Posted by Jeanne on December 27, 2008
Question
We just got a dalmatian, and I have heard they are in the non-sporting group. Does this mean our dog won’t hunt? And, how do you teach a dog to hunt?
Answer
No, it does not mean that the dog will not hunt; the name nonsporting is very misleading. Many dalmatians will hunt; they have a good nose although they hold their head rather high when hunting.
Originally they had some connection with the pointer through ancestry in Spain about 300 years ago. lt is our belief that if they were trained greatly for outdoor work, they could develop into an excellent hunting breed as a whole.
To teach a dog to hunt, that’s a big order. Of course, you have to take him out in the field and see what he can do of his own accord.
There must be a lot of work at home also in the way of commands and getting him to stop when ordered, to move left or right or come or go upon signal. There are hundreds of books on this very topic.
Keep in mind that the dalmatian is a smart dog, and you must be smarter than the dog to teach him. So, look forward to a challenge from your spotted friend.
Posted by Jeanne on December 1, 2008
Dogs have been bred for the purposes of hunting with humans for centuries. Whether hunting for food or sport, various breeds of dog have been used to help flush the hunted animals out into the open, to retrieve downed animals (especially ducks, pheasant, and other birds), and to sniff out and track animals for the hunter. It is with these potential duties in mind that a hunting dog should be chosen.
When choosing a dog for hunting purposes, you may want to evaluate your needs and base the choice on what you want the dog to do, how easily it can be trained, whether it is likely to be “spooked” by the report of a weapon being fired, and how good its nose is.
Hunting Breeds
There are several breeds of dog that have a natural aptitude for assisting in various aspects of hunting. Hounds, for example, make excellent trackers, especially bloodhounds. They have a very acute sense of smell, even for a dog, and have no problem following several scents at once. Retrievers are quite keen at retrieving and make excellent bird-dogs.
Hunting breeds are separated into four general groups. These are the general hunting dogs, gun dogs, retrievers, and bird dogs. Some specific dog breeds may fit into more than one category.
Retrievers
Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are experts at finding and fetching fallen prey. They are especially useful on duck hunts because their oily coats help them move effortlessly through water to find and retrieve the fallen waterfowl.
Pointers and Setters
These dogs are useful in hunting because they let the hunter know when prey is nearby. They are most often used in bird hunts and are trained to freeze and point their bodies in the direction of the hunted bird (pointers) or hunker down low to the ground when they locate a bird (setters). Spaniels also make good pointers.
Hounds and Trackers
Bloodhounds and other dogs with heightened senses of smell are used to track all manner of animals. Whether it is their traditional use in the British fox hunt or their usefulness in tracking down deer, bears, and other such game for hunters in the US, they serve their purpose exceptionally well.