This page features various pups in training here at Ironwood Kennels. Ruby is often in many of these pictures as she is our official 'Pup Trainer'. Her enthusiasum is contagious to the pups. She is a VERY accurate tracker, an assertive huntress, LOUD, and is never-ever distracted from finding her quarry and that includes having pups jumping all over and around her acting like brainless fools. LOL She is also very much a trash-free hound so never a fear of ruining a good pup with her at the front of the classroom!

Sad Update 9/2006: We tragically lost Ruby to torsion. She was rushed in to the vet's, given the very expensive emergency surgery - which she made it through with flying colors but then sadly lost her the 2nd day after surgery to a bleeding disorder that is common after such a surgery. May our sweet baby rest in peace. We miss her more than we could ever say.

I shot a short video while we worked Music and two youngsters (Dutchess and Sheba) on a raccoon in a roll cage on Sept. 12, 2006.

Important note: This raccoon was not injured in any way during our short training and was immediately and safely released back to the wild after the completion of this very short video.
** Nobody has permission to copy this movie for any reason without written permission from us. If you want to share it, share the link only.
http://www.ironwoodkennel.com/trainingPICS.html

TAKE ME TO THE MOVIE! (15.62MB)

Dazzle (L) and Jack (R) Running on a hot track put down by John and a fresh roadkill raccoon. (we do not kill coons for training purposes, only fresh road kill are used.) Just look at the joy these two pups have for their 'game' of "Find It"!	Sheba (adult son's walker coonhound) having a face off with a coon in the roll cage.
John working a couple of pups with a scent drag.	The scent drag makes for a great game of tug-o-war.
Star as a youngster getting some air going after road kill coon in tree
Jack treeing a road kill raccoon after accurating following the track laid by John, independently, for the first time.	Ruby showing her daughter how to get a mouth full of fur and make sure the rodent is dead! She pulled it down from the tree it was tied into.
Ruby and John training Star to tree on a raccoon hide.	Mother and daughter again. Star trying hard to jump up and grab the raccoon hide.
Dutchess sounding off at a coon in the roll cage.	Dutchess training on road kill coon.
Betsy - our dual (coon/squirrel) hunting JRT - getting several feet of air going after road kill training coon	Tootsie, our son's squirrel dog, as a pup learning to go after squirrel hide. Both of Tootsie's parents are GRCH squirrel dogs.