Hunting Dog Training » Gun Dog Training

Gun Shyness: Training Your Hunting Dog For Gun Fire

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 02:33:53 +0000

In our last article, Choose Puppy Selection: Choosing The Right Puppy To Avoid A Gun Shy Dog, we showed you how to pick a confident, out-going pup to minimize the possibility of ending up with a dog that is gun-shy. In this article, we’ll give you some basics about how to introduce your future hunting dog to sudden loud noises, including gun-fire, properly.

To have a hunting dog who is happy to hear the sound of gunfire, make sure your pup associates the noise with something he loves. With puppies, you can be sure that one of the things he loves best is his food. One way to accustom your hunting dog pup to loud noises is to wait until he is eating and clap your hands together a couple of times. He may or may not bother to look around. Do this several days in a row and when he stops paying any attention to your clapping, substitute a couple of pans. Stand at the far side of the room from where the pup is eating and bang the pans together – just once or twice. The pup will probably stop eating and look at you. If you act as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened the pup should be reassured and continue eating. After a few days of the pans being banged while he is eating, he probably won’t even take his head out of the dish.

When the puppy is completely at ease with the noise of the pans, it is time to raise the stakes a bit. If the puppy is fed outside, place the puppy’s bowl on the ground and walk to the far side of the yard. Fire a couple of shots from a pistol loaded with low-volume blanks and see if there is any reaction (be sure you are not breaking any local laws, please). If the pup shows any signs of being scared, go back to the pans for a few days. Only when the pup shows no react to the blanks while he is eating is it time to progress further.

While the puppies are playing and romping in the field, is another good time to let them hear gun fire. Again, this is something that all puppies love and the noise will have something positive attached to it. Have someone standing about 35 to 40 yards away fire a couple of low-volume blanks and watch for a reaction – either positive or negative. Pace your training accordingly; a negative reaction from the dog means you need to go back a step, but a positive reaction or no reaction at all means you can move ahead. Don’t think that because the dog doesn’t react to the first shot you need to burn up a whole box of shells or move to more powerful ammo the first day out. Three or four shots a day, several days a week is plenty.

Next step involves you and an assistant. Have your assistant stand about 45 yards away from you and the dog. Toss a feathered dummy and allow the pup to start a retrieve. When the dog is about 2/3 of the way to the thrown dummy, your assistant should fire the blank-loaded pistol. Hopefully, the dog will ignore the gun-fire and finish the retrieve and he should be praised for his success. If the noise seems to startle him, it’s time to back off for a few days and then try again.

After a few successful days with the blanks and the feathered dummy, move to a clipped-wing pigeon. The increase in the dog’s level of excitement at the live bird should balance out the fact that after just a couple of shots, you will have your assistant begin to fire the gun from a slightly closer position. As always, go slow. Work your way up from your low-volume blanks to, say a 410 shotgun; then on up to your 12-guage. But always watch the dog for signs that he is uneasy with the noise and be willing to back up a step or two.

Eventually you will be able to fire the gun with the dog right beside you and have him show no signs of distress. In fact, the dog should become excited because it means a chance to retrieve. The key is to success is a slow and steady progression and allowing the dog to get used to the increasing level of noise without becoming afraid.

Puppy Selection: Choosing The Right Puppy To Avoid A Gun Shy Dog

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:31:38 +0000

Having owned a couple of gun-shy dogs myself, I know how hard this problem is to deal with. Not only is gun-shyness hard to correct, it is frustrating for the hunter. This can cause tension between the bird dog and his owner, which can lead to other behavioral issues. Fortunately, having a hunting dog that is afraid of the sound of gun-fire, or in some cases even the sight of the gun, is also one of the those things that can be avoided, in most cases.

Patience during a puppy’s initial training and a little bit of common sense during early training will, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, give you a hunting dog that is unafraid of the noise of the guns. To a well-trained hunting dog, the sound of that gun will be something exciting, because it means he’s probably going to get a retrieve.

Avoiding a hunting dog who is scared of the gun should begin when you’re picking your pup. Though a well-bred dog can still be ruined by improper training, some dogs are just born with a tendency to be nervous or timid and should be avoided. Pick a reputable breeder and ask for references. Don’t just get the references and then forget about them either; call at least two people on the list and ask how their dogs are doing in the field. Make sure you ask about their temperament and general health. Though this won’t guarantee you a hunting dog that does well, it will give you some background to work with.

