Training Your Hunting Dog
Whether you are a first time dog owner, a seasoned dog owner or even a trainer, a brand new puppy in the home means you now have the responsibility of providing training. This can feel like it’s an overwhelming responsibility for you – but you’ll soon discover why dogs have earned the title of man’s best friend.
Properly training your dog takes patience but, it also takes praise! When your dog does something that isn’t acceptable, then you must be patient and when he displays acceptable behavior, you should be liberal with your praise. Remember, you took on the responsibility of training your dog from the minute you selected him and decided to bring him home!
Alpha
Dogs are by nature pack animals. The “Alpha dog” is the leader of the pack. In order to get your dog to obey your commands, you must convince him that you are the alpha dog. You may think that you’re being cruel, mean, or harsh, but your dog doesn’t think so. He wants to follow a strong leader. He needs guidance to be able to understand what behaviors are acceptable, and what are not. Humans naturally lead by instinct, which is why dogs and humans have been able to coexist for thousands of years. If you have more than one dog, they will establish their own heirarchy amongst them. The important thing is that they know that you and your human family members come first.
You need to let your dog know immediately through firm words, leases and discipline peppered with praise that you are the one who is in control. Stern looks, stern voices and a loud clap when needed coupled with appropriate rewards will help establish your place as the leader. This is critical and should happen within a day or two of your four legged friend arriving in your home. Leaving this important step for later is not a good idea.
Crate Training
Dogs have a natural den instict that tells them not to soil their sleeping place. Therefore, crate training your puppy is the fastest way to house train him. We humans think of animals locked in cages as being cruel punishment, but it’s actually quite humane. Dogs feel safe and secure in their “den”. If you allow your puppy to roam free in your house, you’re not communicating to him where he should relieve himself, and then he’ll wind up having lots of accidents. Make regular, scheduled visits to his potty spot outside. Exercise him also, preferably with other dogs so that he releases his pent-up energy and learns the social graces of dogs. But when he’s not in his crate, feel free to snuggle and play with him all you want!
Obedience Training
You might think that all you need to do to take your dog for a walk is to put a leash on him and head outside. You couldn’t be more mistaken! Your dog needs to learn to walk on a leash just as he needs to be taught to sit on command and other commands. For those who have hunting dogs, you’ll be training your dog to behave off a leash as well as on one. This training is usually accomplished by teaching techniques such as coming and heeling. Another important aspect of obedience training is teaching your dog to not jump up – on people, and on furniture. This all falls under obedience training and like all other training begins the day you bring your dog home.
Training for Hunting
Believe it or not, training your dog to be a hunter begins when he’s only four months old. It’s important to get him acclamated to the sound of a gun early. After that, there will be exercises for pointing, retrieving, flushing, and all the other important skills a good hunter needs. Dogs specifically bred for hunting already know what to do, it’s usually just a matter of guiding them in the right direction.
Whatever commands you decide to teach your dog are up to you. But remember that as long as you do it with patience, praise, and positive reinforcement, he will learn. He has a natural desire to please you because you’ve established yourself as the alpha dog.
There are many types of dog training supplies out there on the market. If you are looking for a dog training collar the Innotek ADV300P is a great choice, and if you are in need of a dog tracking collar, Tracker Maxima is a great choice.
