Training and Equipment

More Hunting Dog Training Tips

Hunting Dog Training Tips

Important Hunting Dog Training Tips

The most important thing in training your hunting dog is to have a dog that listens to you. If you can’t get your dog to do what he is supposed to he will be of no value to you when you take him hunting. The key here is to make sure that your dog knows who is in charge. If you don’t clearly establish that you are the one that is in charge your dog will never do what you want him to do. Remember that in nature dogs are normally part of a pack, they all follow the lead of the alpha dog, you need to make sure that your hunting dog knows that’s you.

Being the leader means just that, you go first, never follow your dog. When you go out the door you go first and your dog follows behind you. The same is true when you return you go in first with the dog behind you. You need to make sure that your dog understands that this is how it works. If your dog tries to run out the door ahead of you this is behavior that needs s to be corrected. Bird dog training is about establishing who is in charge; you can’t let the dog think it’s him.

Never feed your hunting dog before you eat. In nature the leader of the pack eats first and then the other members eat. The same is true of bird dog training. Make sure that you eat your meal, and let your dog see you eat your meal, before you give him his meal. It should go without saying that you don’t give your dog any of your food. This is part of establishing who is in charge, in nature the order in which the members of a pack eat is an important indicator of their rank with in the pack. Don’t let the dog think he outranks you by letting him eat first.

Don’t let your hunting dog block your way, if he is in your way he is the one that has to move. Never walk around your dog make him get out the way. The only thing worse would be if you get out of your dogs way when he wants past. Your dog walks around you, you don’t walk around him. This is another one of those things that in nature indicates a dog’s rank within the pack. Effective bird dog training can’t take place if the dog is not clear on his place.

A lot of dogs will demand attention by barking, whimpering or trying to play with you; this is another thing that needs to be stopped. You are in charge and you set the rules, it has to be you who decides when you will play with your dog and when you won’t. Of course it is important that you play with your bird dog on a regular basis, after all bird dog training is most effective if it is incorporated into play. However it has to be you who decides when you are going to play. This is all about establishing who has control.

A hunting dog should have his own sleeping area, it should be clearly defined and it should be expected that your dog sleep there. Never let your dog sleep in your bed with you, this is another indicator to the dog that he is the one in charge. Most bird dog training experts recommend crate training as a convenient way to provide your dog with his own area. Not only will this help show your dog who is in charge it will make house training your dog a lot easier.

It is best to avoid rough housing with your hunting dog. This can be a little tricky since you will definitely want to play with your dog as part of the bonding process. What you want to avoid is letting your dog think that he is your equal. When you play you still need to make it clear that you are the one in charge. Never, ever let your dog get on top of you, this will send him a clear message that he is in charge. Hunting Dog training will be next to impossible when that happens.

Hunting Dog Training Tips in our next post!

Hunting Dog Training

Hunting Dog Training

Different Hunting Dogs, Different Styles

There is no absolute template for hunting dog training because there are more than a few types of hunting dogs. For example, terriers typically hunt prey above or directly below the ground. Hound dogs are used to trail and track ground animals such as rabbits and foxes. Bird dogs typically are trained to point and retrieve. And some hunting dogs are trained, not simply to find prey, but to kill it. So you first need to determine exactly which type of hunting for which you want to train your dog.

Regardless of the type of hunting you intend to do, you need to begin hunting dog training when the dog is just a puppy. Training a fully grown dog that already has ingrained habits and instincts can be difficult, if not impossible in many cases.

A good hunting dog is more than just an assistant to help you hunt. He’s a companion. Many hunters love dogs, and they specifically choose dogs to be that special companion and assistant for their favorite pastime. Hunting dog training is usually started by choosing a dog from special breeds.

Probably, the most popular dogs for hunting are pointers, retrievers or spaniels. These breeds seem to have a special aptitude for learning the skills needed to hunt prey and thus pick up training more quickly than other breeds.

Tips on Hunting Dog Training

One of the best places to begin your research for training a hunting dog is The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association. They are a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to foster, promote, and improve the versatile hunting dog breeds in North America. Their site has many tips on the training and care of hunting dogs.

Another good organization is FieldDog.com, an Internet based site that provides all sorts of bird dog hunting information such as hunting dog training hand signals. They also have links to many other national bird dog associations and clubs.

At other sites, you’ll find detailed plans to train dogs for the specific needs of their owners. These plans, if followed properly, will help each owner train a dog that will be a powerful assistant on a hunting trip. Also, some associations provide support during and after the training process.

Hunting Dog Training Can Require Different Methods

Many experts have studied hunting dog training and there are different ways to achieve the objectives. Training a hunting dog takes a devotion to the job as well as determination. Dog owners can train their own dogs as well, and many choose to do so. But, usually, they discover that they need help from the experts.

The most important trait in a trainer is patience as most of the training can be accomplished through repetition and praise. Praise is important because most dogs truly want to please their masters.

Trainers should also understand the different commands that have worked for decades and are proven to be effective. Each command should be carefully taught to the dog and repeated enough times for the dog to understand and perform the desired action.

Training any dog can be a very rewarding endeavor and the finished product will be a wonderful hunting dog and a treasured companion.