When you go look at the pups, spend as much time looking at the litter’s momma and papa as you spend looking at the puppies themselves. The sire and dam should be confident and calm, eager to be petted and spoken to. A dog that shys away from you or shows an aggressive steak should be avoided, as should their pups. Only after you are satisfied that the litter’s parents are sound should you begin thinking about choosing one of the pups as a potential hunting partner.

Like the parents, the pup you choose should be friendly and confident. No matter how appealing that shy little guy at the back of the litter is, remember that with an already timid dog even a car backfiring or the sound of a fire-cracker can be the catalyst that turns him into a dog that will tuck his tail and run rather that retrieve the bird you just shot. It’s much better to choose an outgoing and confident pup. While you’re looking at the pups, take a minute and make some soft unexpected noises with your mouth – a chirping or clucking sound. Watch carefully and see which of the puppies looks interested or cock their head to the side to listen. Snap your fingers once or twice – again, not too loud. The puppies’ reactions to this semi-quiet, but unusual and unexpected noise should give you clues to how that same dog might later react to the sound of a gun. If the puppy tries to run behind mama, tucks his tail up under his belly or cringes in the corner, he might have a big problem dealing with the noise of a gun later. If, on the other hand, the pup noses around and seems to be trying to figure out where the noise is coming from, you just might have a keeper.

Remember that with any luck this is a dog that will be accompanying you on hunts for the next 10 to 12 years. Choose carefully!

Training Your Hunting Dog Not To Jump

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:08:17 +0000

Photo by Emery_Way

Fortunately, this is not an article that most hunters will ever need. Most of us don’t have dogs that routinely run over and jump at us, putting their feet on our chest. A well-trained hunting dog, trained by an experienced trainer, has already been taught that you NEVER jump up and put your feet on people.

Unfortunately, there are dogs out there whose owners or trainers seem to think that this uncontrolled behavior is “cute” or “cool”. They obviously haven’t stopped to consider what could happen when a hunting dog jumps up on someone who is holding a loaded gun. Best case scenario, the hunter absorbs the shock without dropping the gun, reprimands the dog and the hunt goes on. Worst case scenario, the hunter drops the gun, the gun hits the ground and discharges – hurting or possibly killing the dog, the owner or anyone standing within range. This scenario takes jumping up from being cute, cool or simply a bad habit to being one of the most dangerous habits a hunting dog can have.

Let’s start with your new puppy … the bad news is that it is natural for puppies to jump. They have an abundance of extra energy and they to run, play and jump – in the air, on their toys, on each other. They will also jump on you if you allow them to. The good news is that it is easy to teach a puppy not to jump on people. Puppies naturally want to please their trainer. The trick is to break the puppy of jumping on people early.

When your enthusiastic pup jumps up and put those adorable paws in your lap or on your legs in a bid for attention, don’t laugh or make excuses for his behavior. Instead, don’t speak to him or look at him – turn your back on him. If he comes around in front of you and tries to jump on you again, turn around. Try to watch him out of the corner of your eye or get someone to spot for you and as soon as he steps back or sits down, turn and praise him for it, “Oh – good sit,” or “Sit, good dog.” Kneel down and ruffle the fur between his ears or scratch under his chin. Anything that will show him you approve of him NOT jumping.

“The idea is to let him know that jumping gets him nothing, but sitting or standing back from you will get him your attention and a possible reward.”

If turning your back on him doesn’t work, try grabbing his front feet when he jumps up. Put them back down on the ground and say “no”. Speak softly, but firmly. Don’t yell or make a big deal of it, just physically correct the behavior and say “no.” If, after a few times, the pup doesn’t seem to have gotten the message, gently squeeze his paws when you grab them. The objective is to cause the pup just enough discomfort that he realizes he doesn’t like it, but not enough to hurt him. Squeeze the puppy’s feet until he whines, yips or tries to pulls them away from your grasp. Then make eye contact, frown and say “no”. Immediately let go of the pup’s feet and when he steps back or sits down, tell him “good dog” and scratch him on the top of the head. It may take a day or two (more if the pup is extremely stubborn), but this method will help most puppies learn what is expected of them.

