TRAINING--FOR SQUIRRELS AND RABBITS.
Here is my way for training squirrel and coon hounds, which I think
is best, writes a Texas Hunter. First, select good healthy pups,
raise them up friendly and don't whip or cow them in any way until
about ten or twelve months old, for if pups get cowed when young they
will never get over it. When about ten months old, take them out
hunting with one or two squirrel dogs and then when the old dogs tree
in small trees or any place where you can make them jump out, jump
the squirrel out and get your pups after them.
Then if the squirrel gets up another tree your pups will bark up the
tree at him. Then when they bark well up the tree at the squirrel,
pet, sick and yell to let the pups know that you are trying to help
them catch the squirrel. Keep jumping the squirrel out until they
catch him, and if they don't catch him and it gets away up a big tree
where you can't jump him, then shoot him and they will wool him when
he falls out.
Clean the squirrel and give the pups some of it to eat, and you won't
be but a few times out hunting squirrels and jumping them out for the
pups and trying to help them catch the squirrel until they will start
out hunting and treeing squirrels as good as any old dog. If the dogs
won't bark up the tree when you get through all of this and they see
the squirrel run back up the tree, you might as well kill them or
take them and run deer, for they will never make tree dogs.
The following directions for perfecting the rabbit dog, are from the
pen of an experienced and successful Ohio hunter.
Get your pup some day while young, if possible, keep him by you, and
when you see a sparrow or something alive, shoot it, pick it up and
show him what you shot at; do this at home. Shoot all you please
while he is young, so when you go hunting with him and shoot at game
he won't be afraid and make a bee line for home.
Most dogs will soon take a liking to guns. Now to training a beagle
dog to be a good one on rabbits, I warn you never to take another dog
along, but for a common hound you may use your own way.
I have seen good beagle dogs spoiled by other dogs. Now, some frosty
morning take your pup to where you most think there are rabbits;
scare one out, and then if he is not near, give three good sharp
whistles which you ought to keep as your signal for him to come. If
you train your pup to a regular code of whistles, he will know what
you want. So here is a good code, which if kept in rule, will become
very handy. When you have scared up game let three sharp whistles be
the calling; if you only want him to come to go another way, give
three long ones. Motion your hand in what direction you want to go
and he will soon learn to understand.
I have often let the dog decide the way to go. Now to go back to the
old subject, when he comes you must be all excited and showing him
that you are greatly in need of him. Then show him three of four
places where the rabbit hopped; when he gets a start you go and stand
where you most think he will come around, but again I warn you never
to jump and run away while your pup is near enough to see or even
hear you, for if you do, he will leave the track and follow you.
Also, you will do a fine piece of work to shoot the first rabbit he
brings around.
Now when you shoot the game, pick it up and wait until your dog
comes, then show it to him, but never let him eat one, for if you
only cripple one he will catch and eat it. Teach him in the start to
hold game until you come to him. Now to get him to start to hunt
another rabbit may be your trouble. He may want to stay with you and
try to steal your rabbit. The best way to start him out is to start
walking through the brush and stamping on brush piles, at the same
time telling him to "hunt 'em up." Keep a piece away from him and he
will soon start to hunt again. Now if he runs one into a den, what
should you do? Dig 'im out and be a "Johnny-dig-'em-out" or let him
go.
Better examine the first den, and if not over 2 or 3 feet deep and
only a small hole, you may dig it out, if it is one of your dog's
first hunts, but don't dig very big dens, for by the time you dig one
out, you may get a shot at another. The way to get your pup away from
a den is to look the situation over and then give up, telling him to
give it up; we can't get it; he will soon come away.
There are other things to be careful of; first you should never hurry
your dog; walk slow and when he gets used to hunting let him scare up
the most of the game or he will get lazy and want you to be the dog.
Never whip your dog for a mistake, or you may spoil him. Then when
you come home you may give him the rabbit heads. Let him in the
house, and when you eat your rabbit, give him all the bones. This
will teach him why and for what you take your game home. One great
thing is, if your dog scares up game and is following on the trail,
don't change your standing place too often; judge the point where the
game will come around and stay there until it does come.
Some fellows will run, jump and halloo after his dog while running a
rabbit; there is where you spoil him, for you must be cool in mind.
Then when your dog is running a rabbit and night is coming on, don't
go home until your dog comes to you, or right there is where your dog
will be discouraged. So when the day's hunt is over you can go home
with your dog by your side.
While you are showing him what good he did for you, if he is wet and
cold call him near the stove and dry him. For if a dog must lay
outside all wet, he will soon become stiff in his limbs, and
rheumatism will be seen at an early age. Always after the day's hunt,
give him all he wants to eat. Don't have him too fat in hunting
season, because he will tire out too easily.
[Illustration: The Fair Sex are More and More Becoming
Practical Nimrods.]