Johnathan, It is a hard call, but since you were at a distance and not sure if a hard correction was necessary and your dogs are tone trained, I think you did the right thing. A hard correction may have resulted in one or so hesitant to want to even take a rabbit if indeed they were on rabbit. Some dogs will not be affected either way. I have a young female green started that I witnessed her running rabbit in the pen, but she is a kennel barker so I have been using a bark collar on her when she gets to out of control. I took her out recently and she did as if she wasn't started at all. I at the time had an e-collar on her. I removed it and she was a little more active, but still wasn't much interested. She was eaten up with hunt when I picked her up from the starting pen. Actually I was worried at how much she wanted rabbit at the time for a just started pup. I have hopes she will snap out of it and show me she is a rabbit dog within the next few times out. All dogs are different. WOW!!!! how I got side tracked!!!!! It was a judgement call on your part and you surely didn't hurt your dogs. Before E-Collars some terrible techniques were used in attempts to break dogs off of deer. If your dogs came in to tone, on rabbit or deer, no issue. E-Collar used correctly is a great tool, especially for an old guy like myself. I like to keep my neighbors happy by having quiet dogs also.
