The American Beagler Forum

noticed 2 year old barking on squirrels any ideas how to break besides shock collar she came from kentucky to michigan i dont know if scent is little different likes to smell base of trees once in a while once broke she can really hammer rabbit she has not ran anything else deer etc.

Often young or inexperienced hounds will do that for a while when they're first learning to track. It normally corrects itself. Next time she pops off at the base of a tree and you know she's on squirrel, just correct her like you would if you caught her in the garbage. A firm NO and a swat on the behind, then move her. Eventually she'll get the idea you don't want her on that scent, but you'll have to stay close to her until she learns. Thankfully, it should be much easier to correct her without a shock collar since squirrels don't run for three counties. Good luck!

Young dogs will do this on rats in the field sometimes as well. I just call them away and get them hunting somewhere else. They grow out of it soon enough.
-Pete

I normally don't shock my dogs off of squirrels, but then again I have never had any of mine try a squirrel lately. They normally will grow out of the squirrel phase anyway. There are so many squirrels in my yard that my dogs don't even pay any attention to them. I see them on the top of my dog kennels from time to time and the dogs just look at them.

Big Dog

I am dont no much about the whole dog trainng thing but all i got to say is........"SO".........i mean if you have big expectations for this dog as a trailer I would mind it in miy dog. I dont mind shootin a squirrel every once in awhile as long as the dog doesn't start take a squirrel over a rabbit then you would have a problem.

Beagles_BlueticksJM wrote:I am dont no much about the whole dog trainng thing but all i got to say is........"SO".........i mean if you have big expectations for this dog as a trailer I would mind it in miy dog. I dont mind shootin a squirrel every once in awhile as long as the dog doesn't start take a squirrel over a rabbit then you would have a problem.

I'm with Josh. My wife said our dog will sometimes try to chase squirrels around the yard, and she asked if I wanted her to correct him when he did that. And I replied that I honestly wouldn't mind a squirrel or two in the bag while I'm out hunting. But I also agree that if he chooses squirrels over rabbits on a consistent basis then that would be a problem, but I don't think that everyonceinawhile would hurt.

Besides I don't think many beagles would be interested in squirrels too long anyway, since they'll go up a tree at the first opportunity. My pup rarely looks up when he's searching for scent.