How to Train a Beagle to Hunt Squirrels

Training a beagle to hunt doesn't mean teaching it to catch and kill game. A beagle's job is to chase down its quarry --- in this case squirrels --- trap it, usually up a tree, and keep it there until the beagle's owner --- you --- arrives to capture or kill the squirrel. Training a beagle to hunt squirrels is more challenging than training it to hunt, say, rabbits, mostly because it's harder to keep a squirrel enclosed than a rabbit, and you're not likely to have tame squirrels for a training aid as is commonly done with rabbits.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Trapped squirrel
• Well-treed area

1. Show your beagle the trapped squirrel in its cage and let the puppy get a good sniff of the squirrel. Lavishly praise and encourage any interest the pup shows in the squirrel.

2. Tie the trapped squirrel's cage in a tree, with the opening of the cage pointing down. Position your beagle underneath the tree.

3. Open the squirrel's cage. Because the door is pointing down, he has no choice but to jump out right in front of your pup. At this point, he'll definitely run.

4. Encourage and praise your beagle as it chases the squirrel. If it loses the scent, don't scold it --- negative reinforcement won't train your puppy to do anything. Just start over again with another trapped squirrel.

5. Continue this drill until the beagle relaxes to the point that it bays as it chases the squirrel. Encourage this behavior consistently.

6. Train your beagle with this technique during nighttime, too. You can also expose the beagle to a variety of different treed environments as training progresses.

Tips & Warnings

• Consistency is the key to effective dog training. You can also partner your beagle with another, more experienced dog, if necessary, to raise its interest level and provide a good example.

Resources

• Squirrel scent