Hunting Dog Training, What Are The Choices

How to do a good job of hunting dog training is a question that has been asked literally for hundreds if not thousands of years. Man most likely had a dog for his hunting companion even when he hunted the mastodon. Let's face it if it were not for hunters and their dogs the human race would not exist. In modern times the term hunting dog may mean everything from a bird dog to a coon hound. Obviously you do not train a retriever the same way you would a bear dog. However when you train hunting dogs no matter what the type of game you are focusing on you must begin with basic obedience training. Basic obedience training is necessary as it allows you to handle your dog in a manner that allows you to tune its natural instincts and abilities. When hunting dog training you must love dogs to begin with and you must have patience and understanding.

Hunting dog training is not for everyone it requires time and special skills. At this time there are no degree programs at any college or university that teaches you how to train a hunting dog. If you do not have the time for hunting dog training then you probably should consider having your dog trained by a professional trainer. A professional hunting dog trainer will be focused on one type of hunting dog. The most common hunting dog training is focused on bird hunting with pointing, flushing and retrieving dog breeds. Since there are no formal hunting dog training programs to teach you to train hunting dogs, there are only a few options available. It is well understood that the best dog trainers are unique and self taught. It takes many years of dedication and patience to become good hunting dog trainer. So the question is how does the average hunter learn hunting dog training?

Hiring a professional for hunting dog training is in many cases the fastest way to train your dog. In this fast paced time constrained world many hunters just do not have the time to properly do hunting dog training. When a professional trainer is used to train your hunting dog you will be asked to work with your dog at least two or three times during the training process. If you live relatively close to the trainer it would be wise to spend time visiting the training site as often as possible. Each time you visit you will have the opportunity to watch how the hunting dog training process works. You also learn how to employ the lessons that your hunting dog has learned in a field setting. It is also the perfect time to ask questions about the training process. All this information will be valuable to you when it comes time to tune up your favorite dog prior to hunting season. In addition when it comes time to acquire another dog you may have the tools to try hunting dog training yourself. If you already posses a well trained hunting dog you will quickly find that one well trained dog does help train another. Once you have learned hunting dog training and trained your own dogs the quality of the hunting experience will be greatly increased.

You can also learn hunting dog training with the help of books, videos and DVDs. Many professional trainers sell these training aids that provide just about everything you need to know on hunting dog training. In addition you will have a source to contact when your training program hits a snag or you end up with a dog that has developed a bad habit. Video hunting dog training material has an additional value for when you need to tune up your dog for the coming season. You simply pop the video or DVD in the machine and watch how training should be done. In addition you will have to purchase a number of training tools including electronic collars. Many of these hunting dog training products come with video instructions to help you train your dog using the device. All these tools will assist you in doing a good job of hunting dog training on your own. The pride of doing your own hunting dog training comes from watching your dog perform well in the field.