Tips On Training A Hunting Dog

Hunting with a dog is a very exciting sport, but the training part of it takes a lot of time, effort and practice in order to do it the right way. With the much-awaited hunting season just around the corner, it's about time to prepare your dog.

Here are some tips on training hunting dogs such as Retrievers, Beagle, Norwegian Elkhound, American Foxhound and many others:

Again, take note that training a hunting dog needs time and effort. It's not an activity for impatient people. For it to be successful, it should begin right from when your dog is still a puppy. A hunting dog, of course, should be trained before being taken out to hunt.

Basic dog obedience training should serve as the most fundamental foundation of a successful hunting dog training. You dog must learn how to follow and perform commands such as heel, sit, stay, whistle and steadying drills. It is also recommended for hunting dogs to be trained in the water. Similar to duck hunters, retrievers need to sit still for long periods of time.

Another way to prepare your dog for hunting is by teaching your dog how to be steady. One technique to teach steadiness is clay target shooting. In this type of dog training, a bumper will be tossed but only one dog will be sent to retrieve the bumper. It also reinforces honoring. Mechanical bird launchers can also be used. The dog is taught not to seek out the bumper until after receiving a signal from his trainer. Teaching hand signals and whistle is also important in hunting dog training.

Conditioning your hunting dog should be done regularly. Expose him in the outdoors as often as possible. Allow your dog to roam around a spacious location outside your house such as parks, yards and even woods, or better yet, enrol him in dog agility training classes. By doing so, you can condition him to run fast and expose him in the climate.

Another element of training a hunting dog is to teach him to act abruptly and independently. The act of hunting requires a hunting dog to lead ahead of the hunter by great distances. Having said that, all hunting dogs need the right kind of diet. Feed him dog foods that are high in vitamins that will make him strong and healthy. Always give him a constant supply of clean water too.