Mountain Feist training

Rhett Steele

New member
I got the kiddos a Mountain feist pup for Christmas. Any pointers on training one for tree rats? I made a squirrel drag yesterday and drug it around the yard having Little Dan chase it. I then pulled the squirrel over a branch and had him jumping for it. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. I too was told to live trap a squirrel and hang trap in tree. Gonna try that next.
 

Dragging the squirrel for the dog to smell is a beginning, and having live squirrels to work with brings it together. If the dog has natural instincts for treeing, then it will be interested but may not know exactly what to do. Shooting a squirrel out for the dog really helps, but remember to work with the pup pertaining to gun fire first, breaking it in gradually. Naturally you give a lot of praise and make the adventure exciting to the pup. Probably the best thing you can do is to hunt the pup with an experienced dog, if possible.
 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
Dragging the squirrel for the dog to smell is a beginning, and having live squirrels to work with brings it together. If the dog has natural instincts for treeing, then it will be interested but may not know exactly what to do. Shooting a squirrel out for the dog really helps, but remember to work with the pup pertaining to gun fire first, breaking it in gradually. Naturally you give a lot of praise and make the adventure exciting to the pup. Probably the best thing you can do is to hunt the pup with an experienced dog, if possible. I agree with everything except one small thing that is super important for the end result, don't ever shoot a squirrel out of a tree that the dog didn't bark up and stay on. Shooting a squirrel out of a tree when the dog didn't stay treed is a very bad thing because you want to teach the dog to be sure and not leave once he decides he knows where the squirrel is at.

I'd like to say though I have no experience with fiest pups but my knowledge comes from hunting with a champion squirrel dog my entire childhood.

Live trap training is very stop and go, only do it once a week or so not everyday don't ever do the same training sequence over and over again you'll burn a dog out quickly. Best thing for a dog is simply showing it what you want it to do which you've started with the squirrel drags (this is actually the only training scenario I would suggest doing everyday if your super committed) and then giving it woods time, constant walks through the woods just taking the dog if he trees and stays treed kill the squirrel let him have it (be careful though he may think he can always have them so don't overdo it) praise praise praise if he trees and stays treed and you kill it give him constant love for a few minutes after let him know he did a great job like you would your son if he hit a home run. I've always heard and firmly believe that any dog who is a squirrel dog breed or even likes teeing squirrels can be very good it may takes 5 years for the dog to be complete it may take 2 for him to tree the first time champion hunters say it's like a switch, and one day it comes on and they start teeing but until it does keep him in the woods and keep him busy.
 
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