# Will it harm a Squirrel Dog to Live Indoors?



## ontherock (Dec 22, 2013)

Greetings,

I am considering the purchase of a squirrel dog and am wondering if it would harm the dog's hunting ability to make him an indoor dog. Some have told me that the indoors would mess up the sensitivity of the dog's nose. However, I am finding some folks who claim that their feist is a great squirrel dog as well as a family pet/house dog.  Does anyone have any advice on this matter? Thank you.


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## Corey (Dec 23, 2013)

No it will not harm your dog at all, they handle alot better if 
you ask me. As far as sense of smell thats a new one on me  

The bigest thing about having a dog inside is the fam gets so
attached to it and anything can happend hunting, like saturday
my dog fell in the Hooch and I almost lost him. I got real lucky 
and was able to save him.


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## dotties cutter (Dec 23, 2013)

One of my uncles over in Waycross had a fiest that was a house dog and a really great squirrel dog. When I was a teenager  we had a friend who had a pair of beagles he kept as pets and they were really good rabbit dogs. They were not in shape to run with our dogs but did great when they jumped and ran by themselves. I can't see how it makes any difference on the dogs hunting ability and the dog will love it.


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## Jay Bee (Dec 23, 2013)

I keep my Feist in the house, But be ready to put her in the shower when you get home if she get full of mud & other nasty things.


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## Ancient Obsession (Dec 23, 2013)

I had a good one and she was inside most of the time. She was smart and handled great due to the close bonding. The only thing was she didn't like to be cold and wet. That may have just been her nature, and not related to being indoors though.


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## ky55 (Dec 23, 2013)

Corey said:


> The bigest thing about having a dog inside is the fam gets so
> attached to it and anything can happend hunting,



When our feist got about 2 years old my wife said that I wasn't taking "her" dog out and getting him hurt, so that was the end of that deal.
He still trees around the house and I knock one out for him every time I can. He stays outside in his kennel when we are both gone, but he hasn't spent a night outside in a couple of years.


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## Brian Groce (Dec 23, 2013)

My feist stays in the house.  My wife don't like it when he comes home bloody and she treats him like a baby.  If you get a feist and keep it in the house prepare to have a new best friend.


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## ontherock (Dec 24, 2013)

*Thank You*

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I will now begin my search for a squirrel dog. Thanks again and I wish you all a Merry Christmas!


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## The mtn man (Dec 26, 2013)

In short, no keep him in the house, the more time you spend the better.I can't keep one in the house, because of shedding, I just can't take dog hair on the furniture or rug, I don't have time to clean it up.Wish I did.


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## Ytka (Jan 4, 2014)

I hope it doesn't. My feist is 5 months old and lives in the house. She's 9.5lbs and runs our 80lb Doberman ragged. She hasn't started really treeing yet, but she's getting the idea. Two weeks ago she started running with her nose to the ground all the way to the base of the tree and then looking up in it.


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