Roll cages are similar to hamster balls in that they roll around when the animal, in this case, a raccoon, moves about inside. However, roll cages for raccoons have two flat sides so they are more cylinder in shape than a ball shape. The design allows a dog trainer to introduce a coonhound to a live raccoon in a more controlled situation where neither the raccoon nor the coonhound is harmed.
Instructions
1. Check with your local Department of Natural Resources to ensure you are following all the rules as it pertains to the trapping and releasing of wild raccoons and the training of coonhounds for hunting. Each area is different.
2. Transfer a healthy, live raccoon from a live trap into the roll cage. This can be tricky. Wear thick leather gloves and, with the two doors both open and sandwiched together, gently bump the cage to encourage the raccoon to move over to the roll cage.
3. Place the roll cage in an area free of other distracting odors such as other dogs. You want the raccoon to take center stage in the coonhound's mind. If you want to encourage treeing rather than just making an introduction, attach a rope to the roll cage and hang it in a tree.
4. Leash your coonhound and slowly approach the roll cage. It is best if the coonhound takes the lead, but some coonhounds may need encouragement. The raccoon will likely be hissing and snapping much like a cat, which can scare the coonhound. Allow the dog to keep a comfortable distance from the raccoon.
5. Praise the coonhound as long as it keeps its eye contact on the raccoon. The closer the coonhound is willing to venture, the higher your praise should be. If it attempts to attack the raccoon, praise it highly for its bravery. The point of this exercise is to make the coonhound familiar with a live raccoon and its potential to stand its ground and act ferocious. In reality, a raccoon can cause serious harm or even death to a coonhound. For this reason, tenacity in a coonhound is vital to your success as a hunting team.
6. Remove the coonhound while it is still "hot" with interest in the raccoon. Never end the training session with a bored dog. You want the dog eager to scent and encounter a raccoon again. This encounter should last no more than 10 minutes, and up to twice per day, to keep the dog anxious and to avoid unnecessary stress to the raccoon.
7. Release the raccoon after a couple training sessions. If you have a coonhound that is ready for the stage of training in releasing them on a live raccoon, you may do so at this point. Keep the coonhound leashed until the raccoon starts up a tree. The point is to show the coonhound that raccoons are up inside trees and encourage treeing ability, and not to allow the dog to harm or kill the raccoon. Coonhounds are scent hounds, not killing hounds.
Tags: roll cage, live raccoon, coonhound that, encourage treeing