How To Conduct Systematic Hunting Dog Field Training?
After conducting basic obedience training to your hunting dog, the next step is to prepare him for field training. This should be done systematically. The training involves several sessions as below :
- Socialization
A hunting dog must be able to socialize with humans as well as with other dogs. It should also behave around other animals and stay composed when it encounters new creatures. Socialization is therefore a very important part of hunting dog training – a part that many hunters tend to neglect. A hunting dog that is aggressive towards humans or other hunting dogs, a hunting dog that is easily frightened, or a hunting dog that simply can not communicate with other dogs and tend to end up in fights, is naturally highly undesirable for any hunter. By letting the young puppy stay with its mother and siblings for at least eight weeks, you will get a lot for free since the puppy will automatically learn basic socialization skills. The puppy should then be introduced to its new family and given plenty of opportunity to bond with you and any other family members. A puppy that feels confident in its new home will then gradually begin to explore the rest of the world. It should be introduced to people, dogs, birds, other animals, vehicles, noises, strange smells, the howling wind, fireworks etcetera. Let the puppy understand that new things are not dangerous.
- Keeping Dog Conditioned To Climate
When training a hunting dog, you also need to pay attention to the type of climate in which the dog will be working. Make sure that the animal becomes accustomed to the climate and conditions in which you will be hunting. For example, if you will be hunting in cold conditions, ensure your dog is accustomed to the cold. If your dog will be spending time in the water, make sure they become accustomed to the water.
- Teach The Dog Not To Be Frightened of Gunfire
In the beginning, you may expose your puppy to gunfire so that it can avoid becoming frightened which will come in handy when it becomes an adult hunting dog.
- Teach The Dog To Point and Retrieve
Dogs that are bred specifically for pointing will naturally start to point when they have reached the right age. Praise your dog and reward him when he points correctly.
Teaching a retrieve is another aspect of training a hunting dog. Most properly bred hunting dogs will have a natural instinct to retrieve does not necessarily mean the dog will not need some degree of instruction to retrieve properly. You can begin to teach a retrieve at a very young age. You can begin to teach a retrieve as soon as they acquire a new puppy. To begin the process of teaching a hunting dog to retrieve, you can start out by finding an object in which the dog shows a great deal of interest. There are bumpers which are designed specifically for hunting dogs but you can also use any other object such as a tennis ball or another toy which the dog finds interesting.
Once you have established a firm retrieve, you can begin training your dog or puppy to do more advanced retrieves. This can be accomplished by walking your dog to a location, dropping the retrieve object or dummy in this location and then walking the dog away from the object. With the dog facing away from the object you can train them to focus on you and wait for your signal to retrieve the object. Once you give this signal the dog will turn and run to the location and retrieve the object. This teaches both control and the ability to retrieve from memory. When you start training these skills it is wise to keep the waiting period short and to also keep the distance from the object relatively short. As the dog progresses, you can increase both the waiting time and distance from the object.
- Teach The Dog To Track
One of the best ways to teach your dog how to track is by using blood that may be purchased from the butcher. Leave a trail of blood for your dog to follow with a treat at the end. Start will small tracks and gradually lengthen them. Supervise your dog at first and then let your dog track unsupervised while you observe from a distance.
- Crate Training The Dog.
You have probably often heard that it is a good idea to crate train your hunting dog. A dog that accepts his crate or travel kennel as a pleasant place is much easier to manage when you are on a trip. Training your dog that his crate is a pleasant place has benefits that go far beyond your convenience. The simple command, kennel, has a hunting application as well. This is because training a dog to go away from you and toward an object in the field is just as important as teaching him to come when called. For example, pointing dogs should have no reservations about getting out and away from their owner in the field. For retriever owners, the simple process of teaching a dog to go away and into a crate is a great first step in teaching the concept of blind retrieves.
