How do you fine-tune a dog to hunt squirrels?

I have a female catahoula leopard dog. She is almost 7 years old. She is awesome at tracking wounded deer (my boyfriend uses her for this in case one runs, he's a good shot, so that doesn't really happen a lot) and running rabbits (does it on her own) with the local hounds. I use her for obedience and agility. She is an all around great dog.





She is a natural at treeing anything, especially squirrels. She watches them in the trees, looks for them in the trees anytime she in the in the woods, or just even on a walking trail. If she sees them on the ground, she'll chase them straight up a tree and then attempt to climb the tree. Then she'll stand under the tree and stare at them until I call her off. The only thing is that she will not bark or make a sound. I understand a good treeing dog is that they will bark and bay at what is up the tree so the hunter can find the location.





This year I have decided to join my boyfriend in hunting. But what I'd really like to do is squirrel hunting with my dog. It would give us another activity to do together as a team. And she is so interested in squirrels that I know she'd love this as well. The only thing is she wont bark at them. Is there a way I can teach her bark/bay when she trees a squirrel? She doesn't run off from me in the woods either, only to tree a squirrel near us. So does barking even matter then?





Any suggestions from EXPERIENCED squirrel hunters who use dogs? I'm just looking to go out with my dog and have some fun. She is such a natural at treeing squirrels too.....I just need some tips to fine-tune this instinct.





(and yes, we eat all of the game we hunt, and what we don't eat, I turn it into jerky or make dog food from it.)How do you fine-tune a dog to hunt squirrels?
If it won't TREE...STAND on the tree %26amp; BAY...it's NOT a tree-dog at all!


That's the whole POINT!!!





You'll need to TEACH it to bay...TEACH ';speak'; at home...TRAIN hard...use carcasses %26amp; live-trapped tree-rats %26amp; PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.


Teach it that if it won't bark TREED';....it can't hun't anymore....the fun game is over. PRAISE when it does.