Too big!?..

[Kye 77]

Can you get a dog to BIG for small game!?...i can honestly say i have never seen one...my male Stag is a great rabbit lamper..he is 29" and about 80lbs...my bitch has caught a few on the lamp, two of which where in a mates yard, on the lamp, surrounded buy trash and fences...she is about 31" and 80odd pounds...

 

I here people say..."I want a Beddie X whippet for rabbiting", but i would say why!??...why not get a dog four inches taller that will still snap up rabbits, but kill fox, tumble the odd hare and get you a few deer...even a Beddie x Greyhound!..lol.

 

Just wondering what other people thought?...ive never had any problems with big dogs taking small game...of course a 100lb wolf hound at 35" is gonna struggle, im talking about lurchers though..

 

Kye..

 

 

Edited, because i was supposed to say people want Beddie x whippets!..lol...dumb ass!

[jonathan 0]

I here people say..."I want a Beddie X greyhound for rabbiting", but i would say why!??...why neot get a dog four inches taller that will still snap up rabbits, but kill fox, tumble the odd hare and get you a few deer...even a Beddie x Greyhound!..lol.

 

It depends on if you want the dog for ferreting because a big dog in brushes in small field will not get many rabbits . if it was mainly ferreting you are better get the dog for that a Beddie x Greyhound! but it may take a fox as will

[Kye 77]

Hi Guys,..

Ferrets, i killed a fair few rabbits, in orchads, peoples yards and veggie patches...with my old Hancock dog...26" and 65lbs...he never missed much, and he was out more than most mate..

 

Alright Dogginlad...

Ive seen a few rabbits get away from smaller dogs due to not being able to make up the ground, and not seeing them...seen it alot at the start of the season, when the undergrowth is still high..

 

Kye,..

[Guest midnight_runner]

i think a lot of it comes down to height i run a 27 inch deer houndx gets its fair share of rabbits but nothing compared to my old whippetx pit it just hasnt got the same burst of speed and they dont seem to get down as quick either thats only my opinion with my own dogs

[Guest mucker]

ive only had one dog i class as big and hes 28 inch ive noticed theres a fair difference in numbers catches compared to dogs ive had in past run on the same ground averaging 23 inch.

his problems comes when the rabbit starts donuting?? or zig zagging up n down a hedge looking for an escape route he cant keep as tight with them as a smaller dog would.

where i lamp id say most my rabbits are taken up n down the hedges on the lamp the feilds are that small.

dont get me wrong hes not rubbish and will bag me a few rabbits but feel he has to do that bit more work to get in a striking position,definatly wouldnt win me any lamping comps

[jonathan 0]

Hi Guys,..

Ferrets, i killed a fair few rabbits, in orchads, peoples yards and veggie patches...with my old Hancock dog...26" and 65lbs...he never missed much, and he was out more than most mate

 

I think a beddy cross are a collie cross is the best size dogs for catching rabbits from looking at my mates dogs when ferreting

 

 

ive only had one dog i class as big and hes 28 inch ive noticed theres a fair difference in numbers catches compared to dogs ive had in past run on the same ground averaging 23 inch.

his problems comes when the rabbit starts donuting?? or zig zagging up n down a hedge looking for an escape route he cant keep as tight with them as a smaller dog would.

where i lamp id say most my rabbits are taken up n down the hedges on the lamp the feilds are that small.

dont get me wrong hes not rubbish and will bag me a few rabbits but feel he has to do that bit more work to get in a striking position,definatly wouldnt win me any lamping comps

same he smaller dogs are better because the fields are small and the are better when ferreting

[Guest dannycos]

In bottom off valley where we live smaller dogs 25 n under seem to do better because off type off land ie small gullys in woodland. On top off valley on open land the bigger the better applys so land type seems to dictate answer for rabbits. Thats the train off thought with most dogmen round here.

[Guest Dillon]

A big dog just wouldn't catch the rabbits where I live, you need something quick off the mark and something that will nail them asap not some big plodder

[jonathan 0]

i big dog will be ok at lamping rabbits but for ferreting a small fast dog of the mark is better

[jonathan 0]

A big dog just wouldn't catch the rabbits where I live, you need something quick off the mark and something that will nail them asap not some big plodder

just because a dog is on the big side dont make it a plodder dillon, i had one 29 at the shoulder and 80lb in weight he was fast away and quick into his stride , no plodder. he was a joy to watch on the bunnies 110 per cent with a good success rate on testing ground.

what cross was he ?

[Guest mush]

all depends what you call big, to me over 27 inc .

[LDR 29]

i think a lot of it comes down to height i run a 27 inch deer houndx gets its fair share of rabbits but nothing compared to my old whippetx pit it just hasnt got the same burst of speed and they dont seem to get down as quick either thats only my opinion with my own dogs

 

 

i run the same with a dash of collie in too and he is lightning fast off the spot, gets down no probs and takes everything he's put to with ease.....on a good day.... :whistle: ...otherwise he takes everything with a bit of effort......

[socks 32,253]

the bitch in the first pic was 29 inches and the dog in the second pic was 31 inches .... both caught rabbits easily .... the advantage a smaller dog would have over a large dog would be the turn ... but again thats not allways the case as i have seen big dogs turn on a sixpence ...........

 

 

 

[macker 5]

have seen quite a few tall dogs take small game.

my best lamping dog was 28 inch deerhound cross

more of a strain and mostly fawn in colour in the litters.

he was as tight as a wippet who would burst up

to hare of rabbit and just tuck in behind and wait for it to

make a mistake.

the dogs father came from philp king and was a 30 inch

dog and could take over thirty rabbits and was a legend

with a hare.

when i first seen him as a kid i tought it was a donkey

and could not catch a cold.

after seing him work i had to beg the chap for a pup.

have to say i love to see a big dog do a little dogs work.

hope fully they come back into fashion

as they where great alrounders

for me its not breed thats important

its finding the right line in any of the crosses.

all the best

macker

[Guest Dillon]

A big dog just wouldn't catch the rabbits where I live, you need something quick off the mark and something that will nail them asap not some big plodder

just because a dog is on the big side dont make it a plodder dillon, i had one 29 at the shoulder and 80lb in weight he was fast away and quick into his stride , no plodder. he was a joy to watch on the bunnies 110 per cent with a good success rate on testing ground.

 

 

Ok i shouldn't have poked my nose in to something that i know f**k all about, it was a presumption and not an experience.

 

I have seen a small beddy x eat rabbits up off the small fields where a bigger dog failed to do the same, it couldn't turn the rabbits on the hedge like the smaller dog.

 

Maybe I should have said that in the first place.