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Help Plz!!!

I havnt been into coon hunting very long and I JUST had a guy give me a dog. The dog is a year old and had never been hunted or even messed with. I have takin him out with other dogs three times now thinking the other dogs would help show him the ropes but when i turn him loose and the other dogs take out hunting, all he wants to do is play with them or run around by himself not doing anything. The second time out he struck up once but after that he wouldnt do anything. I took him out tonight and nothing he just wanted to run around. What can i do to get him interested? I want to give him a chance before i decide he isnt going to be worth anything. I have used a hide and he doesnt show interest to it so maybe a cage coon? any advice PLEASE

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Corey

First, if all he wants to do is play he is acting too immature to be hunting.Some dogs just aren't ready as early as others.You also are risking getting him running junk because he does not know what you are after yet.
When you say he shows no interest in the hide does he not want to even smell it?There are some dogs that have no interest in dead coon.I suggest getting a coon and see how he reacts to a live one.Take him for walks in the woods during the day and get him use to going.
Get a good coon training scent put it on a clean rag and work him once or twice a day teasing and trying to get him excited at chasing it.When he starts showing immediate interest in the scent as soon as he smells it you can move on to rubbing it up on a tree and trying to get him to tree on the scent.It may take some time but one year old is too young to give up on a pup.

if you can get you a cage coon and get an older dog over there to start barking at it he will most likely start showing intrest in it. And i agree you shouldnt actually hunt him until he does so because he has no clue what he is after and the first time he sees a deer running he will most likely follow in after it. I started my dog on coon sent and a drag pad because the coons where really scarce the year i bought him and it worked for me. what i do is keep them on a chain and let them smell it and when they act like they want to smell it then i will back off just out of their reach and tease them with it until they go absolutley nuts over it then i will get them chasing it with some one leading them so the dog cant catch it and when he really shows intrest in that then i will hand it in a tree with a long rope so i can get him barking at it and encourage the dog by bouncing it up and down and even bark at it my self. when the dog starts treeing it pretty decently then thats when i start laying the sent trail making it easy at first and then getting harder and more creative as the dog progresses i never make it too hard on them to where they give up at this stage because then you might be back tracking. once he has that down then start hunting him. This works better with a live coon in a trap but they are not always available you can buy that coon sent at Huntsmart.com and many other hound supply stores. Hope this helped you and good luck glad to see another person getting into the sport. God bless

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Eph 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

appreciate it guys! I wasnt expecting such detailed answers but i will definantly take the advice because i would much rather have a dog that i trained rather than buy a dog finished because it just wouldnt seem as rewarding.

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Corey