Controlling Hunting Dogs
Hunting dogs can be hard for dog owners to control. When a scent hound, like a basset hound, blood hound or beagle, picks up a scent, they will do what they can to follow it. When a sight hunter, like a greyhound or whippet, spots its prey, the only thing the dog wants to do is run after it.
Hunting dogs were bred to do just that--hunt. With time, training and patience, you can control your hunting dog's ingrained urge to hunt.
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Instructions
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Meeting Your Dog's Needs
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Fulfill your dog's needs. The more you are able to meet the physical, emotional and mental needs of your dog, the easier it will be to train and control your hunting breed. Hunting dogs are active dogs. Be sure to take them out for a daily walk. If you jog, consider taking your dog with you--hunting breeds have stamina, and they can usually keep up with your jogging pace.
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Stimulate your dog's senses. If you allow a scent hound to track something, it will be less likely to track that rabbit if you tell it not to. For example, if you have a dachshund, try playing hide the treat. Let your dog smell the treat. Then put it in a room with the door closed. Hide the treat. Then open the door and let your dachshund find it. This will allow it to use its natural ability to track a scent. This is also mentally challenging for the dog.
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Show your dog affection. Dogs need an emotional connection. The deeper that connection, the more your dog will want to please you and listen to you. But don't just think you can shower your dog with affection and it will do whatever you want. It needs to respect you as well. You can gain its respect by fulfilling its natural needs.
Training Your Dog
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Teach your dog to come. If you master the "come" command, you can control your hunting dog. Start out using a leash. With the leash on, let your dog walk away from you. Tell it to come. Gently nudge it back with the leash. When it comes back, give it a reward. You can use a treat or just praise, like a scratch behind the ears. After you have mastered the "come" command with the leash, try it without the leash. This may take a lot of time and patience. You might want to consider using a very enticing treat, like chicken. If your hunting dog is off leash and spots or smells a rabbit, you need to have something for it that is a better reward than that rabbit.
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Teach your dog to sit. Stand in front of your dog and tell it to sit. You can use your hand to motion it to sit. When its rear hits the ground, give it a reward (treat or praise). Practice this several times a day for a few weeks in different areas. Take your dog to the park and make it sit. If you see a bird or something that catches your dog's eye, put the dog in a sit. It will eventually get the idea that you want it to sit, not chase the bird.
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Teach your dog sit and stay. Once you have mastered the sit command, get it to stay in a seated position. Keep it in a sit, then hold your hand up (like a stop sign) and tell it to stay. Take a few steps back. If the dog stays, give it a reward. Practice this a few time a day, with each day taking more steps back. Soon, you will be able to leave your dog's sight, but still have control. This teaches your dog obedience and gets its focused on you and not that squirrel in the neighbor's yard. If you master this, you can control the dog's hunting instincts.
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Tips & Warnings
Be patient. These dogs were bred to hunt; it's what they want to do. Training your hunting breed will not happen overnight.
Be consistent. If you are not serious about training your dog, it will know and will take advantage of the situation.
You should always keep hunting breeds in a fenced-in yard. The temptation to follow the scent or catch the prey is too great. If you allow them to roam free, they will likely get into trouble.
References
- Photo Credit basset hound image by Christophe Fouquin from Fotolia.com