Bird Dog Training part 2

Bird Dog Training

part 2

“Come” is simply that. It means “stop what you are doing and come in where I can get my hands on you”. It’s uses are plain to see. For instance, if the dog will come unfailingly when called, retrieve training is a snap. If the pup does scoop up a shot bird and starts to dawdle off with it, if you can first “whoa” him to stop going in the wrong direction and then tell the dog to “come”, you will get every bird you shoot delivered right to hand. “Heel” simply means “walk by my side until I tell you to do something else”. It uses are also easy to see. Anytime you want to go somewhere with the dog with the dog under control, this is the way to do it.

Proper Training

Trained properly, a dog will heel unfailingly without a lead so that you can have both hands free to carry things like your gun and all the birds he pointed for you. It is also important to remember to have a release command such as “ok!” for each of these commands. It lets that dog know that he has performed correctly and is now free to hunt for you again. Always take lots of time to stroke and praise the dog in a pleasant voice when he does perform correctly. Good dogs are born wanting to please and if you can show the dog in clear terms what pleases you and repeat that scenario over and over again many times over months and months, the dog will become positively addicted to doing the correct action if you let him know that by doing so, you think he is the greatest dog in the world.

Bird dog training is really just that simple.

Even the best field champion you will ever see is doing nothing more than obeying these 3 commands very well AND using an extreme amount of talent to it’s greatest potential to find and point birds for his boss. Most breeds of bird dogs today are being bred with more bird finding and hunting talent than ever before. All you have to do is spend alot of time with your dog to get him to apply that talent for YOU so that the two of you will be a solid bird hunting team. Neither of you is able to get a bird without the other, but together a team whose performance might even some day earn you honors on the field trial course, but will certainly gain you many new “hunting buddies” come bird season each year.
If you do your groundwork with a young dog in “whoa”, “heel” and “come”,
putting on some of the final touches, such as backing is a breeze.
If you can devote half an hour a day to a dog that is less than a year old and then an hour, 3 days a week to the dog when it is older, you will end up with a fine bird dog that will be a joy for many years.

Bird Dog Training done right is worth every bit of effort.

Pros and Cons Of Hunting With A Dog

Pros and Cons Of Hunting With A Dog

A Hunting Controversy?

Hunting with a dog is a rather controversial sport these days and there are some dogs better at it than other, and some dogs are better “at” a specific type of hunting than others, which is why hunting with a dog is a popular sport among hunting enthusiasts. There aren’t any specific groups registered in the American Kennel Club ( AKC ) for hunting alone other than the hounds which are known to have an ancestral background in their lineage in the hunting domain.

Hunting DogTraits

These traits vary from dog to dog: some have a very developed scenting ability while others have very good stamina and so on. Some of the most famous hounds would be the: Beagle, Norwegian Elkhound, American Foxhound, Black And Tan Coonhound and others as well. The widely known AKC Sporting Group is a rather large group of hunting dogs for those hunters that enjoy hunting along with a dog in a woody or watery environment. Some of the dogs that belong to this group would be the: American Water Spaniel, Golden Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, German Shorthaired Pointer and others as well.

Advantages

Moving on to the interesting part, the exciting aspect about the above mentioned dogs ( and the rest of them, of course ) is that each breed has its own natural behavior. Hunting along with one of these dogs will surely improve your hunting efficiency but choosing the most appropriate type of dog is crucial as some dogs excel at fox hunting for example while other are best to be used for squirrel hunting. The terriers were originally developed for hunting small games and killing vermin and if you plan on hunting squirrels for example, a working terrier is the best way to do it. The hunting dogs are most recommended for any type of hunting as they will prove their efficiency if properly trained.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage regarding hunting dogs is that the training procedure is rather complex and might not show up the expected results when hunting for the first time with the dog. Regarding the aspect of training a hunting dog, it is also a matter of time because training a dog properly for hunting purposes can take up to one year and in some cases you will have only one chance to do it because some mistakes are irreversible. An example of an irreversible mistake would be the lack of early socialization. We recommend that you do a little bit of research before choosing your hunting dog ( keeping in mind the type of game you are going to use the dog at ), start the training from an early age and things should go smoothly.

Summary

The main advantage of using a dog is that if the dog was properly trained from an early age, the chances of catching more animals is higher as the dog will do some of the work for you. The main disadvantage would be that the entire training process takes some time and every dog is different in its own way so there is no such thing as a standard training procedure applicable for all breeds.
Hunting with a dog can be a very exciting and entertaining experience but training a dog for hunting takes a lot of time and practice in order to do it properly.
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Hunting Dog Training Collars

Hunting Dog Training Collars

Does training your hunting dog feel like pulling teeth? Well, not anymore!

If you are having problems with basic obedience or advanced training techniques, , you are not alone. In fact, thousands of hunting dog owners just like you experience these problems daily. Whether you’re trying to stop dangerous activities like chasing cars or want to establish good behavior in public places such as parks, remote training collars will safely and effectively combat these problems. The remote control allows you to instantly correct or reward behaviors in your dog. This instantaneous feedback allows your pet to learn at exponential rates and quickly leads to better communication and a better relationship between you and your hunting dog.

A Useful Tool for your hunting dog

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Electronic dog training collars are useful tools that do no harm your hunting dog. The electric volt submitted by these collars is nothing more then an irritant similar to static electricity. The dog shock collars’ effectiveness is based on your pet being startled, not on administering pain. As is often the case, these dog training shock collars can be used for various training regimens, including but not limited to, hunting exercises, agility training, pet containment, anti-barking and more. The technology behind these electronic dog-training collars is cutting edge. Although primarily used on canines, cat shock collars are available as well. Your hunting dog will typically respond after only a few training sessions and once they are conditioned the collars often can be left in the off position.