A trained dog can track a squirrel up a tree.
Dogs are commonly known as man's best friend, and recreational hunters know how important a dog at your side can be. Squirrel dogs are are canines trained to track squirrels and other small game for the hunter. An important task of a squirrel dog is to learn to tree, or chase the prey into a tree and keep an eye on it until the hunter arrives. Some dogs naturally perform this duty, while others need training to serve as effective treeing dogs.
Instructions
1. Take your puppy into the woods in which you intend to hunt. Let it get used to exploring the area so that it becomes familiar and is not afraid of the smells and sounds it finds there.
2. Socialize your puppy with other dogs, especially those it may someday hunt with. Getting your puppy used to being with other dogs will prevent it from getting too excited or wanting to play when it is time to hunt. He may also learn behavior from older hunting dogs.
3. Teach your dog basic commands, such as "speak," "sit" and "come," before you ever take it hunting. The dog must be able to listen to you when on the hunt.
4. Get your puppy used to the appearance of squirrels. Take it somewhere it can view squirrels, or set up a feeder in your yard or the nearby woods so that the dog gets used to what it is hunting.
5. Hang squirrel hides or animal skins from tree branches to teach your dog to look up. Even the best trackers may not understand that squirrels will run into trees.
6. Apply prey scents to the tree trunks from which you hang the animal skins. This will encourage the dog to look up instead of staying focused on the ground.
7. Encourage your dog to bark when it spots an animal hide. Tell it to speak, or get it so excited that it starts to bark. Reward it for barking at the animal hide; this will ensure that it will be able to tell you where prey is hiding when you hunt.
Related posts
With adequate training any dog can be trained to become a guard dog, even a Pit Bull puppy.The appearance and maligned reputation of an American Pit Bull Terrier is an advantage to any successful...
Puppies can learn easily.Puppies are able to learn easily; the problem is that they have a short attention span that can make training difficult. Fortunately, training a puppy to tree squirrels is...
Coon dogs can be trained to chase their prey up a tree.While there are a number of dog breeds that contain the name "coonhound," including the Bluetick Coonhound, the Black and Tan Coonh...
People have been hunting with dogs for centuries, and the tradition continues today with all kinds of breeds. In order to hunt well with a dog, you need a dog that is well trained. Training your d...
Gray squirrels are common prey for squirrel hunters.Squirrel hunting is an activity where a hunter goes into the woods and brings down squirrels, whether it is with a bow or with a gun. Dogs make...
