Training dogs for lion hunting

R

ricky_arthur

New member
I'm going to be getting a couple walker hounds and I was looking for some input on how soon to start them and just how to start. I've been told everything from a couple months to 2 years. I know that dogs from the same male/female I'll be getting one dog from, tracked and treed a lion with no other dogs this year at just 8 months old. So at what age and just how do you start yours?
Thanks
Ricky
 
Hi Ricky,
I HIGHLY reccommend you get Tom Solberg's book, "Dog Talk". You'll be WAY ahead of most folks when it comes to training hounds. The book is awesome and very easy to read and follow and understand. Do a search for T-Top Redbonesand you can order it through there. E-mail me and I'd be more than happy to help out. Good luck and get ready for alot of fun training those guys. Fred
 
Hi I Think Form 6mon.to 1yearold. its going to
be hard but it will work if you keep after it.
i started out with pups when i started coyote
hunting it took me three years before it realy
pays off but it will happen so good luck and
run them hound.

Thanks Steve&The Thorn
Mt Hounds. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Hi Do You Get The Full Cry Mag. There Are Alot
Of Guys That Lion Hunt And There Are Some Started
And Broke Hounds For Sale In There That Would Help Get Your Pups Started.Good Luck And Run
Them Hounds.

Thanks Steve&The Thorn
Mt Hounds. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Steven,Machias, Thanks for the replies. I do get full cry, and I've got dog talk on the way. I also have lots of excelent dogs that they can run with. Here's a thought, I'm gonna start them out on old lion tracks in the dirt. Take a spray bottle with lion scent and add a little scent to the tracks and lead them to a tree with a scent hung just above their heads. Then just decrease the amount of scent, increase lenth of trail and height of scent in tree as they progress. How's that sound?
 
I'll tell you Ricky when you read Tom's book you will be years ahead of the average joe starting out, that is how good his book is. Hopefully you are getting at least one young pup, say 8 to 10 weeks old. Get a rag and put yourself some good quality coon scent on it and play keep away with your pup, make it alot of fun. The whole time he's chasing and every time you bring it out to play say siiiiccccuuuummm. Hiss it over and over. Before long you can say sicum and watch his whole body change as he goes into search mode for the rag, ie the scent. Then start laying short trail and hiding the rag and say sicum. He'll start searching for the scent, when he finds it heap the praise on him. Once he gets big enough and if it's legal where your at trap you a coon. At around 5 to 6 months old show him the coon and say sicum. Don't force him near the coon if he don't want to go. If he gets aggressive and goes off on the coon get right down there with him and really heap the praise on him. Then pick him up and carry him away and put him up. Don't show him a caged coon on the ground any more. If he's scared put him up and do it again a week later. Eventually he's gonna wanna eat that coon. Then do a short drag to a tree with the caged coon and the scent rag. Put the coon up high, make sure the rope is secure and won't come loose and hurt your pup. Once he follows the short drag, with you saying sicum all the time, lower the coon cage right to his face. Once he's aggressive at the coon pull the coon up. When he's treeing get down on the wood and really praise him. Then you can start making slighty longer drags. Lots of praise at the tree. If he comes off the tree wipe the smile off your face and give him your mean voice and tell him to get back on that tree. As soon as he's treeing properly heap on the praise again. Once he's doing those things well do it at night with him, first short drags and then longer ones. Once he's treeing coon good then I would switch him to lion scent and go from there. Fred
 
Machias. NOW THATS WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR!! Thanks. The first pup is 8 weeks old he will be here as soon as I get over to st george and pick him up. The second? well I was just over there tonight watching sampson and muzzie complete the transaction (so to speak)I'm real excited about getting one of these pups cause I don't know of a better dog in this part of the state than sampson, and muzzie is not far behind.

Thanks for the advice thats just what I'll do.

Ricky
 
In Tom's book there is a TON more info but that was just a tidbit. When you feed your new pup, every time you put the food down, use a gruff growly voice at him. If he continues towards the food growl and grab him by the scruff of the neck. If he still trys to continue on (which they almost never do) growl and grab and push him down. Do this every time. It is VERY important in later training. He will defer to you as the leader and make later training sooo much easier. ANY TIME that you see him doing something he's not supposed to do use that growly voice. You are going to have to give him a lickin with the growly voice. Nothing too drastic, a leather strap or soft rubber hose. Something that makes noise and stings a bit. After a time or two your hound will stop whatever it is he's doing with JUST the growly voice. It is amazing later if you do this from the very first. The pups won't fear you, it is normal in a pack and they accept direction from the leader. One more thing NEVER NEVER call your dog to you and give him a butt whipping. If you are calling him to come and he doesn't come and you start getting ticked and then he comes in and you whip him. He will associate coming to you with getting a whipping. When you get your pup, make sure you post some photos. Fred
 
Hi, I noticed you guys talking about Mr. Solbergs book. Which book do you reccomend first. What I have in mind is getting one book right now then waiting a little while for the other book. Thanks for your responses.
 
Dog Talk first and then the other book after that. That is also how I ended up doing it. They both have a ton of very useful information. I have e-mailed and spoke with Tom alot, super nice man. I have tried to encourage him in writing a book on comp hunts because of the way he writes and explains things I believe it would be a killer book. Fred
 


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