Registered: Oct 2014
Location: Woods
Posts: 246

There are some sure enough experienced guys on here we all (especially myself) can learn alot from. So I'm asking everyone to share some thoughts or advice on dogs and racoon hunting.

What have you learned after time you wish you knew, or would have done a long time ago?

Just looking to get something rolling....I always love to gain new knowledge on this great sport

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Marietta
Posts: 10790

I hunted dogs for the public back when there were certain strains of dogs that you had to hunt down to the point that you were worried about they're health before you saw any results but I learned that each dog is an individual you don't train them all the same let them progress at they're own pace

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Registered: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 258

They don't make dogs buy standing on a chain and you setting on your A$$ telling everyone how much you hunt your dog. Lol
All jokes aside, keep cutting them loose a minimum of 3x's a week, even if only for an hour and you will learn the biggest secrets about casting a hound.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

Dogs consistently handled for obedience are more enjoyable to hunt than the problem child dogs that received zero or inconsistent obedience training. Consistency is the key.

The dogs that are obedience trained are often said to have a handle on them.

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 4005

My best advise to a guy starting out is to buy an old dependable hound, an inexperienced hunter trying to train a puppy usually ends with a disouraged kid and a useless dog.
#2 would be knowing when to cut your losses on a dog that doesnt have the tools to become the dog that pleases you. Way to many guys waste years trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear, these are the guys you hear saying... titles dont mean anyting, or those GR.NT.CH. dogs are just a bunch of slick treeing idiots.
#3 No matter how many years you have spent following dogs, you can always learn something new.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Palmyra, Missouri
Posts: 9991

Don't look for all grand pedigrees go with proven stock. I know a guy that has an All Grand dog that is six or seven and can not tree it's own coon. But it is up to the person who owns the dog not others. Talk to your local winners that have quality dogs and get Thier advice....

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Registered: Jul 2010
Location:
Posts: 55

As someone stated above. Every dogs different, what worked for one may not work on another. Assess each dog and situation

PATIENCE ! you cant do anything for them and you cant make them do anything. About every young dog I've ever started made me consider culling it a time or 20 in the process. lol

And the secret magic trick ---- Hunt em hard !

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: Northwest Indiana
Posts: 1535

What I would tell someone starting,Don't just read all those hyped up adds on magazine super dogs,get out and hunt with a variety of dogs and bloodlines,Find the hound that does it the way you like,after all you are paying for it, and you are feeding and hunting it,don't just have something because so an so said it's a good'un....
A real coondog,hunted the rite way will teach you more than anything and you will have fun and memories for a lifetime.Their are good lines of dogs,if you learn where to look.

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Registered: Dec 2013
Location: WV
Posts: 394

[QUOTE]Originally posted by john Duemmer

#2 would be knowing when to cut your losses on a dog that doesnt have the tools to become the dog that pleases you. Way to many guys waste years trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear

I have put myself on the wrong end of this and agree 100%. I have learned it is better to let them go and find something else rather than being discouraged all the time.

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Registered: Aug 2008
Location: SE Ohio, Glouster
Posts: 2244

Well I have a couple of thoughts that might just help a newcomer to the sport of coonhunting and the training of a hound.

A wise old horseman once told me; If you are NOT knowledgeable in the proper training technics, it is better to do nothing to an animal to correct a behavior, than it is to do something that will set the animal back and cause you more time to correct something that you have created. If the breeding is there, the natural abilities/instincts will show up and progress right along so long as we do nothing to cause a set back.

Another wise old Hound Man once told me this; IF Whipping a dog was what made it a COONDOG, Then everybody in the country would own one. So I take from this that when you are applying a stimulus for correction of a behavior, You cannot/should not, apply that stimulus out of frustration. You must make your correction when you are calm and IN CONTROL of your emotions.

These two things will help you a lot in your progression of becoming a more consistent trainer.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays!!!

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Registered: Aug 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 439

A mean dog is just that, a mean dog. Seen a few over the years and even tried to fix one. Can`t be fixed. And it always seems to show up in that young dog that was coming on strong. I spent 16 months trying to fix it before I gave up.

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Pete Rhines

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Marietta
Posts: 10790

Not to change the subject but what's a dogfight look like on the garmin ???????

