Ok to feed rabbit?

[Tom n Sky 16]

Hi guys, im new to the forum

 

I have a Beddy/Greyhound x whippet bitch, 18 month old and i got her at 8 week old.

She is coming on well ( i think ) she hasnt yet mastered the lamp yet and is a bit too hard mouthed for my liking, she usually always kills the rabbit before i get hold of it and when i skin them they are sometimes bruised and battered. Any ideas on getting her to take them a bit softer?

 

She does parade around with the rabbit before bringing it to me, after lots of calling, will she grow out of that after she has caught a good few bunnies?

 

Also i was reading some of you feed rabbit..........surely thats not a good idea to associate rabbits with food to a lurcher?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Cheers

[iceman001979 1,316]

Hi guys, im new to the forum

 

I have a Beddy/Greyhound x whippet bitch, 18 month old and i got her at 8 week old.

She is coming on well ( i think ) she hasnt yet mastered the lamp yet and is a bit too hard mouthed for my liking, she usually always kills the rabbit before i get hold of it and when i skin them they are sometimes bruised and battered. Any ideas on getting her to take them a bit softer?

 

She does parade around with the rabbit before bringing it to me, after lots of calling, will she grow out of that after she has caught a good few bunnies?

 

Also i was reading some of you feed rabbit..........surely thats not a good idea to associate rabbits with food to a lurcher?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Cheers

Rabbit is fine to feed to dog best way is too cook them 1st or leave them in frezzer for 14 days so dog wont get worms.

My older bitch never brings rabbit back until its dead because she is harded mouthed but her pup brings them live straight into my hands.

PS welcome to the site

[suffolkpoacher 219]

Feed mine rabbit just gutted or skinned ,but he is too soft mouthed at times and never really bruises them ,but his retrieve is not clever which think was my error

[bendrover 556]

Feed mine rabbit just gutted or skinned ,but he is too soft mouthed at times and never really bruises them ,but his retrieve is not clever which think was my error

you must be out a fortune in wormers mate

[coney clucky 93]

Feed mine rabbit just gutted or skinned ,but he is too soft mouthed at times and never really bruises them ,but his retrieve is not clever which think was my error

ive always fed rabbits to my dogs cooked and raw as long as gutted and cleaned its ok and if your dog is messing round instead of straight back to you then id suggest trying him back to basic training for a while or a very long lead and real bunny dead tossed for dog to retrieve if it dont come straight back gentle tug on lead and the command to come to you if not back then tug aGAIN but with more tone in voice the dog will get the message if this done till its coming back ok may take two or three days of this to improve the dogs retrieve bunnys in the fields but works for me

[DogMagic 461]

Yes mate you can feed them rabbit, its no problem. I NEVER cook them but i agree they should be frozen for a few weeks first. Unless your going to worm every 3 months. All i do is gut them. By 18 months she should of mastered the lamp but it depends how often you take her out, she will master sod all sat in the kennel! What do you want the rabbits for? If they are only ferret and dog food it dont matter if they have been in a hard mouth or not. If they are for your own use, again the odd bruise dont matter. So long as your not selling them to butchers, game dealers, resturants etc i wouldnt worry.

[suffolkpoacher 219]

Feed mine rabbit just gutted or skinned ,but he is too soft mouthed at times and never really bruises them ,but his retrieve is not clever which think was my error

you must be out a fortune in wormers mate

Always been wormed regular and never have a prob ,also looks well with it and don't cost that much if you get from correct places .ok

[Guest born to run1083]

Yes mate you can feed them rabbit, its no problem. I NEVER cook them but i agree they should be frozen for a few weeks first. Unless your going to worm every 3 months. All i do is gut them. By 18 months she should of mastered the lamp but it depends how often you take her out, she will master sod all sat in the kennel! What do you want the rabbits for? If they are only ferret and dog food it dont matter if they have been in a hard mouth or not. If they are for your own use, again the odd bruise dont matter. So long as your not selling them to butchers, game dealers, resturants etc i wouldnt worry.

post is spot on, apart from a dog should be wormed every 3 months anyway and some wormers every 2

[jf1970 328]

i feed mine rabbit all the time, i also worm every 2 mths instead of 3, just to be sure

[Tom n Sky 16]

Thanks for all the replies, a great help.

 

She is not that good on the lamp yet at 18 month cos i couldnt afford a lamp and battery, the mrs left me and i started a business so money has had to go elsewhere. However, i have one now and keen to get out as much as possible. She lives in the house with me and we are never apart, she goes everywhere with me, which i think is great for making a strong bond with the dog.

 

I will try the long lead and a dead rabbit, could be the answer. I have tried with a home made rabbit skin dummy, she isnt bothered about it, doesnt see the point in chasing and picking it up.

 

I was talking to simon whitehead? The guy that writes in country mans weekly. I asked him about her not retrieving straight away and he thought it could be her exercise routine.............being that i walk her to heel so far, then let her go off for a ratch. I did this as i thought she was going to get far more exercise and get fitter cos she can cover a far greater area than if she was walking by my side.

Whats your views on exercise? Should they be made to heel and only let off for a quick run round before being brought back to you?

Could this be my problem of her not retrieving?

 

Thanks guys