# Buying a farm rabbit for dog training?



## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

I have a dog I've tried hunting squirrel with but she can't seem to understand the treeing aspect of squirrels. She does great chasing them on the ground though. Well the other day I woke up to her caring half of a rabbit carcass around the yard. I wouldn't mind giving rabbit hunting a shot if my dog already has a natural instinct for it. I set a trap but haven't had any luck catching them so far. The rabbits around here are very cautious around my area due to the Hawks. However, I thought of buying a farm rabbit and making a little tube run for my dog to run it in. My question is how long would the rabbit actually live. I don't want to spend $20 on a rabbit that will die the second my dog barks at it. I know rabbits die very easily when stressed. Any old rabbit hunters used store rabbits for training? Any tips for a new guy interested any rabbit hunting? Thanks.


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## GONoob (Jan 2, 2020)

There are rabbit breeders who breed San Juan rabbits for your purpose in N. GA. It was $10/bun.


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## TurkeyH90 (Jan 2, 2020)

San Juan rabbits are what we used to run pups on years ago. If they caught it we quickly ran in and saved the rabbit. We had a small enclosure with silk fencing like you see the road crews use to prevent erosion. Worked well for puppies.


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## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

GONoob said:


> There are rabbit breeders who breed San Juan rabbits for your purpose in N. GA. It was $10/bun.


How hardy are they? I live in NW GA in the Bartow county region. Any sellers you know of around the area?


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## Hillbilly stalker (Jan 2, 2020)

What kind of a dog do you have ? Sounds like it already knows how to run a rabbit.


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## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> What kind of a dog do you have ? Sounds like it already knows how to run a rabbit.


Blue heeler/collie mix. She'll run anything lol.


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## GONoob (Jan 2, 2020)

lukeclem4901 said:


> How hardy are they? I live in NW GA in the Bartow county region. Any sellers you know of around the area?



Very hardy, I was very new to this and my rabbits kept getting out. I literally caught every single one 10 times. I gave up and turned them loose lol. I still see them time to time.


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## oldways (Jan 2, 2020)

I think your dogs is enjoying the chase and the catch She would bring half a squirrel if she could catch up to them. It sounds like she is sight hunting not using her nose I think you will be wasting your money buying a rabbit the dog will probably kill it on site. Just my two cents I hope it works out good for you.


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## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

oldways said:


> I think your dogs is enjoying the chase and the catch She would bring half a squirrel if she could catch up to them. It sounds like she is sight hunting not using her nose I think you will be wasting your money buying a rabbit the dog will probably kill it on site. Just my two cents I hope it works out good for you.


How would my dog kill it on site if it's in a cage


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## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

oldways said:


> I think your dogs is enjoying the chase and the catch She would bring half a squirrel if she could catch up to them. It sounds like she is sight hunting not using her nose I think you will be wasting your money buying a rabbit the dog will probably kill it on site. Just my two cents I hope it works out good for you.


Not trying to be smart either. Just curious


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## oldways (Jan 2, 2020)

If you put it in a cage your not really teaching the dog to hunt . Basically like a coon in the cage with hound puppies. If that rabbits is in a cage with a dog barking at it, it will probably get so stressed its going to die. I am not trying to dampen your idea's If she was my dog and I want to start her on hunting something I would start her on a drag and teach her to use her nose. To a dog the find or the catch is the reward end of the hunt. That's why there hunting to find it and catch or kill it. Your dog sounds like it already has a high prey drive just needs to be honed into what you want it to find. Like I said before I wish you the best of luck with your dog just trying to give you the advice I've already bought over time..


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## Dbender (Jan 2, 2020)

You're wasting your time trying to get a dog to perform a job it hasn't been selectively bred for.


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## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

Dbender said:


> You're wasting your time trying to get a dog to perform a job it hasn't been selectively bred for.


