This golden retriever is treeing a squirrel, and I think they actually could be used as squirrel dogs.
However, they aren’t barkers– at least in this context.
So you would have to put a bell on the dog.
Some of these dogs, including Miley, are obsessive squirrel treers, and they are actually pretty adept at marking the squirrel’s course through the treetop.
Miley is so good at it that she doesn’t put her feet on the tree anymore. She just watches the canopy and tries to catch the scent.
Best squirrel dog ever? A boston terrier named Jez, she could hunt them down like nothing I have every seen.
Cool picture
Now random question, I live in the UK near Dartmoor. Dartmoor doesn’t have many trees! Twice in the last month my dogs have chased squirrels on Dartmoor. Nearest trees were several miles away. One squirrel was on the edge of the moor but there were fields about 1/2 a mile off and woods several moor miles off. 2nd squirrel was much farther in.
I can only assume these are dispersing from the woods and hitting the moor in search of fresh trees. If they just kept going across the moor they will be in for quite a walk!
I also think they must be very vulnerable to predators. I’ve I hadn’t called my pack off they would have killed both these squirrels. One ran into a gorse bush (dogs would have gone right in to and killed him) other ran into a area of reeds/marsh land. Dogs would have got him too. A fox obviously wouldn’t be called off!
Adam
Easy to fix that no-barking problem. Just use this high-tech collar:
:-)
I know a squirrel-obsessed golden x rottweiler – and she’s got an absolutely thundering bark. About as smart as a rock, though.