. Ive been working with them everyday. They will use their nose to track down meat when you tie it to a string and drag it around. I have a rabbit and they go after him. I think im going in the right direction cause ive been studying about it alot. But I know yall probably have alot of knowledge. Id like to maybe find someone to let them go out with their beagles around east tn
tailchaser
Well-Known Member
I've not been fooling with them to many years,still learning myself ,Rabbit Hunter on here could probably tell ya anything you want to know,but what I do know is the more you take um the better they get,also if you could get a older good dog to run with your pups it will train them for you,I would love to get a bunch of people to gather and go sometime this year.
turkeyhunter
Well-Known Member
I would just mess with them alot, get them so they will come to you you when you call them. Walk them in areas where they are rabbits, and they will eventually start running rabbits on their own. An older slower dog is also a great training tool for them. I would invest in some shocking collars also to stop them from running deer. Stop that right when it starts. Good luck and have fun.
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
I wonder if there might be a club for beagles around east tn that has meetings like the coonhunters do. If there was that would be something good to do.
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
I found a good deal on ebay that is one transmitter and 2 reciever collars for like 40.00 bucks brand new. I think ill try them out, they had good reviews. I know a guy in south carolina that says he used the shock collars and they worked so well that if his dogs pick up a fox or deer trail they will just come back and sit down at his feet.
turkeyhunter
Well-Known Member
They do work well jus make sure they are on a deer if you shock them . Do not over use for little things in my opinion, my beagles have only been shocked for deer. It only took three different hunts for them to understand deer are bad. The guy they call rabbit hunter on this site gave me alot of advise on training a couple years ago. If you send him a message he can help you with everything from training to keeping them healthy.
I had 23 at one time. Sold out after college and never really got back in it. Loved it though. With the exception of my whelping box, all mine were kept on the ground in lots. I put "crusher run" gravel in my lots and over time it would set up almost like concrete.
As far as starting new pups, the best way was to put them in a "puppy pen", which was a 1-10 acre enclosure with chicken wire and plenty of rabbits. I would leave mine in them for a week or two, and 9 out of 10 times, the light would come on and they would start themselves. Then I'd run them outside of the pen with a older, slower, broke solid dog. If they got it, you will know it pretty quick if you got a rabbit dog. I don't know of many pens in TN, but i haven't really looked. I know a lot guys in NC that had running pens as big as 75 acres for adult dogs, then they would have a small puppy pen 1-2 acres. I sure miss those days!!!
As far as starting new pups, the best way was to put them in a "puppy pen", which was a 1-10 acre enclosure with chicken wire and plenty of rabbits. I would leave mine in them for a week or two, and 9 out of 10 times, the light would come on and they would start themselves. Then I'd run them outside of the pen with a older, slower, broke solid dog. If they got it, you will know it pretty quick if you got a rabbit dog. I don't know of many pens in TN, but i haven't really looked. I know a lot guys in NC that had running pens as big as 75 acres for adult dogs, then they would have a small puppy pen 1-2 acres. I sure miss those days!!!
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
I dont have access to a running pen but there are about 20 acres of soybeans behind my house and a ton of brush and cover...theres rabbits everywhere. I have been letting them go after the tame rabbit alot the last couple times we have trained and they like going after him and chasing him. They usually catch him within a minute or 2 though so i put the pups in a cage and let the rabbit go until he took cover in the brush (the rabbit is tame and was very tired so i didnt fear losing him too much). I let them out and they did really well keeping their noses down. One would want to stop and try to wrestle the other every now and then but id scold him and theyd get back on track. They got right up to where the rabbit was hiding and all of a sudden went off track and went past him, i started trying to lead them back in the right direction and they went about 10 more feet and jumped a huge cottontail who apparently wasnt tired cause he shot off like a rocket and the pups gave chase for about 10 feet then just stopped and looked at me like, "Holy Crap what was that?" Anyway i was proud of them anyway. Like i said theyre only 3 months old and alot things ive read says that they dont get serious about training until 6 months. One of them started baying today too while he was in the cage trying to get to the tame rabbit. But not while tracking or chasing.
JMO but at 3 mo old i wouldnt have a shock collar on them.At that age i say let them be pups and get them use to you and your commands. Next thing is working with them walking/being on the lead. Around 5-6 months i would introduce them to a rabbit. I like to put them down without older dog first time or 2 just to see if they even wanna try. All of them are different some might
Be useless until their 10-11 months old then it clicks for them and they turn on!! You have a few clubs around you. East Tn beagle club, Cookeville.Beagle club, and also the Hiawasse beagleClub. You cant enter your dogif it isnt akc registered but you should go and watch the dogs and meet the ppl. Even if you dont want to enter a dog its still good way to spend the weekend.
Good luck with the pups!!
Be useless until their 10-11 months old then it clicks for them and they turn on!! You have a few clubs around you. East Tn beagle club, Cookeville.Beagle club, and also the Hiawasse beagleClub. You cant enter your dogif it isnt akc registered but you should go and watch the dogs and meet the ppl. Even if you dont want to enter a dog its still good way to spend the weekend.
Good luck with the pups!!
