[Rinaldo]

I'm curious because my Father's labs would retreive anything, Dove, Duck, Quail, Geese you name it.
But I've not read about training Beagles to retrieve dove or spring Quail. Which is what I'd love to have, since I live in the City of Miami and having a Lab would be difficult, and Owning more than one dog is impossible.

Reason I say Beagle is that they're small, Playful with kids like labs but they hunt rabbit, which is what I'd like to get involved in.

Just curious I'm sure the answer is no, but I'd love an all around dog that can help me find my game.

Thanks guys

 

[hogfan81]

I would think it would be easier to train a lab to sniff rabbits than train a beagle to fetch. Nothing against beagles, I've had them and love them. They teach labs to search for everything these days, contraband fruit, bombs, even cancer. The retrieving bit took a long time for breeders to refine, I'm not sure a beagle could pick it up in a few months or so. I'm not a trainer, these are just my opinions, maybe someone with some evidence to the contrary can help you more. Good luck.

 

[A5guy]

Back in the early 50"s Dad had a 13" red beagle that was a wonderful dog. He was a great rabbit chaser and when he smelled birds he would lower his tail,slow down and work very close. He would retrieve quail,pheasants and waterfowl. However, he would not touch a dove or pigeon.

 

[Rinaldo]

Back in the early 50"s Dad had a 13" red beagle that was a wonderful dog. He was a great rabbit chaser and when he smelled birds he would lower his tail,slow down and work very close. He would retrieve quail,pheasants and waterfowl. However, he would not touch a dove or pigeon.

That's Really weird, So he just didn't like Dove lol.
Thats ok Dove I can pretty much see where they fall.
I'd love to get a lab again but my yard isn't big enough and I can't handle that large a dog and the training right now, One day I'll own 3 beagles and a lab and I'll be in heaven. I'll probably lose my wife because she'll be so upset with teh time i'll be spending with them all.

So what I got from your replies is that Beagles aren't meant for retreiving?

 

[huntswithdogs]

Though my beagle ***** will bring a rabbit back to me,her brother just about needs to be beat on the head to make him give one back! My brotherinlaw had a beagle that would run rabbits,but loved to squirrel hunt. He wouldn't bring a rabbit to hand but he would retrieve squills. If he got on a grouse,his tail went straight out and he'd sneak around on the track much like a bird dog,but wouldn't retrieve one of them either.

Why not consider one of the European dog? Aren't the Visla and the German Shorthair suppose to be multi-species dogs? Just a thought.
I think most dogs will do what ya want,if ya spend the time with them. A guy, from the Sporting Dogs forum, had something in there about hunting with his German Shepherd!

HWD

 

[WayneDW]

For a while the only dog I had available to hunt with was my daughter's beagle. I took him pheasant hunting a lot. He works a scent like nobodies business and the whole county knows when he is on a hot trail because he starts to do the "hound howl". This was a little bit surprising to my unsuspecting hunting partners but awfully funny.

Like I said, he works the scent hard but very long. Often when he gets birdy and starts working heavy cover slowly I will start circling in front of him and will often flush the bird myself before he gets to it. On the other extreme, if he is on a running pheasant, say goodbye because it's next to impossible to stop him from running after it. I had some success with a shock collar, but sometimes he would ignore that, expecially if he saw the running bird.

Because of his howling, slowness, or running I stopped taking him on hunts with other hunters and only hunt with him by myself.

Through the years, though Snickers has found and flushed hundreds of pheasants for me and will even run over to a fallen bird he has never, ever picked one up or retrieved it to me. I've tried to teach him to retrieve a dummy in the back yard and he'll do it once, maybe twice tops and then goes on strike, he is not interested in such foolishness.

In the end, it is possible to bird hunt with a beagle but he is bred to run rabbits and forcing him to do something different is somewhat difficult. If you want a smaller bird dog that is great with families may I suggest an English Springer Spaniel? Any hunting dog will chase a rabbit, most of us try to get them to stop doing it.

Wayne

 

[dawei]

I'm curious because my Father's labs would retreive anything, Dove, Duck, Quail, Geese you name it.
But I've not read about training Beagles to retrieve dove or spring Quail. Which is what I'd love to have, since I live in the City of Miami and having a Lab would be difficult, and Owning more than one dog is impossible.

Reason I say Beagle is that they're small, Playful with kids like labs but they hunt rabbit, which is what I'd like to get involved in.

Just curious I'm sure the answer is no, but I'd love an all around dog that can help me find my game.

Thanks guys

If I had a dollar for everytime someone laughed at me pheasant hunting with a Beagle I could buy a buy a new, top of the line, truck & pay cash! I would have money left over too! :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

On birds they are slower & more methodical. I've hunted & shot quail, dove, grouse, & pheasants over them for 40 years. They have tremendous heart & will not quit.:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen: While not many will retrieve a pheasant; they would almost all retrieve dove, quail, & grouse.

If you're interested in training them on birds send me a pm & I'll give you my e-mail & phone number.

 

[hogfan81]

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but you might look into a Boykin Spaniel. They're somewhat common in the south, small (<40 lbs max), friendly, and an all purpose hunting dog.

Here are some links:
http://www.boykinrescue.org/
http://www.boykinspaniel.org/
http://www.boykinspaniel.com/
http://www.boykinspanielclub.org/

Hope that helps.

 

[Rinaldo]

Looks like a very nice dog indeed, thanks mate !
However the hair is long... I bet it soaks water like a Mop !
I'd hate to be near one of them when it shakes dry hahaha

 

[jcronk]

I think most dogs will do what ya want,if ya spend the time with them. A guy, from the Sporting Dogs forum, had something in there about hunting with his German Shepherd!

HWD

I believe this fully. After all, a dog is a carnivore and if left to its own devices will likely survive on whatever it can kill and eat. So then, why wouldn't any dog be a hunter? I had never thought about it much until many years ago I took our pet Shelties out pheasant hunting. They got onto it pretty quickly. These days, my daughter insisted on getting a miniature American Eskimo (14 pounds soaking wet). I took this little beast out for pheasants and she was a natural. A year later I got a GSP and the two are a team in the field. A couple pics for your enjoyment. More in the SGW photo albums. Regards, Jack

 

[Rinaldo]

That's Awesome

 

[RPcooldude]

You may want to look at a Weimarner. Unquestionly the best hunting dog of any breed. they will hunt anything!!!
Used to point Quail, retrieve doves or ducks, run a deer trail,
or bay a Hog. and all in the same day!