Newbie questions?

[newbiecoon]

I just got a bluetick pup, my first, she is 11 weeks old and i plan on training her for coon. I have a couple questions though. First one is: my wife hates chaining, but i'v been told that you have to keep them chained, is there a alternative, how do all of you keep your dogs? second question is about small animals, we have cats ,chickens, rabbits,lambs,. so since she's a pup will she adjust to these pets or will she turn on them once i train her for coon, I read they arn't good with small animals cause of their prey drive, so how many of you do or don't have problems like these or give me some insight into these issues. also one more question: we have her in with us right now for the most part but we are putting her on a chain when we have to leave and she does nothing but bay for hours and hours if we arn't with her. is there a way to curb this behavior so my neighbors don't shoot me!!

[pegleg]

restraint doesn't only equal chaining. secure fences kennels etc. they can be allowed to run if you own 20 or more miles in every direction otherwise yes they do get into trouble.
domestic animals can be off limits with firm and proper training they learn like other dogs although may need more reps and stronger encouragement. MY family has all the large n small animals to and the hounds learn quickly they are not game period. we don't however have cats this has never worked out some hounds abide by the house cat rule others just get real clever. bark collars e-collars work for boredom barking. a long jog before being chained also works however it does take time and they get longer every time out. chained dogs tend to bark more then kenneled dogs but with work both can be taught to be quiet. good luck on your new hound

[newbiecoon]

we thought about getting a kennel, it would have to be cover on top or would they get out if left open, what about digging under? so far she has been pretty good with all our chickens and the cats she has been good with, my one cat is kind of skittish and i'v caught her chasing him once or twice when he's jump off the table and ran to the room. but outside she ignores the cat

[M Evertsen]

Floors can be anything solid.

I use old cutting edges from the county blades when they get rid of them. I also have been using slate rock that I have found out and about. Just picked up a large load of them today. They work pretty good. Also, lava rocks for the kennel floor. Or, build a concrete floored kennel.

Later,

Marcial

[pegleg]

2" x 4" x 6' horse fence is my preference or a 6' heavy gauge chainlink with gravel floors and a concrete footer poured along fence line 4" x 10" or more inches in depth a electric fence run above the ground and 8" from fence stops digging and climbing if a confirmed climber is a problem run a second wire around rim of kennel it all depends on your preference or your neighborhood

[cjohnson1178]

I have found that two pups are a heck of alot easier than one. Especially when their left alone they wont get so lonely. Dogs don't usually have trouble in kennels (digging climbing and barking) if their let out for some daily exercise.

[newbiecoon]

thanks for all the good ideas it looks like kennels are the way to go. What about the cat issue is there any luck there does, anyone have cats?

[yeager]

You have a couple things going on with that 10 week old pup, you don't really want to scold her because she will become confused, you need to let her explore have fun and gain confidence. Be carefull not to ruin her spirit or she will be ome to submissive and afraid. Teach her NO, but careful with the NO command.

A kennel with with some chain link about a foot buried and then bury some chain link by the entrance so if they do start digging they will not get far.

One other thing that works is when they dig a hole, bury their scat in the hole and they wont go back to it...

And most importantly, get her crate trained. Not sure where she is sleeping at the moment but I started my pups in a crate at night secured and covered it with a blanket so they can't see out. Eventualy, when they got use to their surroundings, around 1- 2 weeks later, I kicked them out in a 50x80 run.
One pup is all you need for now in my opinion; You get more done and the training sessions are alot easier with one.
Good Luck,
Yeager

[desertdog]

Good, cheap way to stop digging is cut a 2 foot strip of 4x4 fencing and run it all along the inside of the kennel, on the ground. Stake it down with those plastic stakes from Home-Depot that are used for half inch irrigation lines. It works..

[newbiecoon]

right now we have her sleeping next to the bed kept in with a baby gate, she can get over it but as long as we are in the room sleeping she sleeps all night and lets us know when she needs to go out. so what good comes from crate training, never have done this with a dog before?

[chaseb]

I built mine 10 by 20 with hard top and hog panel floor and my dogs wont mess with chickens or anything around my house but a cat well that is another issue i dont no what you would do keep the cats away from your hounds

[Longspring]

Good, cheap way to stop digging is cut a 2 foot strip of 4x4 fencing and run it all along the inside of the kennel, on the ground. Stake it down with those plastic stakes from Home-Depot that are used for half inch irrigation lines. It works..

I used old 6" round fence posts staked against the kennel . No problems since at all .Good advise .

[Unreal_tk]

My dogs don't bother our house cats but any others they will chase and kill. You just need to raise them together and they are fine. I have a side of my barn turned into a kennel no escapes yet but beware of dogs in heat will change that easily.

[KLS]

Make the Kennel as large as possible and if she does dig throw her poop in the hole and bury it,she won't dig there again, i wouldn't bother putting a top on it right now some dogs never do climb.I have pigeons,house cats and a rabbit my dog's won't bother them now that there older as pups though you need to let them do what there bred for.I wish sometimes that my wife's cat would somehow get outside with them.LOL
Keeping her in the house with you at night isn't the best idea because she will become used to it and whenever you put her out she will bark like hell.It sounds like you don't have another dog? if she had some other dog to play with and keep her company that would stop alot of barking.Some people would get a pup trainer to teach her the ropes however they are usually old hounds 7,8 or so and won't play like a pup or young dog does,it's harded with only one pup if your new at it.Crate training is the way to go she will be riding in a box her whole life to and from hunting trips ect.. and a crate is a great way to teach her the boundries at your house.
Good luck with her she is a nice looking pup and will give you years of fun and grief as well.

[newbiecoon]

the only reason that i was considering a top is because our back yard is fenced but yet she manages to keep finding ways out and every time we figure out where she's getting through she finds another way including climbing up and over apart of our fence that is slightly bending over, she climbed over it the other day, sliped and got her leg stuck and was hanging there crying a storm we thought she had broke her leg, even that hasn't stopped her so if i decide not to top it how high should the fencing be?.we don't have any other pups yet, my wife just lost her 14 yr old GSD a couple months ago and plans on getting another, probably sometime in the next year. I think we are going to start putting her out at night once i get a dog house built, she seems to think she is entitled to be in the house now, especially in the cold mornings and at night and she will stop short of the door at night when we take her out before bed and pee on the carpet if we don't drag or carry her outside. and she is still barking for hours on end if we leave her out on the chain. Between her and my 3 yr old my wife is going insane by the time i'm home from work!!!! I can see that these dogs are smart as whips but stubborn as hell......crate training is looking better and better!!!