But what if your dog is one of the dogs that are slow-learners or just flat stubborn. If turning your back on him or squeezing his front paws don’t work, try stepping on one of his hind feet while you are holding onto his front feet. Do not step down hard – again the idea to show him your disapproval of his behavior, not to hurt him. Grab his front feet, step gently on one of his hind feet, shake your head and firmly say “no”. When he pulls back or sits, then say “good dog” and scratch the top of his head.

If you’ve got one of the really stubborn pups or an older dog who has been jumping on people for years and gotten by with it, he can probably still be made to keep his feet off of you. If you’ve already tried all of the above ideas and your hunting dog is still jumping on you, it is time to move on to a more direct method of dealing with the problem. As the dog jumps at you, bring your knee up and knee him in the chest. Again, say “no” in a calm, low and firm tone of voice. You don’t have to bring your knee up hard – the dog’s momentum will do most of the work. Remember, you don’t want to hurt the dog, just make him aware that this is an undesirable behavior. You do, however, need to use enough force that the dog is knocked off-balance. Nearly all dogs will get the idea pretty quickly.

To make sure that the dog understands that jumping on ANYONE (not just you) is bad, it is necessary for everyone that works or plays with the dog to react to his jumping the same way. If even one person lets the dog jump, it can become his habit to try it on any new person that comes his way.

But what do you do if you’re out with a friend and find that his hunting dog exhibits this dangerous behavior? This is a whole different scenario. First of all, crate the dog for the rest of the hunt or offer to put the guns away and spend the rest of the afternoon making your friend’s dog into a safe hunting companion. If your friend doesn’t want to crate the animal or try to correct its behavior, excuse yourself from the hunt. There is no sense endangering yourself or your dog because of someone else’s stupidity.

A well-trained hunting dog is an asset in the field, however a dog that jumps is just bad news – no matter how well trained he is. Knowing how to break a dog from this potentially life-threatening behavior of jumping on people could keep someone from being hurt or killed. Think about it … The life you save could be your own.

Make Hunting Dog Training Easier With Electronic Dog Collars – Review

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:20:38 +0000

Using an electric shock collar to train your dog might seem a little extreme but their effectiveness in dog training really cannot be disputed. Giving dog handlers the power to administer a small electric shock makes it easy for anybody to train their dog to a professional level in a very short space of time. Because of their recent popularity, a huge number of dog training collars have exploded onto the market, some aimed at professional dog trainers and handlers, others with the domestic market in mind, but all with the same M.O. Here are three of the most popular dog training collars currently available.

SportDOG Field Trainer

The SD-400 is ideal for field training or hunting with close-working dogs. It is effective up to a range of 400 yards. It offers 16 levels of continuous shock and 8 power settings for the momentary shock setting. This gives you much more power to control large or particularly unruly dogs over a much greater distance than other shock collars. Amazingly you can even use it to train your dog underwater to a depth of 25 feet as both the controller and collar are waterproofed to that depth. The batteries are easy and convenient to recharge and hold their charge much longer than those of other products, making this ideal for those long walks in the country or for long training sessions in the park.

Tritronics Sports Basic G3

This training collar offers similar abilities as the SportDOG Field Trainer but with the benefit of increased range, up to half a mile, making it ideal for working or hunting dogs in the open country. Shocks can be administered at 10 levels for both the continuous and instant shock functions, making it’s continuous shock slightly more limited than the SportDOG Field Trainer but increasing your control over the power of instant shocks. Like it’s counterpart this collar is also waterproof and holds it’s charge over long periods of time.

SportDOG 100 Yard Trainer

The SportDOG 100 Yard Trainer, or SD-105 is the backyard equivalent of the more expensive SD-400 Field Trainer. It offers all of the features of the SD-400, including a long battery life but it’s range is limited to approximately 100 yards, a quarter of that of it’s bigger brother and considerably less than the Tritronics Sports Basic (although some have reported that it works at a much longer range than advertised). Another reported limitation is that it is not powerful enough to train larger dogs, but for smaller dogs in a domestic setting this product is ideal.

Which product you chose really does depend on it’s intended use and range. The prices of these three training collars are appropriate to exactly that. The most expensive is the Tritronics Sport Basic, at $239, followed by the SportDOG Field Trainer at $159.95, the difference in price greatly outweighing the difference in range between them. The best value for money is the $90 SportDOG 100 Yard Trainer, although there are obvious limitations to consider. Make sure you don’t regret choosing the least expensive product at the expense of range and usability.

