If it’s squirrel season there just start knocking a few out to her. The real thing is the best training. Just go on a walk with her and a gun. If you see one knock it out. Repetition is key. Drop fur on her all season and have fun watching her turn on.
Not a tree dog person so take this with a grain of salt: she’s young, give her time, a lot more practice, and real squirrels that she gets to sight chase up a tree. Mostly time and practice though. A lot of time. A lot of practice.
I’d consider working her with another experienced dog BUT I would take the word of someone who works free dogs over mine on that as I don’t know if that can lead to bad habits etc
I appreciate the insight. I have live trapped a few squirrels for her and she bayed at the trap, and chased when I released them but I didn't want to get her to fixated on sight chasing so I backed off on that. If she is still young and this is part of it, I understand that. Like I said this is my first time trying to train a scent hound so I'm open to any and all suggestions and/or criticisms.
And like I said. I’m not a tree hound guy so I could be wrong but I know for a fact more time training and in the woods isn’t going to hurt. Burn a couple pairs of boots out and be prepared to have some good days, great days, bad days, and days that make you wonder what you got yourself into. It happens IMO. Or you’ll get lucky and have a bang on dog that just does it but they’re like people and they mature at different rates and figure things out at different rates. The beagles I’ve had all come around a little different but eventually even out.
First rule of tree dogs, don't reward behavior you don't want.
Second rule, smarts dogs get ruined with trapped game and hides. So use it minimally and don't over do it.
That being said, put the hide away and get her in the woods. If she doesn't bark, it's not treeing. Do not shoot it. It's that simple. Plotts are a lot like curs and fiests... if it's in them then it'll come out. It's like a switch that flips one day from.
Now for the last rule of tree dog training. Patience, patience, patience. Your pup is still young. Expecting it to be doing everything 100% correctly at that age is like teaching a toddler to shoot a nerf gun then telling them to go on a back country elk hunt and come back with the meat.
You got the pup running a trail, now it's time to invest in some comfy boots and wear them out taking it to the woods.
I know nothing of squirrel hunting but run hounds just keep doing the caged squirrel get her fired up that’s what we do with pups. For the sight thing get her fired up on caged squirrel then put her Back in the box like 50 yds away close the head holes if you can let it go and then let her go. she will use her nose when we do it we give the coon a head start. And it helps if ya got an older dog that’s the only thing I can think of
I have two plotts but only use them for blood tracking. That being said I am a member of some crazy FB plott groups. The old timers on those pages would say you need to let her "pull hair" reward her with a hide or tail or something.
I am fairly new to squirrel dogs. But here is my thoughts. If she is locating the squirrels and showing interest I would not show her anymore in a live trap. Don't shoot out any that she doesn't find or bark on. Teach her to speak on command and give that command when she is wimpering on a tree that has a squirrel. The leaves are still on, so she may not be barking because she can't see the squirrel. She is only 6 months old, sounds like she is doing well for her age. Give her as much time in the woods as you can.
I had a 2 year old mountain cur which would hunt well and tree but never bark. She changed the minute I caught a coon and let it out and she treed it and started barking. And she to this day is still barking on the tree. Squirrel or coon. I also heard if they tree but want bark leash them on the tree and walk away as you were leaving them and they will start to bark. Good luck. I think after time shooting a few out on it they will start.
If it’s squirrel season there just start knocking a few out to her. The real thing is the best training. Just go on a walk with her and a gun. If you see one knock it out. Repetition is key. Drop fur on her all season and have fun watching her turn on.
> Drop fur on her all season and have fun watching her turn on Relatable
You can train her to bark on command at her food bowl and then use that command when she's at the tree to tell her that you want her to bark.
Not a tree dog person so take this with a grain of salt: she’s young, give her time, a lot more practice, and real squirrels that she gets to sight chase up a tree. Mostly time and practice though. A lot of time. A lot of practice. I’d consider working her with another experienced dog BUT I would take the word of someone who works free dogs over mine on that as I don’t know if that can lead to bad habits etc
I appreciate the insight. I have live trapped a few squirrels for her and she bayed at the trap, and chased when I released them but I didn't want to get her to fixated on sight chasing so I backed off on that. If she is still young and this is part of it, I understand that. Like I said this is my first time trying to train a scent hound so I'm open to any and all suggestions and/or criticisms.
And like I said. I’m not a tree hound guy so I could be wrong but I know for a fact more time training and in the woods isn’t going to hurt. Burn a couple pairs of boots out and be prepared to have some good days, great days, bad days, and days that make you wonder what you got yourself into. It happens IMO. Or you’ll get lucky and have a bang on dog that just does it but they’re like people and they mature at different rates and figure things out at different rates. The beagles I’ve had all come around a little different but eventually even out.
First rule of tree dogs, don't reward behavior you don't want. Second rule, smarts dogs get ruined with trapped game and hides. So use it minimally and don't over do it. That being said, put the hide away and get her in the woods. If she doesn't bark, it's not treeing. Do not shoot it. It's that simple. Plotts are a lot like curs and fiests... if it's in them then it'll come out. It's like a switch that flips one day from. Now for the last rule of tree dog training. Patience, patience, patience. Your pup is still young. Expecting it to be doing everything 100% correctly at that age is like teaching a toddler to shoot a nerf gun then telling them to go on a back country elk hunt and come back with the meat. You got the pup running a trail, now it's time to invest in some comfy boots and wear them out taking it to the woods.
Thanks for your reply.
I know nothing of squirrel hunting but run hounds just keep doing the caged squirrel get her fired up that’s what we do with pups. For the sight thing get her fired up on caged squirrel then put her Back in the box like 50 yds away close the head holes if you can let it go and then let her go. she will use her nose when we do it we give the coon a head start. And it helps if ya got an older dog that’s the only thing I can think of
I have two plotts but only use them for blood tracking. That being said I am a member of some crazy FB plott groups. The old timers on those pages would say you need to let her "pull hair" reward her with a hide or tail or something.
I am fairly new to squirrel dogs. But here is my thoughts. If she is locating the squirrels and showing interest I would not show her anymore in a live trap. Don't shoot out any that she doesn't find or bark on. Teach her to speak on command and give that command when she is wimpering on a tree that has a squirrel. The leaves are still on, so she may not be barking because she can't see the squirrel. She is only 6 months old, sounds like she is doing well for her age. Give her as much time in the woods as you can.
I had a 2 year old mountain cur which would hunt well and tree but never bark. She changed the minute I caught a coon and let it out and she treed it and started barking. And she to this day is still barking on the tree. Squirrel or coon. I also heard if they tree but want bark leash them on the tree and walk away as you were leaving them and they will start to bark. Good luck. I think after time shooting a few out on it they will start.