Coonhound
Whatever breed of coonhound your puppy is, training it to track and tree raccoons will be a time-consuming, often difficult, but highly rewarding task. Not only will you need a pocket full of treats to reward the pup when he responds correctly, you'll also require massive reserves of both patience and enthusiasm. In the end, your coonhound will serve as a faithful and effective hunting companion in the field, and the bond you created during the puppy's training will last a lifetime.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Teach your coonhound puppy basic obedience. He should know sit, come, heel and stay. Taking classes at an obedience school will help with the process. Eventually, your pup should be able to heed your commands even while he is off the leash.
2. Acquaint your puppy with the outdoors. Take him on long walks through fields and woods. This not only allows your coonhound to familiarize himself with the wilderness, but it also gives you the perfect opportunity to hone his obedience.
3. Place your pup in a crate and take him to the shooting range. Fire your rifle or shotgun in the opposite direction from your puppy. This will allow your coonhound to become accustomed to the sound of gunfire, which is a necessity for any hunting dog.
Coon Training
4. Wait until your puppy is about 3 months old to begin his raccoon training. Then find a raccoon carcass. Roadkill will work just fine, as long as it's fairly fresh. If you can't find one, head out to a sporting goods store or shop online for a bottle of raccoon scent. A stuffed animal, doused with the scent, can serve as an alternative to a carcass.
5. Drag the carcass (or scented object) on a winding path through your yard, and then place it in a tree. This is important, as the dog must learn to associate the tracking with finding the animal in a tree.
6. Make the task more and more difficult for the puppy every day. When your puppy finds the raccoon, be sure to give him a treat. Remember to make the experience as fun as possible for both yourself and your dog.
7. Find yourself a live raccoon. A box trap will serve this purpose just fine. This is the best way to take your pup to the next level of training. While the coon remains in its trap, allow your puppy to investigate. He should be extremely excited about being so close to a real, live raccoon. If not, go back to scent training until he has aged a bit more.
8. Release the raccoon. Give the critter a healthy head start before you set your pup on its trail. Follow the puppy's bark until you've found him and the treed raccoon. Continue these sessions until he has perfected the art of tracking the raccoon.
9. Wait until your pup is about 8 months old to take him out on his first real hunt. During his first few expeditions, it's best that he accompany older, more experienced coonhounds.
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