We Suddenly Lost Our Dog To Hemangiosarcoma
Squirrel Hunting Dogs—And Why You Should Get One
A feist squirrel hunting dog barks at a treed bushytail.
Pound-for-pound, squirrel hunting dogs may be the most badass hunting dogs around. They're tenacious, resourceful, and tireless, coving a surprising amount of ground for their size. Those who've hunted squirrels without dogs might be skeptical about hunting with one, but these dogs do have a place in the woods.
Squirrel hunting dogs really shine in the late season and on any day when it doesn't seem like there is a squirrel in the woods. Best of all, keeping a dog for squirrel hunting is easier than feeding a pack of coon hounds or a big bird dog, as they're small, typically weighing between 25 and 40 pounds. Still not convinced? Then let's dive a little deeper. Here's everything you should know about squirrel-hunting dogs, and don't be surprised if it's enough to change your mind.
A vintage cover of field & Stream magazine with a dog on it.
What is a Squirrel Hunting Dog?Squirrel hunting dogs fall into two main breeds: feists and curs. Both breeds will use their nose, eyes, and ears to track and find squirrels. They typically cast out to about 150 to 200 yards working a patch of hardwoods while a hunter follows behind. When they find a squirrel, these dogs will bay it into a tree so the hunter can get a shot. Squirrel dogs will also track wounded squirrels, dispatch them, and bring them to hand. Good squirrel dogs can track a squirrel as it jumps through the treetops and tries to escape.
What Makes Squirrel Hunting Dogs DifferentA squirrel dog with not only tree bushytails but also chase them to your side of the tree to give you a good shot.
Maybe you've watched your dog chase squirrels in the park and are thinking, What's the big deal? Any dog can do that. But chasing squirrels is different than hunting them. Squirrels are, well, squirrely, and they run all over the place, leaving scent on logs, tree branches, and the forest floor before jumping from treetop to treetop.
Squirrels can give most dogs the slip, just as they do with their natural predators like coyotes and fishercats. But a squirrel hunting dog is like a detective, working methodically to unravel the twists and turns of scent a squirrel leaves behind. Squirrel hunting dogs also know how to work with hunters to get the drop on bushytails. They instinctively work opposite sides of trees to push squirrels to you, and they will use their eyes and ears to track a squirrel that's moving through the trees.
Related: Squirrel Hunting 101: The Ultimate Guide to Chasing Bushytails
Feists vs. CursFeists are small, tenacious, and very effective squirrel dogs.
Feists and curs are the two most common types of squirrel hunting dogs, and they cover a broad array of more specific breeds geared toward squirrel hunting. They both come from the Southeast, where squirrel dogging is serious business. Feists are smaller than curs, weighing under 30 lbs and standing about 18 inches tall. They're known for working closer than curs, and thanks to their terrier ancestry, they are quite tenacious. Squirrel hunters should consider the mountain fiest, Mullens fiest, Barger fiest, and American treeing fiest. Find a breeder, like Shadowtail Kennels, that specifically raises feists to hunt squirrels.
Curs are the larger of the two squirrel hunting dogs, weighing between 30 and 60 pounds and standing around 25 inches at the shoulder, though some are shorter than that. Because of their stature, they range farther than feists. Cur owners also feel their dogs have better noses. If you're looking for a cur, work with a breeder like Lost Forty Kennels, and focus on breeds like the mountain cur, Stephens cur, Kemmer cur, and the treeing Tennessee brindle.
A pair of curs tree a squirrel. Curs are larger than feists.
How to Train a Squirrel DogIf you've made it this far, you're probably seriously considering a squirrel dog. You might have even already bought one and are wondering what to do with it. The best way to get your feist or cur in the woods is to start working with the dog as a pup. Once you've earned the dog's trust, bring them with you everywhere—which is easy because squirrel dogs are small. You'll want to expose them to the kinds of obstacles they'll face in the woods, like creeks and blown-down logs. You'll also want to work on basic obedience and reward them for things like coming to your call.
A good day of squirrel hunting with a feist.
While building up the pup's strength and confidence, you should keep an eye out for roadkill squirrels and save a few pelts and hides from your hunts in the freezer. Use the hides to introduce your pup to squirrel scent, but don't push him too hard at first if he doesn't show interest. Reward him if he does, and let your pup play with hides and tails. As the dog progresses, hang the hides and tails just out of reach in trees and drag their scent on the trunks (not the ground). When your dog finds the hide or tail, encourage him to bark and reward him when he does.
Before hunting, you should make sure you've introduced your dog to gunfire and that he's ok with it. You also want to focus on bringing your dog only to spots where you know there are a lot of squirrels at first. That way, he'll have plenty of contact with wild game. On your dog's first few successful trees, leash the dog to the tree so he knows he's supposed to stay with the squirrel. If your dog doesn't tree a squirrel, don't shoot it. The squirrel is the reward for the dog. The best squirrel hunting dog trainers keep their dogs in the woods as much as possible. You shouldn't get a squirrel dog unless you plan to do a lot of squirrel hunting. Above all else, be patient with your dog as he learns. If you'd like to learn more about training a squirrel hunting dog, check out Lost Forty Kennel's squirrel-dog training tips.