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
Thanks for the info. Ill hold off on the collars.
turkeyhunter
Well-Known Member
I agree , I did not put a shock collar on my dogs till they started running rabbits on their own. Once they started running I had collars on them. I stayed close to them while running to make sure they ran no garbage. I was lucky enough to bust them the very first time on deer. it took two more times and they have been straight as an arrow since. knock on wood.Mud Creek said:
rabbit hunter
Well-Known Member
Coyote Slayer said:
Just keep handling them as much as you can, you want them used to you and come when you call them. There is really no need to get serious about their nose until they are 6 months old. At that time they are starting to mature some and will figure out what they are suppose to do, but don't get discouraged. Every dog is different, I have seen dogs as old as 2 year old before it clicked and they started hunting. They can't track or hunt sitting in a kennel, so keep them out around nature. If you have a starting pen in your area, look into that once they turn 6 months old. IMPORTANT, you will ruin a dog with a shock collar if you're not careful. The only reason I use one is if I have a dog that will run trash and usually after a couple of zaps they learn. An old seasoned dog will be an excellent teacher. Good luck, and if there is anything I can help you with, just ask.
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
Thanks for the advise. I will get on google and ask around in my area to see about starting pens. Some other stuff I want to ask is, I have already introduced them to a rabbit and they like to chase it and catch it. Theres a pile of unsplit firewood on my land that is probably 20ft wide and 100 yards long that they chase him into. They try to sniff him out and stuff but I want to know should I even be letting them do this now?...Is it too early and could it hinder them in some way when they get older or is it good for them. I just don't want to screw up and get them into bad habits. Ive been taking about 20 minutes with each one everyday and doing some kind of obiedience training. They are doing really good with basics like recognizing their name and stuff, Im not having much luck in keeping them from jumping on me though.
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
If I cant find a starting pen nearby...how vital is that for the pups? Is there something I can do in place of it?
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
I also wanted to ask if anyone has ever ran or trained their dogs on Henderson Island? Its a 525 acre WMA that some people says would be a good place.
rabbit hunter
Well-Known Member
A training pen is NOT vital, it's just another tool. You can't screw up by letting them around nature and rabbit sniffing. They need exposure. The jumping is a puppy thing that they should grow out of. As they get older, when they jump on you, gently knee them back down and say no firmly. They will be full of piss and vinegar until they get close to 1 year old. Sounds like you are doing everything right. Just keep handling them and exposing them to rabbits. When it's time, it will click, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen as quickly as you might think. The fastest I ever had pups start hunting was 8 months old. I would consider getting an older seasoned dog to run with them to give them a little jump start. The first time they sound off when they smell a rabbit trail will bring chills to you. Good luck brother.
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
I sure appreciate all this advice. Im working on the seasoned dog right now. You just answered in one paragraph what ive been searching a week for on the internet. Im sure ill have alot more questions. Thanks again
tailchaser
Well-Known Member
There don't seem to be many on this site that fools with beagles ,but the 1 or 2 that does, knows what their talking about and are good to help out.
Just a thougbt on pens..be careful!! They can ruin dogs be it the owner leaving them in too long,too many lanes,pen not big enough,or the worst too many rabbits in a small pen!! Dogs develop bad habits in there i cant be convinced otherwise! I think like stated above their a tool imo best used for conditioning a started dog. If a dog cant hunt/jump one in the wild ill be danged if i take him in a cage full of them and make it easy for him! Just take pups on little walks especially around dark youll probably see a rabbit out somewhere walk them over let them get a whiff!! A trapped wild rabbit(get live trap slice apple in half pour vanilla extract all over the apple and a little at entrance cover trap with cedar branches..i have a homemade rabbit trap thatcworks great! Also rabbit droppings from even a tame rabbit attract them without bait) when you put them with seasoned dog its important its a slower smooth dog that runs clean you dont want some wild banshee out there causin breakdowns and swinging in the check area!
Be patient with it. If it comes from good hunting stock he should come around if by 18months they aint with it id move on JMO.Worst thing you can do is rush the dog and blow it up . At 3mo old i wouldnt plan on much of a hunting season with them just teaching..maybe toward end of season if their really gettin it! Hard to type on a phone! Ask questions and dont stop its only way to learn!
Be patient with it. If it comes from good hunting stock he should come around if by 18months they aint with it id move on JMO.Worst thing you can do is rush the dog and blow it up . At 3mo old i wouldnt plan on much of a hunting season with them just teaching..maybe toward end of season if their really gettin it! Hard to type on a phone! Ask questions and dont stop its only way to learn!
Coyote Slayer
Active Member
Ok thanks sounds great to me
Mud Creek said:
I agree 100% on what you said. An overstocked pen can ruin a puppy. Makes them lazy and if you leave them too long all they want to do is jump the rabbit, but they give up on the trailing because its too easy just to move on and jump the next rabbit. Some would stock their pens with San jauns or tn red backs, but we only had wild rabbits in our pens.
I consider myself very fortunate to have hunted with some of the finest rabbit dogs anywhere. Most of these dogs were grade dogs that were not registered except ARHA. I have only saw it once, but my partner had a litter of pups that would rival old dogs at 4 months old. Every pup would jump and circle the rabbit on their own at 4 months and all 3 were naturally broke. It was like they couldn't even smell a deer! Together as a pack, they were unstoppable and we killed over a hundred rabbits in front of them before they were 8 mos old. One year later, we bred the exact same pairing. Those pups were mediocre at best. They had the drive, but I swear they would've drug their a$$es across hot coals to run a deer. We were never able to break them so we give them to some buddies that ran deer dogs. I said that to say this. There are a lot of variables you can control, but sometimes nature and god will have a sense of humor. Me personally, if my dogs couldn't run their own rabbit by 16 months old, they were sold. Some I regret, but most never really did much.
nice pictures
