The American Beagler Forum

I'm sitting here this morning, and still don't really comprehend what happened yesterday. I have two 9 1/2 month old pups. I've spent many, many hours this summer trying to start them. One is a male (Trot), the other female (Tricksy) out of seperate bloodlines. Trot started running really early, about 5 or 6 months. Tricksy on the other hand, showed lots of desire, but just didn't seem to be coming around, even a month or so ago, you guys may remember me asking about her "running silent". Well she came "in heat" the first day of our rabbit season, so for the last 3 weeks she has been out of the kennel only twice, and only in the yard under my very close supervision. So Trot and I have been hunting alone with mixed results, ntil yesterday. He's a pup and it shows, runs too fast and overruns, but really has a lot of desire. Yesterday morning, I finally got to do what I've been waiting all summer for, take both pups out. Immediately Trot picked up a trail and jumped a rabbit, she wasn't really that interested, she just kind of tagged along. Towards the end of the run, she bayed a little with him, and we never saw the rabbit. About 10 minutes later Trot jumps one, and she is at my feet, she heads towards him, and starts baying. I don't have any idea what happened in those briars, but a few minutes later, Trot is still running and she's lagging about 50 yards behind him, and still baying, next thing I know Trot is down over the bank, and here she comes running the rabbit. For the entire rest of the day she ran like a 2 or 3 year old dog, very few mistakes, changing gears to the scent. I just can't believe it, it was like somebody flipped a switch. She put him to shame. We ended up shooting four rabbits over the pups, and 3 of them were off her. Then after not being out for weeks she of course was just pooped, and he's still working as we are headed back to the truck, he lets loose a little, her head and tail come up and she rockets right to him and runs that rabbit too. I guess you guys were right, she just needed time, I certainly wasn't expecting an overnight change like this though. Sorry for the long post, but I'm ecstatic. Thanks for the advice.

Shucks man,I wouldn't waste time trying to figure out what happened I would just be glad that it did LOL. Sounds like she has made her move,keep her in the woods and enjoy the music.

I've always said when training beagles that some lights come on like a dimmer switch, slowly gaining progress until the light is all the way on, others are like a light switch, totally in the dark and then all the sudden the light comes on. As long as the light comes on, I'm happy. Sounds like you have 2 of them with their lights burning now. That's great!
Keep em Runnin'

sounds like fun

i have a male redtick thats they same way but hes a little older got a late start on him he will go and come back to you sometimes he will lay at your feet and not move and the other times he will show lots of interest and hunt around im trying to be patient with him maybe he will start he has only been in the wild around 15 times

Sounds like Tricksy got her rabbit brain. I love when that happens.

I'm almost glad that she started that way, first of all, having it happen that way was neat as hell. It was like watching a child mature over the course of a few hours. Secondly, it taught me a lesson about pups real quick... Don't give up on a dog just because it doesn't start when you want it to!!!!! It will start when it's ready. All the dogs I've ever had in the past were always started, or my father started them. Lesson learned though.

Got to love those pups. I think it is what keeps me in the game. I'm real happy for both of you!

I had the same thing to happen with one of my young females. She came into her first heat (1 yrs old) and I didn't take her out running for about 3 weeks. When I took her out after her cycle she was a different dog. He hunted like a pro! He has really moved up to my lead dog. It's like when she didn't get to go she got p.o.d. and now wants to be the lead dog so I want leave her in the pen again! I WANT EITHER!!

Tony Jr wrote:I had the same thing to happen with one of my young females. She came into her first heat (1 yrs old) and I didn't take her out running for about 3 weeks. When I took her out after her cycle she was a different dog. He hunted like a pro! He has really moved up to my lead dog. It's like when she didn't get to go she got p.o.d. and now wants to be the lead dog so I want leave her in the pen again! I WANT EITHER!!

I had considered the p***ed off thing myself, because she was madder than heck everyday that I went to the kennel and and got him out only to leave her behind, and a couple of the days, he ran rabbits right on the edge of the yard, where she could hear the whole thing. Whatever the reasoning, it doesn't matter, I won't doubt her again. She demonstrated she has it in her, just hope she uses it every time out, lol.