dogs interest in bobcats

[bigskybowhunter]

Alright guys I have a couple questions I am hoping someone can answer. I have a female bluetick she is young, just over a year, and she is a little hammer on coons and been on a couple of lions this year and did ok. I took her out this morning and we cut a bob track in the snow less than 4 hours old. I turned her on the track and she would run it for awhile but really showed no interest in it. I walked it out for about a mile until I lost it in the rocks. My question is if there is a way to get more interested in trailing Bob's like she is in trailing coons? This is the third bob track this winter we have walked out. Just wondering if she needs more experience with bobcat or if any one has any ideas to share. My thought was to trap one and skin it out let her play with it some but I am new to this and didnt know if that would help.

[Big N' Blue]

Jmho but most dogs that really like coons make mediocre cat dogs at best. Good luck!

[al baldwin]

A year old dog that works a four hour old bobcat track at all, with no prior bobcat experience, I would be very please. Bobcat are a different game than coon & for sure not all dogs will make a cat dog. However, I have owned dogs that like to work coon that sure did a good job on bobcat, especially after I broke them off coon & gave them a lot of experience on bobcat. Many dogs have been started on coon here in Oregon, then switch to cat hunting. Is it something I would do if I had a cat dog to work them with? NO! We all have to start somewhere. I do not believe your bobcat hide will do any good, just keep working her on cat every chance you get. This is just what I have& experienced and hope it helps you. I know some of the dogs who made a good showing in the cat competition were started on coon. Al

[funstuff]

keep doing what you are doing. walk that track out for as long as possible, and try to find it in the rocks as well, dont give up! when you get one jumped she should tear after it, if she loses it, help her get it lined back out and she will take out after it again. you will walk "five hundred thousand miles", but she will catch on and the walking will be less. the hardest part of it all is the first tree.

[Emily]

Some dogs have more natural interest in cats than others, but most dogs that like one kind of cat like the others. Encouraging some youthful experience in a barn full of feral cats can't hurt (unless your kids keep a housecat or two!). You don't want them hurting other peoples' pets.