Training a squirrel dog?

[hgcox]

buy a couple new pair of boots it not a easy task and will take a lot of patiance and join sqdog.com or squirrelhaters.net and ask about the problems you'll encounter but training a sqdog is very rewarding

 

[wcsd462]

He's right! Time and shoe leather! SDC Is a great place to learn what to do and when to do it.

 

[turkeyhunter]

Train the dog to handle . Take it hunting alot. If he has it in him he will make a good dog. And it sounds like he has it in him.

 

[woodsman87]

I think you just got to hunt them as much as you can and teach them how to obey.
I also believe some have it and some don't

 

[mike243]

start with a 22 with shorts to cut down on noise & possibly making him gun shy,let him rassel a few before you start taking them,lotta time in the woods means every thing in train a dog for any kind of hunting

 

[coweye]

Hey man I've been walk since May of last year with 3 different dogs try to make a squirrel dog. I mean 3 plus days a week even in the summer and haven't treed one yet. Dog #3 has came close a time or 2 but not yet. I wish you luck but I would be very disappointed if you took the family pet and beat me. Now that I think about you already did.

 

[wcsd462]

If its in then, its in them. And Carlos's dog has got it in him. I know, i raised him. A dog that is bread to hunt will hunt. With that said you do have to train your dog to an extent. By this i mean play with them with a squirrel tail on a long fishing pole. Catch a squirrel and work them on that, let it go and let them chase it up a tree. Their are very few natural tree dogs, you have to show them what you expect from them. I did all the above with carlos's house pet from six weeks till he went to carlos. It takes time!

 

[hgcox]

hows the training coming alongs any progress

 

[wcsd462]

Keep taking him to the woods. Do everything just like you would as if the season was in EXCEPT SHOOTING THE SQUIRREL!! When he trees hook him, tie him, and really pet him up and love on him. Get excited with him.

 

[Good time Charlie]

Yes and Hiss him and get him stirred up to where he almost climbs the tree...My dog hunts by sight more then nose.. He looks up in the trees. when we tree, I point to the other side of the tree.the squirrel comes to my side and gives me a wide open shot.
I wish he would use his nose a little more.

 

[pressfit]

A close friend of mine raises and sells squirrel dogs.. mountain curs.. he has sold some up to 5k each.. he told me one day that you dont train a squirrel dog.. they are naturally bred to tree..

 

[Jroberts238]

I have a redbone that I been wanting to get in the woods. We have a few tree rats around the house. He will be sleeping in the living room and start going nuts to go out. As soon as I open the door he runs straight for the tree and tries to run up it. I guess he hears them running about.

 

[Tar12]

I took him out for a quick walk this evening. He chased a squirrel but never actually treed it. I shot it out to him anyways, hoping that was ok. Just trying to get him into it...

This is huge mistake! Do not ever shoot out anything he has not treed! Dogs are intelligent and will come to rely upon you to do the work for them and will only half #$% tree and this can turn into a run and gun game where he will not stayed treed! You do not want this habit to start as it is very hard to break.There is no short cut to making a squirrel dog and it takes time in the timber! He will piece things together.But you must only reward him when he does right! This will be hit and miss until he has the game figured out. There will be times that you will be frustrated and times that he walks on water.Avoid caged game. I personally do not use caged game at all.Once again they will come to rely upon you and this will only retard their development! Keep him in the timber what ever you do! The early woods time is extremely important/critical in a young dogs development. The worse thing you can do is to park them once you have them started. If you have a local park loaded with squirrels take him for some early morning walks and let him tree some easy ones and alternate this by taking him to the "real" timber.I will usually leave straight from the park and hit the timber while the pup is still fired up.Parks are fairly open and will get him to using his eyes. I only do the park thing very sparingly as I want them to use their nose as well. I happen to hunt Ladner BMCs and have been for the last 25 yrs. Most are treeing park squirrels by 4.5 mos old and treeing limits by the end of the their first year and this is the routine I use on every single one. It helps that they are natural tree dogs and very gamey.

 

[Tar12]

Carlos here is a short video of my 5 mo old Sammy LBMC and her first real"timber" squirrel. She is now 11 mos old and treeing limits.She is turning into a quick,accurate and powerful tree dog.Click on the pic for the video.

 

[FOX FIRE]

Sounds like shes got a prety good mouth on her, should be able to hear her from a distance, anyone around Tenn. that sells the BMC ??

 

[Tar12]

Sounds like shes got a prety good mouth on her, should be able to hear her from a distance, anyone around Tenn. that sells the BMC ??

There is/was a guy.Let me do some checking for you and I will get back to you.

 

[FOX FIRE]

Gotcha, thanks for the effort.

 

[Tar12]

FoxFire ...sorry it took so long to get back to you. The gentleman I was referring to has passed away. I have a litter that just hit the ground but they are all sold. I will have another litter this fall.

 

[FOX FIRE]

Thanks for keep'n me in mind, sorry to hear about the gent who passed tho.

What is it about look'n at a pile of pups that we never outgrow, fat & slick aint they.

 

[Tar12]

They are very healthy and should be some real tree scorchers!

 

[hgcox]

how is the training goin?

 

[Guywiththejeep103]

Just keep them in the woods as much as you can and when you kill them keep the skin and train them with it. It will usual keep the scent and it will train the dogs pretty easy. Thats how i trained my mountain fist.

 

[FOX FIRE]

Just keep them in the woods as much as you can and when you kill them keep the skin and train them with it. It will usual keep the scent and it will train the dogs pretty easy. Thats how i trained my mountain fist.

Which paticular type of fist you have ?? love a smart little fiest dog.

 

[Tony USMC]

I love my LBMC

 

[Guywiththejeep103]

I do believe he is just a plain ole mountain fist not really for sure, but yes he is very smart and good at hunting.