What to do with Rabbit points?

[ROTTnBRITT]

My Britt has been pointing the heck out of rabbits lately. This is his first season afield. His bird work training has been very little. My plan is to start in the spring to steady him up. He has been on grouse, woodcock and released pheasants. Did really well on the phez, havent gotten a point on the grouse, and has had a few encounters with woodcock.

Wondering if it would be a bad thing to shoot these rabbits he is pointing?

Ultimately I want a bird dog. But if I can get some rabbits why not. I just dont know if it would be a bad thing to do before steading him on birds first.

[ezzy333]

If he is a hunting dog, shoot them. If you are going to trial you better not.

Ezzy

[Pedro]

All bird dogs will point off game from time to time, but if you want a bird dog, don't encourage the the behavior by shooting rabbits.

You can modify the behavior by either telling them no when they point a rabbit, if the behavior persists judicious use of the e-collar is a viable alternative.

Britts seem to like fur better than some other pointing breeds. My three britts would think I was the second coming if I started shooting bunnies for them.

[TAK]

If he is a hunting dog, shoot them. If you are going to trial you better not.

Ezzy

Ditto.... But even with the hunting dogs I tell them to leave it and move on... And yes a couple of times I have said that and had a nasty Rooster come out!

[Don]

If he is a hunting dog, shoot them. If you are going to trial you better not.

Ezzy

Ditto! I think they call it "rough shooting" in Europe. What could they possibly know!

[gittrdonebritts]

All bird dogs will point off game from time to time, but if you want a bird dog, don't encourage the the behavior by shooting rabbits.

You can modify the behavior by either telling them no when they point a rabbit, if the behavior persists judicious use of the e-collar is a viable alternative.

Britts seem to like fur better than some other pointing breeds. My three britts would think I was the second coming if I started shooting bunnies for them.
All bird dogs will point off game from time to time, but if you want a bird dog, don't encourage the the behavior by shooting rabbits.

You can modify the behavior by either telling them no when they point a rabbit, if the behavior persists judicious use of the e-collar is a viable alternative.

Britts seem to like fur better than some other pointing breeds. My three britts would think I was the second coming if I started shooting bunnies for them.

Whats wrong with shooting rabbits over your dog as long as he has been reliably pointing birds for you then go a head and shoot them if you want them if not then don't, most of the time your not gonna know right away if he is pointing a rabbit or a bird so don't use the e-collar cause it could cause problems if he is on a bird and you zap him thinking its a rabbit, if your trying to discourage it ignore the dog when your absolutely certain its a rabbit, he'll stop eventually. I personally have no problem with my Britts pointing rabbits the dog in the pic(JIll) will wag her tail i mean stump and bust it when i get close since the bird numbers are so low in Illinois sometimes a rabbit or two is all that is out there so i take what i can get.

[Wagonmaster]

ezzy is right it is your choice. I will add, though, that one really good way to wind up having a dog shot is to take ground shots, or worse yet to allow others to do so. Having seen it happen, I don't allow it. But if you are willing to hold off on the shots unless you absolutely know the dog is not going to be an issue, or if you have a really broke dog that never chases, then go ahead. Ground shots are the worst, you will generally kill the dog, the shot string hits them in the front end where all the important stuff is, like eyes, brain, lungs, heart.

I generally just discourage them, viz. I say "no" or just keep walking and ask the dog to come along. They generally get the picture. If the dog is hardheaded and you really want to discourage the behaviour, then have the rabbit bite the dog. You do this by using your electronic collar on the dog, but when you press the button you do not say anything to the dog. Don't holler "no" or anything else. Just activate the collar, the dog will think the rabbit did it and after one or two of those events they learn not to mess with those rabbits. Too many fangs.

[ultracarry]

I have the same problem but I'm not hunting when she points the rabbits. Every time I let her go pew at night she will point them.... my wife was laughing one night and decided she should release her...20 min later my dog came back. She must have worked the whole grove looking for rabbits she could catch. Now she will take off after them. I think I need to hang the e collar by the back door.

[birddogger]

Whats wrong with shooting rabbits over your dog as long as he has been reliably pointing birds for you then go a head and shoot them if you want them if not then don't, most of the time your not gonna know right away if he is pointing a rabbit or a bird so don't use the e-collar cause it could cause problems if he is on a bird and you zap him thinking its a rabbit, if your trying to discourage it ignore the dog when your absolutely certain its a rabbit, he'll stop eventually. I personally have no problem with my Britts pointing rabbits the dog in the pic(JIll) will wag her tail i mean stump and bust it when i get close since the bird numbers are so low in Illinois sometimes a rabbit or two is all that is out there so i take what i can get.

