GWP & rabbit training

wgonfan · Post by **wgonfan** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:27 pm

I can't find any books or articles on training a versitile breed on rabbits. Can some of you guys make a suggestion?

TC

jhoughton · Post by **jhoughton** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:41 pm

Trap some rabbits and let them run on them. They will pick it up real quick. The problem is...any effort you put into birding your dog will go right out the door.

wgonfan · Post by **wgonfan** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:03 pm

my dog will hunt fur & feather. I'm not concerned about style or stuanchness, just want him to help me find the game & have some fun.

sudiegirl · Post by **sudiegirl** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:07 pm

jhoughton wrote:Trap some rabbits and let them run on them. They will pick it up real quick. The problem is...any effort you put into birding your dog will go right out the door.

???????????????????? huh ???????????????????????

wgonfan
are you trying to train your dog to track a wounded rabbit and then retrieve it?

snips · Post by **snips** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:29 pm

You could get some "show bunnies".....

tfbirddog2 · Post by **tfbirddog2** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:50 pm

This is where I have to ask the question.Do you want to bird hunt or rabbit hunt? Guy I hunted with as a kid used to have a Brit and he used to hunt rabbits behind it while we would be quail hunting in the timber around Perry Lake in Kansas.The several times my freinds Dad told him he was going to shoot his dog some time when it was trailing a rabbit out of the brush, Instead of pointing the birds it was paying no mind to.Sure nuff he blasted his own dog in the head the next year.I mean my you have to figure out what you want to do, fur or feather!This is just me, but the coolest thing to to do is get with someone that has beagles they are a blast to hunt behind an watch.Or buy a trained beagle to find you some bunnies.I personally hate to see good birds twisted by bunnies,again this just me talking, do whatcha like.

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:41 am

tfbirddog2 wrote:I mean my you have to figure out what you want to do, fur or feather!

The GWP was bred to do both, was it not? I'm looking at a DK in the fall and if it can't do both, I don't want it. I could save a lot of money and just get a bird dog.
Wgonfan, Check on the versatile dog web sights and you should get some good info.
Steve

wgonfan · Post by **wgonfan** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:10 am

GWP can & does hunt both Fur & feather. I'm going to hunt both. Hunting trips will be mixed bag trips, so I don't care if he is point birds or chasing rabbits.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:56 pm

The GWP is not a burd dawg it's a versatile hunting dog. The whole reason for it's creation is to hunt fur and feather. Anyone that tells you different either hasn't seen a good one or doesn't know how to go about training for both.

SteveB a DK/GSP as well as any other versatile breed can and will do both.

Who says the dog is supposed to be chasing !!!! Is it not possible the dog could point the rabbit like it does a bird

My pup has pointed rabbits just the same as birds since I got him at 10 weeks. He breaks when the bunny does, and I'm sure I'll be able to steady him up on rabbits just like I will do on birds when he is ready. I plan on hunting rabbits exclusively when bird season closes.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:09 pm

My Brits always pointed both and retrieved both. I always said if I was hunting and the dog passed up a rabbit it was in trouble. I also understand when you have a birddog in competion you don't want it pointing rabbits but that is one of our silly rules. The thing about a good dog not pointing a rabbit came from the field trial people and not the hunters that have a dog to help them find game.

Ezzy

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:20 pm

One of our GSP's does both. She can be called off a rabbit if we want her in the the birds if need be, but there's not much chance calling her off a pointed bird unless you go get her. She runs the rabbits and sometimes even barks, but she doesn't push them hard -- its a stop and go run. It has not done one once of damage to her style on birds, IMO. She is still as steady as ever on point. She just knows how to play different games.

tfbirddog2 · Post by **tfbirddog2** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:15 pm

It is just my opinion in my reply.But out here if my dogs chase a rabbit its the jackbunnie type, and I don't like to chew on a shoestrings so I don't let them.Plus I have birddogs for just that birds.I prefer to hunt rabbits with centerfires like my 22-250,22.,or 45. ACP, and for me watch them explode cause I don't much care for bunny meat unless camping.For me I leave the bunnies to pursuit dogs, and birds for the pointing breeds.Besides out here rabbits are easier to go after without dogs cause the cottontails are around homsteads and a little hard to see dogs.Just my two bits take it as you will.

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