I think this is what a bunch of guys out west are using isn't it? Anyway, could someone whose seen one, hawked with one, heard about one, etc. please fill me in on them? Pros, cons, etc. Maybe even compare them to a different breed? Thanks in advance.
Last Edit: May 18, 2005 9:30:34 GMT -5 by Falcon Boy
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
A good dog to use is a bedlington terrier one from working stock not the show dogs you see, they have the best nose and can bush like a russle also they dont molt so no unwanted hair
I have hunted my bird over a Beagle X Russel. She was a great dog. Nice dog without the constant howling of a beagle when it got on a rabbits trail. She was well trained and I dont know much about other dogs so I cant really give you to many pro's and Cons
Alrighty, seeing as i have one... his name is Rascal
So far, at 8 months old, coming up on 9, hes actively hunting, knows about rabbits. My dog has a few "errors", for lack of a better word, which i take completely on my own fault of training. but in general, hes been a bit stubborn, but i noticed this weekend, that when he is on a rabbit, the jack Russell leaves, and that beagle comes into play.
what i have noticed with this breed is they will use their eye sight more around the outside of a bush, JRT for that part, but once entering, or beginning to enter, they put their nose to the ground. my dog, on the rare occasion he enters (hasn't realized the rabbits are in there yet) will use his eyes more with his nose, then i see most beagles do. beagles are nose to the ground, don't look ahead, well Rascal at least does look ahead occasionally.
either its the bloodline, i don't know, but my dog is quite protective of me, and as my uncle puts it "adopted" me. i find they are quite capable of sensing who is liked and who is not, and my dog is not fond of people barging in on my room when I'm asleep, or totally relaxed, he gets defensive, barks, growls etc no matter who it is.
back to hunting...
he listens amazingly well in the field, and Ive taught him "find the bunny!" or "get the rabbit!"
"get it!" or "Find it!" are used when i don't care what he flushes, quail, etc, anything.
just the other day i started teaching him "find the bird!" as in quail.
Summarized, you get a not so hyper JRT that eats like a demon from hell, uses his eyes and nose, is intelligent, listens pretty well, makes a great family dog, and overall is a great rabbit dog.
macca, the chances of getting a working strain of bedlington terrier, here in the states are pretty slim.
Yes, there is a well known scouser who now lives stateside, who had bedlington terriers a couple of years ago. He also has working Jack Russel's, that he & his wife hunt regularly. They are not the yappy, snappy, crappy Jack's that we more commonly hear of. I've been out with these dogs, & although they are a motley looking pack, they are true working terriers.
Used to dig groundhogs through the hot summer months, as that is when they are out of hibernation.
Too much hard work for me, in the heat of the day.
I think a beagle x russell is worth a try, the hard part is getting both dogs from working strains.
"My jackabee is incredible" he has a great nose and great energy, when i get him to the field his god given talent and instinct take over and he just goes to work. He noses around until he gets on a scent or a visual and then the chase is on and the beautiful sound of his deep bayy means 100% rabbit near. After a kill is made by the hawk he comes over waggin his tail and sits to watch the hawk do his thing. Hes also a great family dog, loves to play and gets along well with anybody and other dogs, The only negative i can say about mine is that i cant leave him alone, he will bark and howel until i or my girl gets home so i take him almost everywhere i go, but ive been working on it and its taking some time.