Puppy in rabbit pen

D.J. Wright · Post by **D.J. Wright** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:48 pm

I have (2) 7 mo puppies in a rabbit pen and both have been there 1 week. They will give site chase when you turn the rabbit loose (wild caught rabbit) and bark at rabbit in cage, but when they loose site of rabbit the hunt very little. then come right back. I have even had a slower broke hound in the pen now for 2 days now and they still not going with her yet. I know they are young, just wondering what is the max time I should give them before taking them out and trying a little later?

Eva's Beagles · Post by **Eva's Beagles** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 6:58 am

I would take one out, forcing the other one to either go with the older dog or go off looking for something else to play with on it's own. You never can tell with dogs they are all different. If one pup seems bolder than the other start with it.

coolbrze · Post by **coolbrze** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:32 pm

Eva's Beagles wrote:I would take one out, forcing the other one to either go with the older dog or go off looking for something else to play with on it's own. You never can tell with dogs they are all different. If one pup seems bolder than the other start with it.

Good advice, I'd leave one in w/ the broke dog for a few more days, then rotate the pups.

S.R.Patch · Post by **S.R.Patch** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:57 pm

The wild rabbit will only move at night. I like to take my lawn chair and a couple of pups out to the pen at night and let them explore, they will cross the night tracks of the rabbit feeding and then take to trailing.
Take you along a big glass of tea, you may be there awhile...and your wife will know by the big grin on your face when you come in, the night they start...

Cottontail Chaser · Post by **Cottontail Chaser** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:57 pm

A buddy of mine who has started pups for 18 years now leaves them in the pen with an older broke dog. Most of the running will be at night and very early morning. Some of them take a few weeks to get going, not a big deal. If they dont start in 2 weeks then pull one of the dogs out so the pup in the pen can concentrate on the older broke dog and what they are barking at and soon the pups breeding will kick in and the nose will take over.He pulls them out of the pen once they start pressuring the rabbit and not giving up on the checks ( Sticking ).