Our year and a half year old beagle boy is named Snoopy--not the most original name I grant you but that's what he is used to so that's what we kept it as.  He comes Missouri and was part of a rabbit hunting pack of beagles.  The only problem is that Snoopy did not like to chase rabbits.  He decided to make friends with them.  He did however chase cows and deer much to the hunter's frustration.  The hunter in his practicality decided that a dog that doesn't work hunting has no purpose but to eat up food and cost money and therefore needs to be shot.  The women in the hunter's family revolted at this idea.  Apparently Snoopy was such a "Gilligan" on hunting trips (messing them up just like Gilligan does on Gilligan's Island) that he was left behind and the women in the family found out how sweet a boy he is since they spent time with him at home.  The sister in law of the hunter brought him back to our state with her and she advertised him in the paper.  The hunter agreed that he could live if they could at least get some money back for shots and food.  We paid a really reasonable price for him and had him neutered and checked over by our vet.  The first thing he did was find a hole in our fence and take off across the neighborhood.  He came back and was waiting for us at the gate when we had run around the cul de sac calling him.  Apparently that is part of his hunting training--to return to the hunter.

He is a lovey.  He is a total gentleman and is trying very hard to figure out how to be a good house dog.  He watches the basset crawl up on our couch and looks at me like, "Can I sit on that Mom?"  He'll sniff at the threshold of our bathroom and look at me like, "Can I go in there Mom?"  He is trying very hard to get to know all the rules. He is very good at being cuddled and showing us how much he approves of being in the house now the cold winter has hit.  He has a new bed and generally thinks this house pet business is a pretty sweet deal.  He loves attention, pets, cuddles and kisses and is just so happy we are sure his wagging tail could generate more power than the Hoover Dam.  His whole butt wags, it's pretty cute.  He's a fifteen inch beagle and has found he is just the right size to sit on a lap.

I would like to know if anyone knows anything about training beagles to hunt rabbits--like some of the commands the hunter uses to call them back or to have them wait, etc., not that he'll be hunting rabbits but some of them could be used to keep under control as a house pet (as he pretends to obey and little by little bends us all to his will).  It would be nice to keep his commands consistent and to understand how he has been trained.

Momofzoo

Hello! I hope things are working out for you and Snoopy!