# breaking a dog off possums



## Nytrobud1 (Aug 21, 2009)

Has any body else done it this way, or do you have a better way.
 I have a coondog that will pull off a coon track and tree on a possum every time one crosses the track.I wont whip her on the tree because I use to have a problem with her not sticking the tree,found out later that reason was I was hunting her with a tree jacker,and she didnt like being landed on. So my latest idea is to shoot the next one out on her and lite her tail up when she goes for the kill.


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## GA DAWG (Aug 21, 2009)

You can do what you want to and will hear all kinds of tells.. I WOULD NOT SHOOT ONE OUT TO HER PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now try and catch you one in a trap and try and break her with it..Myself I just whip em at the tree..Way I figure it..If they aint got enough sence to know whats going on..I dont have much to begin with...


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## Beagler (Aug 21, 2009)

A friend I used to go coon hunting with, would kill the Possum slit it's belly, push the dogs nose in the belly then hold it there.  then he's go to beaten the dog with the possum.
But it seems a easier way now would be Tri Tronics


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## holler tree (Aug 21, 2009)

shock collar. we shoot them out and fry the dog everytime they go near it. its worked well for us.


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## Nytrobud1 (Aug 21, 2009)

Ga dawg think I'll try your way first.I can easily trap a possum tonight,and try her on it during the day tomorrow.then wait till 2moro night and if she does it again,lite her up


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## DEAD EYE (Aug 21, 2009)

Thats right GA. DAWG dont shoot it out at all , what ever you use a shock collar or a swicth make sure you tree a coon with her the same night if possable. then reward her in some way or you will start having problems with her staying treed.


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## thomas gose (Aug 21, 2009)

GA DAWG said:


> You can do what you want to and will hear all kinds of tells.. I WOULD NOT SHOOT ONE OUT TO HER PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now try and catch you one in a trap and try and break her with it..Myself I just whip em at the tree..Way I figure it..If they aint got enough sence to know whats going on..I dont have much to begin with...



i agree. dont ever shoot something that you dont want your dog to tree! i think trapping one would be ideal and they are very easy to trap.


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## dawg2 (Aug 21, 2009)

holler tree said:


> shock collar. we shoot them out and fry the dog everytime they go near it. its worked well for us.



What he said.


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## houndsman (Aug 21, 2009)

i use a simple method , dog trees possum leash it and pull it off the tree tell it no lead it away turn loose again on down the creek when we tree the right thing i pull out a little treat [sandwich meat usually] reword the dog pet it up if shooting season is in take one out [ o yes the ultimate reword a fresh coon]this works for me


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## Hog (Aug 21, 2009)

The simpliest thing for you to do would be to leash the dog & lead it away from the area.Never shoot or shake anything out unless it is what you want "that being coon".I always had good coon dogs & this always worked for me without ever using electronics or any other methods.Once the dog gets use to treeing & fiteing  coon on the ground they will not want to fole with possums anymore.I do have shock collars now but if I had this problem again I would still resort to do the same thing Im tellin you & that would be to leash the dog & walk away without ever saying a word but no no no.When the dog does tree a coon then I would make a deal about it & praise the dog by petting him up good.


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## poolecw (Aug 22, 2009)

Everybody has their own methods that work for them.   You'll also have to figure out which method work best for your dog.  Here are a few methods that I've either used or have seen used.

1.  Whip or shock the dog at the tree for treeing the possum.
2.  Shoot the possum out  and shock to dog when he goes in for it.  
      Take the shot possum and hold it on the dog's head while   
      shocking him.  (this worked for me on a very stubborn dog)
3.  Trap possum and take to dog...shock the dog when he goes in 
      on it or sniffs at it.
4.  Really pet the dog up when he trees coon. When he trees 
     possum,  just verbally in a mean voice "you know better than 
     that". and lead him away.

One funny method that an old coon hunter told me about was to tie a dead possum to the dog's neck and make him keep keep it on for a day or two...


Again, you'll have to figure out how to do it with your dog...as each dog is different.  For intense, you wouldn't want to whip or shock a dog that is already very timid acting.


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## Nytrobud1 (Aug 24, 2009)

I tried the "whoop the s**t outa them"method out on both my hounds last nite.I switched them and yelled no the when they tried to go after it in the cage.Then I dumped it out to to see if they would go after it.Of course both did when it hit the ground,so I switched them  again if they did while yelling no.Got to where I was smacking them in the face with it and they were turning away trying not to look at it.Got get a coon now to present the positive side of this,Of course I'll have to take them somewhere else so I wont disturb the neighbors


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## Al Medcalf (Aug 25, 2009)

My motto is "If it climbs, it ain't trash".  But, I don't competition hunt and I have close hunting silent dogs...So, I don't have to walk a half a mile to a possum tree.  I've got a couple that used to be jam-up possum dogs but after leashing them and recasting them and just shooting coons out to them they broke themselves off possums.  They were never whipped or fussed at for treeing possums.  I would much rather go to a possum tree and have one hole a dillar or run a deer.


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