How to Train Your Dog to Hunt

When America's most beloved advice-guru, Dr. Phil McGraw, hears something outrageous from a TV guest, he often says emphatically, "That dog won't hunt." A quaint saying regarding goofy ideas and plans, it applies first and emphatically to real dogs! Not all dog breeds WILL hunt! Regardless of animal rights activists' positions opposed to hunting, this remains a devoted American past-time. Humans have been hunting and eating animals since before recorded history; hunting is still instinctual in our DNA imprints although we may do our hunting at the supermarket rather than the woodlands. For those who wait for the various hunting seasons to begin, a good hunting dog is as important as the hunter's weapon. Choosing the right breed and training the dog are imperative if a hunter wants to bring home a venison steak or a goose for Christmas dinner.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A dog breed developed specifically for hunting
• Flea, tick and mosquito repellent for the dog
• A snug collar and long leash
• Training "clickers" found at larger pet shops
• A bag of treats--pieces of cheese, dried meat or liver, or kibble
• A lure for duck and goose hunting
• A canine first aid kit

1. 
   Standard-size Dachshund

   Before you purchase a hunting dog, do your homework! Hunting dogs are found in the American Kennel Club's Sporting Group. They include Spaniels, Pointers, Terriers and Hounds. First, consider what you'd like to hunt. For flushing fowl out of long grass, you'll need a Pointer or Spaniel. For retrieving downed duck or geese in a pond, you need a "water dog" like the Labrador Retriever or Irish Water Spaniel. For hunting small animals like rabbits, try a Terrier like the Cairn Terrier. For hunting badgers and foxes in their underground dens, your best bet is the fearless Dachshund. For deer, elk, boar or bear hunting, you'll need a large, powerful hunter like Irish Wolfhound or the Norwegian Elkhound. In the South, raccoon hunting is more of a religion than a sport! Try the Black and Tan Coonhound. Buy a puppy that suits your hunting needs, and begin training at about three or four months of age. When you puppy correctly follows your command to "Go get it" or "Come back," click and offer a treat. The puppy will learn that the sound of the clicker means he performed well and will be rewarded.

2. Begin training by putting your puppy into a comfortable collar and long leash that you can shorten or lengthen as needed. At least 3 times a week, take your pup out into the open field and let him get using to being leashed; many hunting dogs are kept on a long leash when trailing game or flushing fowl. Failure to follow this step and allowing some hunting dogs to run free may result in never seeing the dog again! Once on the scent, hounds are difficult to call off.

3. For your duck or goose hunting dog who has reached six months of age, begin training him with a duck/goose-calling lure. Blow it loudly to introduce the dog to the sound of waterfowl and practice this step often. With your pointer or springer, let him practice running through tall brush and grass to track his prey. With a large game hunting dog, take him frequently into the woods to familiarize him with the smell and tracks of large prey. Keep your large dog and your coon hunter on a long leash until you're sure they're well-trained; an unleashed "beginner" can get into all sorts of trouble in the field!

4. 
   Springer Spaniel

   The last step in training your dog to hunt is to get out there and do it. Start small, and work your way up to expert-level. Work your hunting dog once or twice a week when the game you seek is in hunting season, gradually increasing hunting days. Some breeds, like Beagles, Harriers and Foxhounds, work best in packs; let them not only follow the scent or sight trail, but follow each other as well. If your dog suffers scratches or cuts from brambles or thorns, use your first aid kit to clean and bandage the wound. Don't continue hunting--take your dog home and call it a day.

Tips & Warnings

• You will not be able to train your German Shepherd or small Pekingese to hunt. Some dog breeds were developed for herding, protection, or companions, not hunting.
• Your hunting breed will already have instinctive hunting ability; it's your job to train that ability to make your dog a "fellow hunter" with you.
• Water retrieving dogs have webbed feet and waterproof coats to keep them warm in icy lakes or ponds. They also have soft mouths to bring back the downed fowl without mauling it. Dry him with an absorbent towel, and let him do his job!
• A large-game hunting dog can track and run down a deer, elk, moose, boar or bear single handedly, and hold the animal at bay, barking loudly, until the hunter arrives.
• Regardless of their breed, some dogs are gun-shy, disliking the loud retort of a high-powered rifle or shotgun. Don't repeatedly subject your dog to gunshots, but gradually do so, first at a distance, and then closer to the dog.
• Hunting dogs must be protected against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. All these insects can result in serious illnesses like anemia, Lyme disease, and heartworms. Dip your dog twice monthly during hunting season, and fit him with a repellent collar at all times.
• Hunting is not for the novice hunter or dog. Learn from experienced hunters to train your big-game hunting dog, and train yourself to humanely kill an animal with one well-placed shot. The most hunting accidents and fatalities occur when novice hunters end up shooting each other and their dogs!
• Large game hunting dogs can suffer serious injuries by antlers, sharp teeth, and tusks. Clean wounds thoroughly and splint broken bones, then get your dog to a veterinarian quickly.

Resources

• American Kennel Club
• Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds

[Vienna]

on 6/11/2008 Thanks amylaine. I forgot to mention that every hunter, in my opinion, should eat the game that he/she kills, not use their heads as trophies on a wall. The hunting dogs don't care....but we should!

Best,
Vienna

[amylaine]

on 6/11/2008 Great advice.