Not a Vocal Dog

[wiblackandtans]

I have a 10 month old male which i've been working with bobcat drags. he lights up while im gone and doing the drags and he's leashed to the bumper. but when he's on the track hes tight lipped, and when he gets to the tree he's not vocal either. should change when he sees a real cat. awhile back i did the hotdog on a fishing pole and he would bark on the tree. but is there anyway to get him to bark at the drag tree, have been doing praise and treats when he gets up on the tree.

[LarryBeggs]

I wouldnt worry to much about it. Most dogs wont tree on drags or open on track on drags unless they have been messed with quite a bit.On real bobcats most dogs dont start to tree much till toward the end of there first winter.If buy the end of there second winter they arent sitting down and treeing solid then they may not make tree dogs.Thats if your putting them under some trees.There are exceptions to that both ways.I had a six month old pup locate ahead of my other dogs once.And I have had a crossed up trig dog that didnt start treeing much till she was a little older but when she did she made a good tree dog.I wouldnt judge how open mouth he is on a drag. I would try to get him under as many real trees as possible and only encourage him when you know there is a cat up.I know getting him under some real trees is tough if your just getting started but that is best.If getting him under some real trees isnt possible then I would fall back on the drags. If you have no one else to hunt with to help get him started I would hunt him in the snow and start puting him on cat tracks. He might suprise you and go out of there opening good and if your realy lucky he might even locate and tree.Good luck with him,Larry

[wiblackandtans]

Thanks, with the drags he sits at the tree, and stands up on the tree when he locates them. Tonight, he did bark twice at the tree, and he made some real good progress on the tracking end of it. I went been bear hunting for years with a guy and his dogs when i was a kid. Also went bobcat hunting behind dogs too, so i have some knowledge, im just getting into it by myself with my own dogs. but here in wisconsin, residents can only draw tags for cats every 4 to 5 years. but my uncle has a tag this winter so im gonna try to get him one. then i want to run oakie on coon next year.

[LarryBeggs]

Its tough to make dogs when your only alowed 1 tag every few years.Are you allowed to persue without a tag?Hope your dog does good for you.Good luck

[skot1120]

When I first started hounds I hung out with some cowboys that teased the hell out of me. I tended to believe everything they told me.. oops. I asked "Fuzzy" how do i get my (one and only) pup to tree when he chases the house cat up a tree. He said "Norm" .. he called me norm.. not my name.. "you have to get on the tree like a dog and and bawl at it!!" and he held to that story so thats what i did!! I did it everyday after school and the pup caught on fast. Not sure if this would work again BUT it worked once! Fuzzy just laughed when i told him. He was a great friend and the reason I have hounds. R.I.P