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I'd like to hear people's experiences with using running pens to train / condition dogs. I'm talking pens less than 10 acres. I currently have a 5 acre pen I brace or solo all age dogs in almost daily. This is my second year and personally I haven't seen any consequences. I prefer to run in the wild but with family obligations the pen is the only way my dogs get exercised. I'm not as interested in people's theories on small pens or what they've heard. Would like to hear from guys that use smaller pens regularly and the experiences they've had good and bad.
Small pens are good to start pups and run all age dogs for exercise. Best is wild rabbits in different areas and conditions if you have the time. Just make sure dogs don’t start bad habits, pen run dogs run the paths, that is something I do not like. They need to get in the brush and stay in the brush to jump a rabbit. JMO
 
Small starting pens are a tool. Large running pens are a tool. When used right they work great. Over use of small mostly open pens will hurt more than help. In my opinion. The first time a pup puts its nose to the ground and runs a track for 50 feet. That's it's last time in that pen. It's a big running pen or the wild. To much can go wrong if you leave them in there to long.JMO
 
It is also my understanding that too many rabbits are not good. How many rabbits are too many? In seven acres, would two rabbits be about right? More? I don't know what the formula is, but if anyone at rabbitdogs knows, please share it with us. Thanks. :D
We try to keep 8 in a 15 acre pen but habitat plays a vital role obviously .I run almost daily and switch from open to enclosure often primarily because I’ve noticed our pen rabbits get smart quick ; a lot of double backs and different tricks to get distance where as I see very little in the open woods.
if you want to compete every weekend at our trials like I do it’s almost impossible to do without an enclosure. The guys that we compete against weekly have specific regimens of work for their dogs that quite frankly I can’t replicate on our lease. I guess it boils down to what a person is trying to accomplish with his/her dogs. I hope this has helped ! Happy Beagling
As I’m typing this reply I am bracing a derby with a solid all age female trying to get ready for upcoming derby trials
 
I’m new here, and haven’t read all the comments. My thought on pens, and I did it with my coyote dogs for years, they’re great for exercise. Over doing it in the same pen not only makes the game smart, but I noticed it will also take the hunt out of certain dogs. They get use to knowing where rabbits are going to be, and then when they get on the outside May just wonder around more than hunt. I say pens are great in moderation haha. Just my 2 cents.
 
My pen is 7 acres. It does take me a little longer to deer break my dogs that it used to but I will give that up to show my dogs more rabbits.A dog that can run one of those "professional" rabbits in a small pen that get hammered daily will absolutely burn the hair off a wild rabbit.JMO
My pen is about 7acres also and I get a lot of good runs. Only disadvantage I’ve noticed is that if they get a sight chase they are likely too push him in one of the two escape pipes I have.
 
Running pens have been a great tool to condition hounds. Currently running two pens here, 28 acres and 11 acres. Have noticed with the pens the dogs have gotten a lot more running in, can leave at night if needed extra attention. It's like a carpenter hammer, if you want to do the job you need tools. I use the small pen mostly younger dogs to solo or brace, the big pen is more for conditioning the older dogs. You also have a controlled environment to break from trash.
 
Running pens have been a great tool to condition hounds. Currently running two pens here, 28 acres and 11 acres. Have noticed with the pens the dogs have gotten a lot more running in, can leave at night if needed extra attention. It's like a carpenter hammer, if you want to do the job you need tools. I use the small pen mostly younger dogs to solo or brace, the big pen is more for conditioning the older dogs. You also have a controlled environment to break from trash.
Very well put Hunt, we can explain to our friends all day BUT until someone actually comes and sees for him/her self what it truly takes to compete against arguably the best around ; it’s hard to conceive ! Pens are a valuable tool that we use on this level , just like your hammer analogy AND it’s not and can’t be the only tool . My recent trip to AKC Nationals was a gut-check , it’s so open and the judges are in strategic position to catch any flaws , so you “ can run but you can’t hide” lol
I plan on going and competing until I can no longer physically do it . Excellent post !
 
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