In short, if you want to train a smaller, domestic dog there really is no need to buy anything but the SD-100, but for larger dogs you’ll find the SD-400 to be of better value.

You can find the Collars on Amazon here:

sportDog Field Trainer – $159.95

TriTronics sports basic G3 – $239

sportDog 100 Yard Trainer – $96.30

I hope you enjoyed this article. I have now added a contribute tab to the top of the page so you can get payed for writing article like this one!

James

What question would you ask a Hunting Dog Training Expert?

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:12:15 +0000

I am going to be interviewing a Hunting Dog Training expert and was wondering what question you would ask?

Enter It Below:
[contact-form]

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Don’t make these mistakes when your hunting dog training

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:02:27 +0000

If you’re planning to have a hunting dog, there are a lot of things that you should think about first. When you ask other hunters regarding their hunting dog training, you will find different answers. Some would say it was pretty easy and simple, while others would say it was really difficult. Do you want to know why? Hunting dogs are easier to teach when they come from a certain hunter’s herding line.

That’s right. Simply put, it all boils down on the parents and grandparents of the dog. If their line is strictly bred for hunting purposes, the easier it is to train the dog to obey and listen. You can actually look for breeders who specialize in hunting dogs. These people use the process of selective breeding in order to ensure that a particular hunting breed is maintained.

Visit the breeder’s kennel and choose a puppy that you might be interested in. Once you have chosen a certain puppy, you should then ask the breeders about the parents of the puppy. Ask what certain hunting abilities the parents possessed. Don’t forget to learn as much as you can about the breed that you selected.

When training for hunting dogs, keep in mind that the most important aspect of your training is obedience. Without obedience, you cannot have any significant development in your training. You should make sure that the dog respects you as his owner. Treat him with respect as well by being kind and treating him just like a member of the family.

The importance of basic commands is second to none. This is the foundation of all other commands. The basic commands include stay, sit, come, and down. Teach this commands as early as you can.

Distance training is also important when hunting dog training. It’s a fact that you won’t be working in close range with your dog most of the time. Certain situations may demand a long distance command to be executed. To do this, give out the commands in a gradually increasing distance. First, move a few meters away from your dog and see how he will react. Once successful, increase the range again. Do this continuously until the dog can work with you in long distances. This can be very handy on hunting trips.

To sum up, hunting dog training is really a matter of dedication and finding the right breed for you. Setbacks are expected in the training process, but that shouldn’t discourage you. This is normal as not everything runs smoothly as expected. Good luck in your hunting dog training!

Ideas on Hunting Dog Training

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:04:26 +0000

Having a hunting dog with you during your hunting trips can be very helpful. In fact, it even makes the hunting experience more fun.

Before you decide to have a hunting dog, you should know that hunting dog training will take time. It’s always best to start training a hunting dog as a puppy. The only problem is that it would be hard if you would want the puppy to be a family pet and at the same time, a hunting dog.

At first, the basic commands of sit, stay, come, and down should be taught. Make sure that the dog learns to respect the owner at a young age. To do this, you should be kind and gentle in treating the dog.

You also have to be prepared for longer distances command. When hunting, there are times when the hunting dog is quite far from the owner. That’s why you shouldn’t purely rely on verbal commands. You can make use of other cues such as a whistle or specific hand signals.

The command to retrieve something is also important in hunting dog training. This should be done as early as you can. Start teaching retrieve as a puppy. To attract him to do the command, you should make him retrieve something that he likes, let’s say a ball.

Let’s admit that it’s really hard sometimes to train a hunting dog to listen to commands. Electric collars are designed to help you in that process. It’s a collar that you let your dog wear. Every time that the dog is not following your commands, you can press the remote of the collar to give the dog a little shock. You might think that this is a cruel approach but don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe. There’s no actual harm being done to the dog. Besides, an electric collar would also be useful when you’re out hunting and your dog suddenly chases something you that don’t want him to chase.

A sign of a well trained hunting dog should be always aware of the whereabouts of his owner. Also, a good hunting dog hunts through scent and not by sight.