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Registered: May 2009
Location:
Posts: 293

NEVER buy without trying

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Registered: Feb 2012
Location: airville,pa
Posts: 2078

quote:

---

Originally posted by john Duemmer
My best advise to a guy starting out is to buy an old dependable hound, an inexperienced hunter trying to train a puppy usually ends with a disouraged kid and a useless dog.
#2 would be knowing when to cut your losses on a dog that doesnt have the tools to become the dog that pleases you. Way to many guys waste years trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear, these are the guys you hear saying... titles dont mean anyting, or those GR.NT.CH. dogs are just a bunch of slick treeing idiots.
#3 No matter how many years you have spent following dogs, you can always learn something new.

---

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Registered: Oct 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2633

Buy yourself a copy of "Walk With Wick, The Tree Dog Encyclopedia" and read it. Then go buy the best dog you can afford...then read the book again.

Understand that there is a difference between edited information and what you read on the internet, which is unedited. Not that you cant get good info here or any other internet site, in fact what has been posted so far is 110% golden!!! But as far as the internet is concerned you really have no way of knowing when you are reading the insight of many years experience or some 90 day dog whisperer that believes he can "fix" any problem with any dog.

Use common sense with all this info...if 17 people all post that a particular problem cannot be changed and one person always jumps in and says, "simple, all ya gotta do...is hunt him real hard and feed him lots of treats and it will fix itself". who do you think is probably correct???

Hunt young dogs during the day a lot so you can see what is going on, at least until you are fairly sure they are not running off game.
Be very picky about who you hunt with no matter how good of a friend it is. The best way to stay friends is not let his dog ruin yours.

Best of luck and good hunting.

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Registered: Nov 2014
Location: S.E. IOWA
Posts: 371

One hunter, one dog! you will learn more about your dog and your dog will teach you more when your listening to the dog and giving it your undivided attention. Hunting with buddies and exposing your dog to others have there place but firm believer in one on one.

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Registered: Jul 2006
Location: Carrollton,Missouri
Posts: 947

Find an older hunter to hunt with. Even help him handle his dogs some before you go and buy one. Save some money up and go get something atleast started. Everybody wants pups but theres a lot to raising pups. You need a decent dog to start out with. Ive seen bad dogs ruin good hunters and Ive seen bad hunters ruin good dogs.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: East central Illinois.
Posts: 1701

Spend plenty of time at home training in the yard. A dog that handles well is great. Bond with the dog. Be patient. If you are in a bad mood, don't spend time with the dog, unless you can be sure and not loose your cool with the dog.
Beating a dog usually makes things worse. Less is more.
It took me a long time to realize these things.
You and the dog must know that you are in charge though.

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Registered: Sep 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 103

quote:

---

Originally posted by john Duemmer
My best advise to a guy starting out is to buy an old dependable hound, an inexperienced hunter trying to train a puppy usually ends with a disouraged kid and a useless dog.
#2 would be knowing when to cut your losses on a dog that doesnt have the tools to become the dog that pleases you. Way to many guys waste years trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear, these are the guys you hear saying... titles dont mean anyting, or those GR.NT.CH. dogs are just a bunch of slick treeing idiots.
#3 No matter how many years you have spent following dogs, you can always learn something new.

---

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Registered: Jan 2004
Location: North MO
Posts: 2353

It is like everything else in life.

Find someone that is really good at it......do what they do.

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Registered: Nov 2013
Location: Convoy,Ohio
Posts: 1693

quote:

---

Originally posted by pamjohnson
x2

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 737

It's easier to tree 2 coon in 50 spots than it is to tree 50 coon in 2 spots!

IF you have a good coon population, don't be afraid to hit small patches.....really small patches. You will be amazed if you do. Many hunters who hunt the GO YONDER dogs will never hunt them....and the coon tracks are more concentrated because of the size of the woods!!

These smaller patches are also great to put pups in.

Don't believe me? There are 2-3 guys on this board that have hunted with me that will tell you otherwise!!!!!!

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: greensburg,ky.
Posts: 3364

FIND A BREED OF DOG AND BLOODINE U LIKE AND STICK TO IT NO MATTER WHAT OTHERS ARE HUNTING....U WILL NOT BE HAPPY WITH ANOTHER BREED NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES....KEEP EM IN THE WOODS AND IN GOOD COMPANY,NOT WITH DOGS WITH BAD HABBITS...HUNT THEM ALONE WHEN THERE YOUNG THEY WILL BE A BETTER DOG IN THE END....

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on fire/tree dogs

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Registered: Jul 2014
Location:
Posts: 45

DemS boyz shure smart,. Use all have Master A hounds patch on jaket and bummper stiker..

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blue are true

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: greensburg,ky.
Posts: 3364

hmmmmmmmmmmm

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on fire/tree dogs

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