I've seen people use heelers and collie's for hunting squirrel all the way up to coyote


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## lukeclem4901 (Jan 2, 2020)

oldways said:


> If you put it in a cage your not really teaching the dog to hunt . Basically like a coon in the cage with hound puppies. If that rabbits is in a cage with a dog barking at it, it will probably get so stressed its going to die. I am not trying to dampen your idea's If she was my dog and I want to start her on hunting something I would start her on a drag and teach her to use her nose. To a dog the find or the catch is the reward end of the hunt. That's why there hunting to find it and catch or kill it. Your dog sounds like it already has a high prey drive just needs to be honed into what you want it to find. Like I said before I wish you the best of luck with your dog just trying to give you the advice I've already bought over time..


Understood. I've tried squirrel drags but she loses interest in them pretty quickly. That's why I was using caged animals because she only is interested in them if they're alive


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## oldways (Jan 2, 2020)

That mix you have is a herding style dog that's why she is sight hunting and probably super active that's why she prefers something live to a drag. I image that dog is  busy and always looking for something to chase. Not a couch potato. Good Luck with your training I wish you the best of luck...


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## Bigrob8235 (Jan 3, 2020)

The thing that would be a main issue with trying to train the dog to run rabbits will be the size of the dog. You have to remember that when dogs are running a rabbit they are going thru and under thick briers. Generally rabbit dogs are smaller dogs. And even when dealing with beagles if they don't have it in them they ain't gonna go in the briers like they need to. Just my two cents but it seems to be sight hunting and if it won't stay on a drag and follow it out then she won't be able to stay after a rabbit more than a few seconds.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Jan 3, 2020)

Simply the wrong tool for the job. A half eaten rabbit or half eaten squirrel is useless. A squirrel dog trees game ( barking), a rabbit dog runs & trails game ( barking).  Dogman usually enjoy the chase and hunt. You have a hearding dog x2......there are better ways to exercise it.


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## BDD (Jan 22, 2020)

Also something to consider,  rabbit dogs like Beagles tend to be slower dogs actually the slower the better
For rabbits. Other wise the rabbits runs buy you full speed with the dog in close pursuit.  It’s better
From my experience to have the rabbit just hopping along with the dog on it’s trail but far behind.


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## Tom W. (Jan 22, 2020)

Back in the early '60's  my cousin had one in Pennsylvania. That thing was huge. His beagle never could catch it, but it learned how to find the wild rabbits. He kept it upstairs in the horse barn, a secure area. When we'd go up to get it the rabbit would stomp it's back foot two or three times really hard. We ignored it a several times got scratches......



 One night the barn burned down. 
R.I.P. BUNNY.


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## Fletch_W (Feb 10, 2020)

Tom W. said:


> Back in the early '60's  my cousin had one in Pennsylvania. That thing was huge. His beagle never could catch it, but it learned how to find the wild rabbits. He kept it upstairs in the horse barn, a secure area. When we'd go up to get it the rabbit would stomp it's back foot two or three times really hard. We ignored it a several times got scratches......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## specialk (Feb 10, 2020)

Go for it and have fun!


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## delacroix (Feb 10, 2020)

Ever play peek A boo with a baby using a blanket? They really don't know where you went. It clicks eventually though.

A dog might run a sq. up a tree a hundred times before it clicks in its head that the sq. Is up there. Oh happy day when that finally happens.

Or you can just train it to stay at the base of the tree independent of thinking the sq. Is there. Probably won't ever be as good as purpose bred but ...


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## Railroader (Feb 10, 2020)

Got no advice on the rabbit thing, but....

I had a heeler that was a squirrel treeing fool, and the way I taught her to look up was painfully simple.

A squirrel tail and a cane pole. 

Let her chase it on the ground, and then whip it up, and run it along the eave of the house or top of the shed, a tree, etc.

She never would fetch, but she was quick death on wounded rats shot from thick leaves...

Feed her the heads and guts, tell her to SKITDAATSQUUULLL, and I bet she catches on.

At any rate, you'll have some fun with your pup.

A couple years later, I wound up with a Jack Russel mix pup.  The Heeler taught the Jack to hunt squirrels, and I didn't do a thing.  They were quite the pair...I miss em.


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## specialk (Feb 10, 2020)

Have you shot a gun around your dog?


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