When the hunting season is over, you should make sure that your hunting dog will still get regular exercise. This is important if you want him to stay fit and able to hunt. Control his meals as well. If you feed him too much, he might get obese. This will make him slow.

These are just some things to consider when you decide to have a hunting dog. Training won’t be easy, but if you really give it your best shot, you’ll have a great partner in your hunting trips.

Hunting Dog Training Chewing And Barking

admin — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:03:59 +0000

photo by tensafefrogs on flickr

Recently in an article on gundogmag.com an article by Ed Harry answered the questions of some concerned hunting dog owners about hunting dog training. These where the problems of chewing, bolting and chronic barking.

Chewing

Chewing is frequent in mostly puppies and is usually genetically determined, another important reason to get a dog with good parents that have strong hunting dog training. Other causes of chewing include:

· Incorrect primary and/or secondary socialization

· Lack of exposure to challenging experiences, and hence boredom

A question was asked about a GSP that is nearing six months. It is showing to be keen during hunting dog training as it is already after birds but he is chewing up beds, couches, toilet paper, you name it.

It is natural for puppies to chew things until they are 6 or 7 months old as they are replacing baby teeth. What you need to be careful of is reinforcing this behaviour. When the hunting dog is busy chew everything don’t run over to it and fuss, instead stop the behaviour and replace whatever they are chewing with something they would prefer such as a toy. This will stop the hunting dog from associating attention to chewing the things you don’t want them to which could only reinforce the habit.

So ignore the chewing or ripping, act like nothing is going on and give your pup a rawhide bone to chew or a soft chew toy that squeaks to get his attention away from the unwanted chewing he was doing.

Barking Problems

The second question in the article spoke about a new three-month-old Brittany pup. The owner asked when it was safe to put a bark collar on a pup and not mess up later when hunting dog training begins.

Bark collars should be steered clear of till sexually mature at around six or seven months, when the bark is deeper and it has stopped the playful puppy yapping. Then it would be wise to purchase a shock collar with about six different intensities such as Dogtra YS300 Yapper Stopper. This collar also has a warning shock which warns the hunting dog before ramping up the intensity and can be very useful when hunting dog training.

The hunting dog will rapidly realize what the warning means and will stop on it, not waiting for the bigger shock. This means the hunting dog will get trained with minimum shock and distress for the hunting dog.

James

Training Your Hunting Dog To Avoid Snakes

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:03:59 +0000

image by freeparking at flickr

If you own a dog, especially a hunting dog and live in a part of the country that has poisonous snakes then you should train your dog to avoid all snakes. Unlike people dogs cannot wear snake boots to protect themselves from the fangs of a pit viper that lives nearby. Dogs by their nature a curious about everything including snakes. It only takes a second for a dog to be struck in the muzzle or the eye and you have a serious problem.

Hunting dog training that includes snake avoidance will reduce the chances that your dog will be bit by a poisonous snake. Snake avoidance training is a specialty that requires the trainer to be very comfortable in handling snakes. Several hunting dog training specialists located in the South and West train their prize hunting dogs during the regular obedience training. They would never risk their dog and all the time and effort they have invested by ignoring this serious problem.

The old-fashioned method

Step 1: Catch a local non poisonous snake.
Step 2: Placing a freshly caught snake in front of puppy will cause the snake to strike the dog repeatedly. It is important not to say anything to the dog during this avoidance training. Frequently this will cause the pup to avoid snakes for the rest of their lives.

The modern method

A more intensive method of teaching snake avoidance is through the use of an electronic training collar in addition to a fresh caught non poisonous snake. You want to select fresh caught snakes to assure that they snake will strike the dog repeatedly. Snakes that are handled frequently seldom will provide the proper striking response that you need. Again the snake is placed so you dog will encounter it however when the snake strikes you will use the electronic collar to provide a shock to the dog. Applying the correction at the same time as the snake strikes the dog is important. Again do not say anything during this process as you want the dog to associate the pain of the correction with the snake and not you and the training collar.

