Don't follow no rices advice. Dogs don't understand hitting.
im pretty sure i said dont beat the poor thing, right after i said kick his ass...
but i have to disagree, dogs as well as people do understand a well placed swat. it doesnt have to be hard, it just has to be an attention getter. heck even a good solid tap on the nose with one finger(and i dont mean as in flicking the thing hard, just a straight finger, tap on the nose). that by no means is a harsh punishment, but it does get attention.
just like a kid. i dont condone hitting your children, but im not against a well placed swat on the but. sometimes its more about the action then it is the strength of the swat.
all of my animals learn that when i snap my fingers they need to be listening. i rarely have to say a word. snap my fingers and point somewhere or point down. they learn what means what. go lay down over here/there, sit/lay down...
if i yell at them the shit has hit the fan.
you just have to be persistent, im very very stubborn and never let them think they won and battle. you ALWAYS have to be the dominant one. if they have the idea they are then they will do as they please.
i guess that comes from me raising stuff that would more then likly consider eating me if it thought it was boss...!
With due respect, I have to agree with Macdiver. I believe repetition and reward is the best way to go for both you and the dog. Proven, even by trainers of large or aggressive animals. And Grizzly bears as in the case of Doug Seuse in Utah with the original Bart and two that were abandoned wild Griz's.
Did dog training a while back where the trainers train you to train the dog/pet. I have used it on five Alaskan Malamutes with total success and boy do they like to chase things.
Simply get them to do something you want and then give them a small treat. For the Pit Bull/bunny problem I would have the dog on a 10' leash/rope and when he chases the bunny, pull him back, make him sit and only when he does, give him a treat. It does not take long for any animal to understand it. This way you retain a strong bond and respect from your fine pet without breaking his true spirit. Have fun and be patient, it does work. My latest Kenai, below.
I'm not 100% sure what to do about the pit, but you are going to have a fun time with the beagle rabbit combo, other than separating them.
I grew up with with lots of dogs, mostly beagles. IMHO they are among the best all around dogs, but they are specifically bred to be rabbit hunting dogs. Good luck.
My dog (Rotty/Chow mix as far as I can tell) catches rabbits with some success, even tho he's pushing 10 years. For some reason he kills the newborns but just carries the older ones around in his mouth. He will drop them if I tell him to. He brought one in the house recently that hid behind the refrigerator. Never has attempted to eat one. SO, I guess rabbits are food if a dog is hungry, but in the case of my dog they are just amusements.
