Registered: Feb 2017
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 122

Buddy of mine wants to get into squirrel hunting and is wondering good breeds to choose from what are yalls favorote breeds that are good squirrel dogs

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Wolverine State
Posts: 66

I have a mtn. Cur that's good.
I have had a rat terrier that was good.
I know people that use treeing curs and another with a Cajun Squirrel dog. I have had pitbulls that we're absolutely nuts over Squirrels....
My next dog will probably be a Feist.

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weight pullin squirrel dogs

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Wise, Va
Posts: 206

Feist

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Jessee Luther
Wise, Va
Cell (276) 345-7136

Hunt em hard, cull em harder
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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Clarksville, AR
Posts: 1075

Depends on what he expects from the dog. I switched from coon hunting hounds awhile back. Maybe I wasn't exposed to the right ones, but I looked at feists, even tried one. Just weren't my cup of tea and were never gonna suit my expectations for mouth, hunt, and tree power. But that's because I was still (and probably always will) evaluating them with hound standards. That's why I ultimately ended up with curs. More hunt, more tree, plenty handle and sense.

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Registered: Dec 2011
Location:
Posts: 434

There are hard hunting hard treeing feists out there, just gotta get lucky and find the right ones. Just like there are close hunting, sorry mouthed weak treedogs in the cur family. If you want to exclusively squirrel hunt the right feist is as good as any.

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Wise, Va
Posts: 206

My feist are hard hunting and hard treeing dogs. The make has a very good barn and will stay treed till game is shout out he is called off. Plenty of hunt grit and tree power. Like McSquizze said there are good ones and bad ones in both.

Best thing your friend should do is find somebody to hunt with that owns feist and another who owns curs and see which fits his style off hunting

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Jessee Luther
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Hunt em hard, cull em harder
Luther's Feist Kennels on Facebook

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Wolverine State
Posts: 66

What do you guys think of this...?
When trying to describe these breeds to people I usually say a Feist is like an 80% terrier 20% hound.
I say a mountain cur is like an 80% hound 20% terrier.
A treeing cur is what you put in to it....( English + cur = 90% hound ,10% terrier or whatever). There are curs that are more houndy and feists that are more Spitz like....

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 415

I am following this post with interest, so I hope more people will comment.

I am also trying to decide which dog to get: Treeing Cur or Treeing Feist.

I have been told by several folks that they are basically "the same breed". But the UKC has 2 different Breed Standards listed: one for Treeing Curs (listed as Scenthounds), and one for Treeing Feists (listed as Terriers).

At this point, I am just trying to learn all I can about both breeds, though I am leaning towards the Treeing Feists...

Please feel free to offer any advice & information about these breeds, for those of us who are "in the early stages"...

Thank you.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: NC
Posts: 1594

There is a BIG difference in a TRUE treeing cur and a TRUE treeing feist.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 415

nccatfisher, will you please help to educate us new prospective Cur and / or Feist purchasers as to the difference between a true treeing cur and a true treeing feist ? It would be very helpful of you !!

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: NC
Posts: 1594

quote:

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Originally posted by Littletown
nccatfisher, will you please help to educate us new prospective Cur and / or Feist purchasers as to the difference between a true treeing cur and a true treeing feist ? It would be very helpful of you !!

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 415

nccatfisher, I really appreciate your information & explanation. It was very helpful - Thank You.

Deb

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Al
Posts: 3070

This may not be true of all but in the ones iv hunted with it is. If you are an all day type hunter like me you might not care for the smaller dogs. they seem to tier out quicker up in the day , that's just in the ones iv seen ! they all will get tired but some quicker than others if they hunt hard.

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: tennessee
Posts: 13

West Siberian Laikas or Finnish spitz is probably the best way to go. Alot of fiest and curs just don't make it. Never had a spitz or laika that wasn't at least a decent squirrel dog, most were very nice. If I only wanted to buy one dog it would be a laika or spitz.

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Registered: Dec 2011
Location:
Posts: 434

I see Laikas at a year to eighteen months for sale regularly at puppy price. The same problems every time. Won't hunt with other dogs and will not tree. Do your research. There is a reason not many hunt them. And it's not the hair.

