How to train your dog to hunt

Video: Training a Hunting Dog | Backyard Dog Training

Content

Steps
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Have you ever hunted waterfowl with your dog? Nothing beats hunting on the shores of a frozen lake on a winter day, shooting a duck and having a dog swim in the icy water for you for your prize and swim back to the shore with a duck in its teeth. Let's face it, all serious waterfowl hunters recognize and appreciate the benefits and benefits associated with a four-legged hunting partner. With proper training, your dog will not only help you successfully hunt waterfowl, but it will also become an obedient, loving friend for life. If you want to fill your hunting bag with game and your heart with love, follow these simple steps and you can choose, train and raise a top-notch hunting dog. However, this method is not suitable for all breeds. It works best with spaniels, terriers, pointers and retrievers.

Steps

1 Explore different breeds of aquatic dogs. There are many different dogs available for hunting waterfowl. The most popular of these are Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Springer Spaniels. Consider these breeds and decide which one is best for you and your hunting adventures. You should also learn about the proper grooming required for a particular breed of dog.Some will require more space, such as jogging, while other breeds may be sedentary. Choose a dog that you can provide the care it needs.
2 Choose a puppy. Although there are many adult dogs specially trained to hunt waterfowl, it is generally best to train your puppy. By choosing a puppy, you will not only get the opportunity to teach him your hunting style, but also get a loyal, loyal and attached dog to its owner (person). Make sure you choose a reputable breeder; you can find it online or at your local dog or hunting club.
3 Introduce your puppy to water while he is young. Instill in him the idea that water is good, water is fun, and playing in water is an opportunity to get a treat or other encouragement. Start your activities in the small children's pool and in no time your dog will be ready for open water.
4 Teach your dog to sit and wait. While these basic commands are considered clichés, they serve as foundational commands for more complex hunting requirements. Use food to teach your dog to sit. Hold a piece of food over the dog's head. Give the command to sit and at the same time gently press on the dog's hind legs. As soon as the dog sits down, give him a treat. Repeat this over and over. Soon, your dog will follow this command as soon as he notices his reward. Over time, she will sit without demanding a reward.
5 Introduce your dog to a bait that smells like waterfowl. It is important that your dog quickly understands the difference between a real duck and a dummy. For training, you can use a dummy with the smell of a bird. Be sure to position the bait away from the dog before you throw the dummy so that he can discern where the dummy is and the difference between a real bird and a bait.
6 If possible, train daily. These lessons will be a fun and rewarding experience for your dog.
7 Reward your dog's good behavior with small rewards. Once you give your dog a sniff of the bait or dummy, throw it into the water and make sure your dog retrieves and returns it to you, making sure he knows he did a good job. For a dog, there is nothing more important than to please its owner (s), as well as to establish hunting partnerships for life, so it is important to make it clear to your dog from a very early age that it will be rewarded for searching games.
8 Expose your dog to a real hunting environment before you take it with you to the field. A dog trained only in theory may not live up to your expectations in practice. If the dog is to carry out commands around rifle shots, it is necessary to train the dog in the presence of the weapon. Take it with you on a shooting practice or simulate a hunt in an appropriate location. The most important thing is that your dog must be prepared for real conditions if you expect him to behave like an experienced hunter. Check your dog's condition before hunting. You want to get the best hunting performance out of it.
9 Use training dummies as often as possible at the beginning. The more you train your dog to hunt by smell and feel the waterfowl, the more impressed your dog will be in that area. Remember that a dog gets the most pleasure by pleasing its owner (face), so if you appreciate its good behavior in training, then it will certainly delight you during the hunt.
10 If you intend to use a boat, exercise with your dog before hunting. Let the dog jump and jump out, then train him to find a dummy from the boat.
11 Simplify your workouts by making them easier. Your main goal is to teach your dog to look for game.During your training program, focus on rewarding your dog for bringing you a training dummy. It is the natural instinct of a retriever to follow, seek out, and return a shot bird. But it is the responsibility of the owner (person) to train the dog to do this consistently and regularly.
12 We finished.

Tips

Train your dog not to chew game and handle it gently.
During practice, start shooting in the opposite direction from the dog and slowly adjust the gun until you are shooting directly above the dog so that he does not feel fear during the actual hunt.
Use gunshot movies to familiarize your dog with sounds.
Look online for waterfowl dog training lessons or consider purchasing one of the training videos; If you feel that none of your methods are working, seek the help of an experienced trainer.
Don't give your dog a treat. If you use this type of reward, your dog will look forward to it even when you are in the field, or will try to eat it while shooting. Use the words "good boy / girl", petting or petting the dog.
Join a hunting dog club in your area.

Warnings

Don't expect your dog to automatically figure out what you want from him. Don't be angry with her if she doesn't understand your commands.
If your dog isn't training, learn as many training methods as possible and be prepared to devote a lot of time to training.