Squirrel dog

Rabbitkil

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Who has experience with em? Debating on getting a pup to work with and see what I can get it to do. Leaning towards a jack russel but have curr / fiest. Any tips or pointers? My biggest concern is my wife insists on it being a inside dog and my property being covered up with squirrels ( city limits in a neighborhood)
 

bigjohn

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I've had some kind of squirrel dog most all my life. I've seen good and bad in many breeds. Some of the best ones I've had were part Australian shepherd or border collie and cur mix. I've got one now that's mixed up and he'll lay around here all day and just watch the squirrels but when you come out with a gun it's game on. I have a Jack Russell that won't tree at all but have seen some that are real good.
 

tnanh

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Get a feist bred to hunt. Best pets and dogs I have ever had. All three of mine have been house pets until time to hunt. Treat them right and if the bloodline is quality and you take them to the woods regularly, they will tree.
 

squackattack

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Get a feist bred to hunt. Best pets and dogs I have ever had. All three of mine have been house pets until time to hunt. Treat them right and if the bloodline is quality and you take them to the woods regularly, they will tree.
Exactly this. Great advice. Main thing is go with a couple different types. Feist is what you want.
 

Linepaw

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I've had a cur for about 4 years now. I never owned a squirrel dog before I got this one and now I've been all over hunting with him he's an awesome pet and hunter. They are very gritty. If you want to shoot opossum or raccoon at night he's all about that as well.
 

hillbillyfab

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Had fiest's when I was younger. We've got a mountain cur now. I've really taking a liking to the cur breed. This little female we have is truly a working dog. Her nose is either to to ground or her eyes are in the trees. She always looking to get after some game. We coon hunt her also.
 

Popcorn

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I have had Kemmer curs and a feist all good dogs but my current dog is a true friend that likes to go hunting with me, Kate is a Tennessee Mountain Cur, they are a blend of Kemmer and feist. she aint the best squirrel dog cause I dont hunt her enough but she is smart, loyal and if I ever allowed a dog in my house it would be this one cause she knows when to behave.
 

PossumSlayer

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I had a lab when I was a kid, he'd retrieve 3 or four squirrels. After that the next was his, he'd take off back to the house wide open. By time I would get home there would be a little fur left on the porch. He rarely ate dog food.... his favorite food was groundhog and skunks, he ate them on the porch as well.
 

Chiflyguy

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I had a lab when I was a kid, he'd retrieve 3 or four squirrels. After that the next was his, he'd take off back to the house wide open. By time I would get home there would be a little fur left on the porch. He rarely ate dog food.... his favorite food was groundhog and skunks, he ate them on the porch as well.
Skunks?
I bet when he farted the house cleared out!
 

Remington700

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1DCFF7FC-8CA3-48A8-8A91-F5D10313ABC5.jpeg
I've got an Original Mountain Cur and she is a great squirrel dog.
 

oldmanelrod

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Who has experience with em? Debating on getting a pup to work with and see what I can get it to do. Leaning towards a jack russel but have curr / fiest. Any tips or pointers? My biggest concern is my wife insists on it being a inside dog and my property being covered up with squirrels ( city limits in a neighborhood)
I raise and sell Feist and I can say first hand they make great house dogs if you can handle the first year. I have four and they do have a fenced in back that boarders our communities 1000 acre plus woods.
 

KPH

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Lol
I bet.
Had a beagle 35 years ago and there was a dog treat called Liver Snaps.
When that dog farted we had to leave the room.
Try driving on a cold wither day after a good rabbit hut the ol beagle lay on the seat lets one go not only opened the window bur open the doors.
 

Chiflyguy

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Try driving on a cold wither day after a good rabbit hut the ol beagle lay on the seat lets one go not only opened the window bur open the doors.
I had an awesome lab years ago who loved rolling in dead things.
We were pheasant hunting on a 0 degree day and all of the sudden she takes off in a dead run around a thicket. I see her legs in the air and I think she's hurt.
She found a rotten deer carcass.
And rolled all in it.
I had a single bench F-150 at the time.
She sat in the cab with me and it was a smelly ride home. She got lectured the whole way home then got a bath in the bath tub.
Damn I miss that dog
 

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FoxFire

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Owned fiest and curs, at this point the fiest wins out, super smart and dont eat as much, probably cant go wrong with either its just what you consider a better breed for your purpose.
 

HoytDawg

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Im 2 years into my first squirrel dog, a streak bred OMCBA cur. I grew up with retrievers- labs and chessies- and this cur is by far my favorite dog I've ever had in the house.

As far as training, my advice would be to get the best bred one you can find in whatever breed you want, spend the first few months of its life teaching it any obedience stuff you want it to be able to do, and take it to the woods as much as you can. The more its in the woods the better it will be.
 

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