Snake Hunting Dog Training isn’t over yet…

It should be noted that non poisonous snakes do not smell the same as pit vipers. Should you have the opportunity to kill or capture a rattlesnake, copperhead or cottonmouth without endangering yourself you should do so. In snake country you will find dead pit vipers on local roads which will provide the material you need for advanced snake avoidance training. It is recommended that you remove the head of the poisonous snake before you bag the body in a zip lock bag in your freezer. The dead snake parts are thawed out and are placed in a bag with the non poisonous snake for 30 minutes to provide the odour of a pit viper to it. Then the hunting dog training process outlined above is employed to achieve the desired effects. The dog’s sense of smell will help it avoid pit vipers in the wild.

And Don’t Forget..

It must be understood that hunting dog training that includes snake avoidance is no guarantee that your dog will not be struck by a poisonous snake. In many cases as the dog works the cover it will surprise a snake and be struck. However frequently these initial strikes do not carry a large dose of venom and are used by the snake to warn the intruder off. An untrained dog will frequently turn on the snake and be struck again with a full load of venom which may kill or blind a dog. In most cases a trained dog will immediately leave the snake alone and continue hunting.

In every case whenever your dog encounters a snake it should be examined closely. Hunting dogs should be put up and observed for any swelling or signs of a bite. Many Vets will provide you with the first aid medicines that you need to treat your dog in the field. If you have any doubts about a snake bite you should contact your Vet immediately. If you love your dog then you will invest in the time and effort to properly train it in snake avoidance. Hunting Dog training that includes snake avoidance only make sense and will save you heartache, time and money.

James

Article Source: Jim Kiesel
Original Article Can Be Found Here

Top Types Of Hunting Dog: Make Training A Breeze

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:02:59 +0000

image by nugefishes' from flickr

The excitement of the stalking, the tense moments of the struggle, and the thrill of the kill are aspects of the sport of hunting which hunters are very much addicted to. However, the chores of hunting can sometimes be very onerous. Searching for a game, for example, can take a few hours. And once you’ve brought them down, searching for the bodies for clean-up can take just as much time.

Things would be easier, of course, if you have helpful hunting dog with a keen sense of smell and who could easily point you to the right direction. This is the reason why, throughout the years, many hunters have found efficient and faithful friends in dogs. Hunting dogs do exhibit an extraordinary sense for scents and sight. They could pick up a trail of any scent they are trained to find. And they could make hunting fun and enjoyable because of the convenience of their pointing, retrieving and hunting skills.

Not all dogs are meant for hunting, however. Dogs of the toy variety, for example, are not really trainable for hunting dogs. Some canine types possess a stronger sense of smell as well as the required aptitude for hunting activities. Others are best left as guard dogs or indoor companions.

Top Breeds For Hunting Dog Training

So what are the dogs that can greatly help you in some hunting purposes? Here is a list of hunting dog breeds that you could invest on.

• Hounds. There are many breeds of hounds. They are named as such because they possess the most powerful sense of smell among all the breeds of dogs there are. Investing on hounds is a “can’t miss” option for hunters, whether they are planning on preying on some birds, deer, wild boars and the likes. Hunting dog training is easy for hounds, since these dogs are meant for the outdoors. It is their environment. Whenever they are in grasslands or in the forests, hounds are in their natural element.

• Labradors. The All American, All Purpose dog is also a great choice, not just for hunting purposes, but for a variety of tasks as well. Labradors are one of the most intelligent breeds of canine companions in the world. Even pups would be very easy to train. Though they may not have the keen sense of smell that hounds possess, they more than make up for it with their obedience and their general aptitude. They work well with minimal supervision, and they are tireless companions that will always be eager to please their masters.

• American bulldogs. Bulldogs have a sense of smell that could rival hounds, though they could be a little slower. Nonetheless, many hunters profess that American bulldogs are the best catch dogs in the world of hunting. They are taken in for specific purposes and to satisfy specific aspects of hunting. As such, they are recommended for seasoned hunters who know what they want. A novice hunter should stick with the breeds that show more versatility and have more natural apptitude for hunting dog training.
• Argentine dogos. These are dogs that would make you believe that they are bred for hunting. They are fast and strong, and they could easily hurdle the rigors of the hunting game. Though they do trail behind in the sniffing prowess department, their agility, flexibility and versatility more than makes up for what they lack in their sense of smell.

Of course, it goes without saying that hunting dogs, regardless of breed, need to go through serious training. Additionally, you should take good care of them, as the rigors of hunting can take their toll on your faithful canine companions. These aside, hunting dogs are great options for the serious hunter.

James

(Original article sourced from here)