Dog Guidance Blog

By Marcus Peterson 

Hunting is an exciting sport for many people. The hunted animals are called game animals. Hunting dogs are used to assist human beings in hunting. Dogs are trained rather easily, and this trait makes them good companions for a hunter.

Some breeds are specially developed and trained for the purpose of hunting. In addition to a good weapon set, a hunting dog is a prerequisite for hunting most types of game. Dogs are extremely helpful for hunting because of their acute sense of smell and sound. There are several categories of hunting dogs. Some of the major categories include hounds, gundogs and terriers.

The hound is a category of hunting dogs that is efficient in tracking or chasing a game animal. Sight hounds and scent hounds are the two main types of hounds. Sight hounds follow a prey and keep them in sight whereas scent hounds follow the animal by tracking its scent. The Whippet is an example of a popular hunting hound.

Gundogs are commonly known as “bird dogs”. These dogs assist hunters by identifying the location of the prey or by retrieving the prey. There are several types of gundogs in the United States.

The Terrier is a type of dog breed that is useful for hunting and killing vermin. They are commonly used for hunting foxes. Beagles are especially useful for rabbit hunting. Airedale Terriers, Alpine Dachsbrackes, American Water Spaniels, Basset Hounds and Beagles are some popular breeds of hunting dogs.

Training for hunting begins when a pup is ten to twelve weeks old. They are taught various hunting skills that make use of their animal instincts. They are taught to stand motionless when required to avoid alerting the game animal. Highly energetic and active dogs need highly nutritious food to increase their stamina. Trainers recommend a high protein diet for these dogs. It is important to follow a strict training schedule to develop a dog into a sharp hunter dog. Special trainers can be hired specifically to train dogs for hunting.