I agree.

Charlie

[JKP]

I have DD and shoot rabbit/hare so that we have enough for Hasenpfeffer at Christmas time. My advice is not to shoot rabbit/hare too often with a young dog. Let the dog develop its skills on feathered game first. Don't shock the dog...just use the "leave it" command and hunt on. After the age of 3, you can begin to kill some furred game...but continue to pick your spots. As the dog matures, it will work both furred and feathered game, hopefully without preference.

[big steve46]

You just don't want to encourage your dog to run, trail, or point rabbits. The taking of an occas rabbit around an older dog is acceptable.

[Don]

The impression I get from some guy's is that the dog might quit looking for birds and just look for rabbit's. I doubt that will happen. I doubt the dog will turn it's nose up at a bird to go find a rabbit. I recall in one of my Nat. Championship tapes one of the guy's telling the story about one of the pointer world's greats found on point. The handler beat around and out come a rabbit! A rabbit isn't gonna ruin your dog, just don't let anyone shoot your dog chasing one.

[Pedro]

Whats wrong with shooting rabbits over your dog as long as he has been reliably pointing birds for you then go a head and shoot them if you want them if not then don't, most of the time your not gonna know right away if he is pointing a rabbit or a bird so don't use the e-collar cause it could cause problems if he is on a bird and you zap him thinking its a rabbit, if your trying to discourage it ignore the dog when your absolutely certain its a rabbit, he'll stop eventually. I personally have no problem with my Britts pointing rabbits the dog in the pic(JIll) will wag her tail i mean stump and bust it when i get close since the bird numbers are so low in Illinois sometimes a rabbit or two is all that is out there so i take what i can get.[/quote]

Nothing wrong w/ shooting rabbits over your dog if that's your sport. The original question involved a "bird dog" which to me is a dog that is bird hunting, not rabbit hunting. There's not much doubt in my mind when I walk up to a point on wether it's a bird point or bunny/skunk/raccoon/turtle/possum point, all of which I have had, although they seem to be particularly intense on coyote points.

Last week in KS we're working singles along a hedge row when one dog makes a nice move across a plowed corn field to a distant grassy terrace that garmin says is 160 yards away, he goes on point, I trudge across muddy, cloddy, plowed field to find fido w/ ears perked up and bob tail going a thousand miles an hour. If I was a rabbit hunter I would have been happy... To each his own. Happy Thanksgiving.

[A/C Guy]

Whats wrong with shooting rabbits over your dog as long as he has been reliably pointing birds for you then go a head and shoot them if you want them if not then don't, most of the time your not gonna know right away if he is pointing a rabbit or a bird so don't use the e-collar cause it could cause problems if he is on a bird and you zap him thinking its a rabbit, ....

Excellent advice.
That is a huge problem that I'm trying to correct. A couple zaps when our dogs pointed lizards created a huge problem of them just busting right in on the birds instead of pointing. It's amazing how many different critters they will point when they want to.

[Winglish]

I hunt rabbits and birds alike with my dogs. If they hold steady on point I shoot. The idea that shooting pointed rabbits would somehow diminish a dog's bird hunting ability or desire is ridiculous. I agree that it's not a good idea to shoot at a rabbit when the dog has broken point and/or given chase. Safety should be our number one concern.

[gittrdonebritts]

Nothing wrong w/ shooting rabbits over your dog if that's your sport. The original question involved a "bird dog" which to me is a dog that is bird hunting, not rabbit hunting. There's not much doubt in my mind when I walk up to a point on wether it's a bird point or bunny/skunk/raccoon/turtle/possum point, all of which I have had, although they seem to be particularly intense on coyote points.

alot of the breeds we hunt are versatile breeds used for hunting feather and fur so once the dog has been reliably pointing birds and is under control enough why not shoot a rabbit or 2 while bird hunting you don't have to encourage with most dogs it will just happen, i don't specifically go out looking for rabbits if i were i would buy a basset or a beagle.

but there is nothing wrong with a bird dog pointing a rabbit, and as stated before a dog bred for bird hunting will not be ruined by a rabbit every now and then but it all comes down to the owners choice, safety is also a big issue with rabbits the dog needs to hold to make the shot safe for the dog. but again it all comes down to the owners choice the, if you don't want the dog to point rabbits once you see its a rabbit ignore him and walk on as if you don't care.