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15 Extinct Dog Breeds You Never Knew Existed
Which dog breeds are currently on the verge of extinction?The Norwegian Lundehund is one dog on the tipping point. This unique and flexible breed has extra toes on each foot that aided it in climbing into seaside cliff tunnels to hunt puffins. The lundehund has faced near-extinction several times, partly due to job loss (turns out puffin hunting is not much in demand these days—in fact, it's illegal) and partly due to repeated distemper outbreaks on its home island. The current breed descends from just four individuals, and about a third of all Lundehunds suffer from a hereditary digestive problem.
Scientists and breeders are working together to arrange careful crosses with other breeds in an effort to rescue the Lundehund, according to Cindy Stansell, an AKC-certified judge and the spokesperson for Norwegian Lundehund Association of America. "Additionally, the Norwegian Kennel Club is conducting a controlled cross-breeding program with other spitz breeds to increase diversity and immunity in the Norwegian Lundehund," she explains. It's a plan that's worked before with other endangered breeds, such as the Irish wolfhound in the late 1800s, but this time it has the advantage of DNA testing and other modern science.
The Dandie Dinmont is another rare breed whose numbers were dwindling until the Kennel Club in Britain named it as one of its most vulnerable native breeds. Then, breeders banded together to promote the Dandie, posting cute pictures, taking their dogs out to meet the public, attending dog events and encouraging people to try this short-legged breed with the tousled hair and big eyes—and slowly but surely, the Dandie, like the phoenix, seems to be rising from the ashes.
Can we save today's endangered dog breeds?It's definitely possible. Many of today's breeds have been rescued from the brink of extinction—some due to dedicated people who gathered them from remote locations, shared their meager rations when food was scarce or devoted their lives to reviving an endangered breed. In some cases, careful crosses with similar breeds enabled breeders to resurrect a breed that was lost or nearly lost.
You can do your part the next time you're choosing a breed as your future family member by considering one of the endangered rare breeds at the bottom of the popularity list. In Britain, the Kennel Club keeps a list of vulnerable native breeds and asks potential dog owners to consider them before jumping to the more popular ones. It follows the efforts undertaken by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, an organization that strives to preserve endangered breeds of livestock and horses but does not include dogs.
Why trust usAt Reader's Digest, we're committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece on extinct dog breeds, Caroline Coile, PhD, tapped her experience as an award-winning journalist specializing in canine breeds, health and science, and interviewed other experts in the field. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
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20 Of The Healthiest Dog Breeds With The Fewest Medical Problems
Belgian MalinoisBelgian Malinois have become popular police and military dogs, largely because they are so much healthier than similar breeds like the German shepherd dog. While Belgian Malinois should still be screened for hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia (as well as eye problems), the incidence of these diseases is lower than in many other breeds. Belgian Malinois can be expected to live for 14 to 16 years, which is remarkable for a dog of their size. This is mostly due to the fact that breeders have put an emphasis on producing healthy dogs.
However, Belgian Malinois are not always the easiest dogs to live with. They are exceedingly loyal, but sometimes only to one person. They also need a lot of exercise and mental work to prevent boredom and the behavior problems that come along with it.
FAQs How can you keep your dog healthy?A dog's health is dependent on many factors, including eating a nutritious diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, having time to play and use its brain, and staying up to date on preventive veterinary care. That being said, a dog's breed makeup also plays a role because different breeds are genetically predisposed to certain health problems.
How do you pick the right healthy dog breed for your lifestyle?To find a dog that will be a good fit with your lifestyle, it's important to consider its size, age, personality, grooming requirements and exercise needs. Thankfully, healthy breeds and healthy mixed breeds can be found in almost every category—big/small, active/laid-back and shorthaired/longhaired, to name a few.
What dog breed lives the longest?The Chihuahua is often said to be the breed with the longest life expectancy. Many have lived late into their teens, and some even into their 20s. But good breeding (and a bit of luck) plays a big role in good health. Sadly, some Chihuahuas do not enjoy good health and die young.
Are mixed-breed dogs healthier than purebreds?It's hard to make generalizations because "mixed breed" is such a nebulous term. If the mixed breed you're referring to is simply a cross between two notoriously unhealthy breeds, then no, there's no reason to expect that they'll be particularly healthy. True Heinz-57 mutts, on the other hand, can benefit from a lower incidence of inherited disease. In contrast, some purebreds, like the American foxhound, are also much healthier than the average dog.
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Why trust usAt Reader's Digest, we're committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece on the healthiest dog breeds, Jennifer Coates, DVM, tapped her experience as a veterinarian with more than 25 years of professional experience, and then Caroline Coile, PhD, an award-winning journalist specializing in canine breeds, health and science, gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data and backed them with credible sourcing, and we will revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
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