My future in laws have some JRT they used in Mississippi to track shot deer. Long story short, he knew I have been wanting a pair of male JRT for a while now and he came across a stud. Now we have a litter of JRT on the way (Lord willing) and I hope to get them trained for squirrel huntin. Me and my fiance have always deer hunted and fished together, but she REALLY loves to hunt squirrels. I think a pair of squirrel dogs would be great for us. Just looking for some wisdom on how you've raised/trained yours. I am especially concerned with keeping them from getting gun shy.
Training first squirrel dogs. Seeking your advice.
- Thread starter cbcs1987
- Start date
cruff10
Well-Known Member
Where do we start. You need a good breed, or a dog good and willing to train. Sounds like you got that on check.
Lets start with you question. Keeping them from getting gun shy. I have a dog that will tree squirrels, opossums, and coons but you bring a gun out and he will run the other way. Sometimes you can't get it out of them. But you can do somethings while they are young to help them get use to the sounds.
When they are pups, shoot blanks, .22s around them. When you are target praticing make sure the dogs are around. Shoot, and praise them, give them a treat. When you go and feed them, take a pan and a spoon and hit it while they are eating. If they are hungry they will ignore the sound.
For me I hunt mostly fiest. They like to use their eyes and ears more than anything. So I take a squirrel tail on a fishing pole and play a game with the dogs. I start this at 4 months old. Make the tail go up a tree and see if the dogs will bark at it. Make them chase it, have fun with it. Then if they bark, shoot a blank or .22 and let the tail fall. This will get them in looking for something to fall when you shoot a gun.
A cur or bigger dog may not react the same way.
Really it takes alot of time in the woods. It took me 3 years on one dog and 2 years on my other one to really get them treeing. Some people will dissagree, but it takes 2 full hunting seasons to see if a dog will turn out to be a dog. Some start early and some start late.
2 dogs to train at one time maybe a task, when both are pups they may just want to play and not hunt. You will need to take them out one at a time. Then later on when they start treeing you could take them out at the same time. I like having my dogs years spread out. I like having an older dog treeing, then a year or two later get another one, then in another year or two get another one. It helps when the older dogs are treeing and the pups see the squirrel fall.
NEVER! I mean NEVER EVER EVER EVER! Shoot a squirrel out to a dog unless it barks! My black and white dog would not bark up at a squirrel, but would put it's paws out on the tree and wait until I get there. I shot the squirrel out thinking she would start barking. She never did, until I tied her back on the tree and waited until she barks. Now she won't shut up on a tree! that was the biggest mistake I ever made. I wasted 2 good years out of her. Nearly gave up.
I can go on and on. I hope this helps.
Lets start with you question. Keeping them from getting gun shy. I have a dog that will tree squirrels, opossums, and coons but you bring a gun out and he will run the other way. Sometimes you can't get it out of them. But you can do somethings while they are young to help them get use to the sounds.
When they are pups, shoot blanks, .22s around them. When you are target praticing make sure the dogs are around. Shoot, and praise them, give them a treat. When you go and feed them, take a pan and a spoon and hit it while they are eating. If they are hungry they will ignore the sound.
For me I hunt mostly fiest. They like to use their eyes and ears more than anything. So I take a squirrel tail on a fishing pole and play a game with the dogs. I start this at 4 months old. Make the tail go up a tree and see if the dogs will bark at it. Make them chase it, have fun with it. Then if they bark, shoot a blank or .22 and let the tail fall. This will get them in looking for something to fall when you shoot a gun.
A cur or bigger dog may not react the same way.
Really it takes alot of time in the woods. It took me 3 years on one dog and 2 years on my other one to really get them treeing. Some people will dissagree, but it takes 2 full hunting seasons to see if a dog will turn out to be a dog. Some start early and some start late.
2 dogs to train at one time maybe a task, when both are pups they may just want to play and not hunt. You will need to take them out one at a time. Then later on when they start treeing you could take them out at the same time. I like having my dogs years spread out. I like having an older dog treeing, then a year or two later get another one, then in another year or two get another one. It helps when the older dogs are treeing and the pups see the squirrel fall.
NEVER! I mean NEVER EVER EVER EVER! Shoot a squirrel out to a dog unless it barks! My black and white dog would not bark up at a squirrel, but would put it's paws out on the tree and wait until I get there. I shot the squirrel out thinking she would start barking. She never did, until I tied her back on the tree and waited until she barks. Now she won't shut up on a tree! that was the biggest mistake I ever made. I wasted 2 good years out of her. Nearly gave up.
I can go on and on. I hope this helps.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
This is a really interesting thread to me. I hunt squirrels quite a bit - other than quail, it's probably my favorite type of hunting. But I've never hunted with a dog, and although I know obviously lots of people do it, I've actually never seen anyone hunt squirrels with a dog. I imagine it's got to be pretty different from hunting birds with a dog, but I really have no idea.
I love to see a good dog working. Maybe you guys can give me an idea of what squirrel hunting with dogs is like?
I love to see a good dog working. Maybe you guys can give me an idea of what squirrel hunting with dogs is like?
cruff10
Well-Known Member
check some of our videos out.
Thanks for the response yall. Definately got a lot to think about. We are waiting for them to arrive. Ill post pics once they show up. I forgot to mention, these JRT are short leg short hair.
I've always grew up with mountain feist. We've had the same ol' dogs since I was 4. I'm 23 now. This past spring we had to put one down. The other one ain't got much longer. They sure lived a good life. Wish I woulda got some pups outta them. I can remember seeing my first bears when I was about 7 years old. They treed a sow and 2 cubs out behind my mamaw and papaws. If you ask me, from what I've seen, a JRT has just as much grit as a feist! I'm excited about the whole situation.
I've always grew up with mountain feist. We've had the same ol' dogs since I was 4. I'm 23 now. This past spring we had to put one down. The other one ain't got much longer. They sure lived a good life. Wish I woulda got some pups outta them. I can remember seeing my first bears when I was about 7 years old. They treed a sow and 2 cubs out behind my mamaw and papaws. If you ask me, from what I've seen, a JRT has just as much grit as a feist! I'm excited about the whole situation.
cruff10
Well-Known Member
A great resource is www.sqdog.com they have a forum as well. Lots of great advise on that site.
kingcamo
Well-Known Member
we hunt Mountain Curs. Cruff10 gave you some great advice. All I can add is keep the dogs in the woods. They can't hunt all pinned up.
Good time Charlie
Well-Known Member
My dog is so fast he will sometimes catch the squirrel before it can get up a tree.
And if it makes it he will nearly run half way up it.
I love to watch him hunt looking up in the trees.
It is right now good time to dog hunt .with the leaves falling
And if it makes it he will nearly run half way up it.
I love to watch him hunt looking up in the trees.
It is right now good time to dog hunt .with the leaves falling
cruff10
Well-Known Member
I must of seen 30 squirrels in one spot yesterday. Wish I had the dogs out. With the cold front and the warm afternoons the squirrels are really a sturing. I hate to run them will all the deer hunter out. 
kingcamo
Well-Known Member
we have been running the dogs while the deer hunters are eating lunch. Good times right now.