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Last edited by McSquizzie on 06-16-2017 at 10:01 PM

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Registered: Nov 2009
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 118

Maybe I just got a bad one. I had a registered Finnish Spitz, he was the hardest headed dog I have ever had bar none. He didn't miss anything with his eyes, nothing. He would see deer one the other hillside. He would go hunting and you might see him come by you an hour later. You would catch him when he was ready to be caught. And yes I had a e-collar on him. I may have had just a bad one but for me if it was watered down with something else it might be a good breed. jmho

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Registered: Aug 2012
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quote:

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Originally posted by McSquizzie
I see Laikas at a year to eighteen months for sale regularly at puppy price. The same problems every time. Won't hunt with other dogs and will not tree. Do your research. There is a reason not many hunt them. And it's not the hair.

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Registered: May 2010
Location: ross county oh
Posts: 229

Not much training with an Elk Hound just take them to the woods. Natural tree dogs, medium size, they use all their senses, most accurate, more endurance, squirrel hunt most of the day then coon hunt at night. hard to beat a good Elk Hound! JMO

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Registered: Nov 2009
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 118

Ruger, dogs are like automobiles, good ones and bad ones in all models and makes. Looks like your friend will just have to choose what breed of dog he likes the looks of. Then ask around and find and honest and reputable breeder. Best of luck to him whatever his choice.

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Registered: Apr 2016
Location: WV
Posts: 118

At this point your friend doesn't have the tools to really know what he needs. As a general rule people try to steer you in the direction of their preference. There are great ones in all the breeds. I would advise him to buy a finished dog, or nearly finished dog. This way he can sort through all our wisdom at his leisure(lol), already having a dog doing it. If he will pay attention, the dog will be his best teacher. Once he and the dog form a foundation of knowledge, he can then start to decide what he personally really likes. As he hunts with other dogs, things will begin to really click, seeing and better understanding the different traits and types of the breeds and crosses. If hes like some of us, what he wants, and likes, will change a few times. Start with a good dog 750-1500 dollars. Hunt with it before you buy it. Pride, competitiveness, and egos aside, you can buy one cheaper than you can raise one. Im talking about a solid squirrel dog. Don't worry much about color, breed, and what we think is best. Tell him to buy a squirrel dog. Best of luck.

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Registered: Nov 2008
Location: Center MO
Posts: 250

Forget what people tell you about their dogs, go hunt with as many as you can and decide what you like.
Tons of phonies and frauds on here trying to sell dogs so you really need to see for yourself who's legit.
If someone's trying to sell you a puppy or a dog and can't or won't take you hunting, forget them and move on.

Treeing Ours and treeing Feist are catchall categorys of crossbred dog is not true breeds. People make crossbred crosses all the time with expectations that they're going to get the best of both but nature doesn't always work that way.

I hunt Blackmouth Curs and have enjoyed tremendous success with them over the years. The gene pool for good quality Treeing Blackmouth Curs is really small though.
Over the years I've owned a couple of good mountain curs and treeing curs too.

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Registered: Feb 2017
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Posts: 83

quote:

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Originally posted by knockemstiffeng
Not much training with an Elk Hound just take them to the woods. Natural tree dogs, medium size, they use all their senses, most accurate, more endurance, squirrel hunt most of the day then coon hunt at night. hard to beat a good Elk Hound! JMO

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Registered: Feb 2021
Location:
Posts: 3

I would get a cur if he intends to coon hunt as well.

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Registered: Jul 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 89

I would give the WSL a good look. I had never squirrel hunted with a dog, and my first was a WSL. This breed takes to the woods, and starts searching and comes back to check in. They are accurate, reliable and very smart. One thing that you must not do is shoot a squirrel before the dog starts barking tree. Even if you know the dog sees the squirrel.
I'm not sure what the gentleman was talking about when he said the Laika don't bark on tree. Doesn't make sense.
Best of luck.

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BKH

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Registered: Jul 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 89

Both gentlemen gave very good advice. Go out and hunt with several different dogs to see what you like. Try to find a squirrel dog hunting club and go on some hunts.
Good luck.

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