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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Corwyn
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i dont know how to phrase this...but if you have a dog thats a naturally excellent game hunting dog (like a Weimaraner or vizsla) or another type of sporting breed but you, the owner doesnt participate in hunting, is that bad for the dog in any way? besides keeping the dog active with running on trails and playing does it affect the dog that it doesnt participate in hunting or such when it is naturally keen to that activity? |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Maddockson
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as long as the dog is getting enough energy, i don't think it will be upset it's not hunting. dogs bred for hunting are typically high energy/high endurance animals. if they get the exercise required, they should be fine. you could teach them how to 'flush/find' game, if this really bothers you. start with a toy stuffed with a treat. put it out in the open and tell dog to find it. praise when he does. gradually, make it harder for the dog to find the treat, so he has to work with his nose. or if it's a sight hound, play fetch. |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Stephanos
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I don't think its bad for the dog, but I do think that the dog enjoys being able to do what it is bred to do. So I would look for activities that are similar, but they don't have to be exactly what they were bred for. There are tons of dog sports out there now that allow breeds to use their instincts and excel.
For example, I have a lab mix but I don't hunt. Rather than have him retrieve a bird from the water I toss him bumpers and balls that he happily retrieves. I have been thinking of starting dock diving this summer as well.
I know someone with an aussie who took her to herd some sheep, and that was one happy aussie!  |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Faro
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Just because a dog is a sporting breed it has not a care in the world if it hunts or not. Same is true of any breed that was bred for a skill. I wonder just how many Shepherd breed owners actually keep sheep or other livestock?
A hunting dog has to be trained to hunt. As long as a dog is given good exercise, proper care and training, it will be perfectly happy being a companion pet. |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Urquhart
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no, it doesn't. my family has had labs and lab mixes and all we do is make sure that they have enough exercise. any hunting dog needs to have a lot of exercise because that's what they were bred to do. we do take them bird hunting, but that's once or twice a year. but just because they are a hunting, or a herding dog, they don't need to do that. they just need exercise to fill that void. |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Corwyn
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Not at all. There are plenty of things you can do with a sporting breed dog that mimic the things it was bred to do: running, swimming, playing fetch. The dog is having fun and won't know the difference. |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Maddockson
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not all "game hunting" dogs are good game hunters anyways. No, its not bad, as long as you are able to give the dog plenty of exercize. |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Stephanos
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There are thousands of people who own *Sporting* dogs that don't work with them, but they are very energetic and do needs tons of exercise in order to be a balanced dog. |
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Subject :Game hunting dog with owner that doesnt hunt?..
2009-07-09 16:04:45
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| Faro
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I don't think it's bad for the dog, providing it's getting adequate exercise and mental stimulation through other routes.
That's like saying border collies would be damaged by living with someone who doesn't have a sheep farm, or dachshunds aren't happy unless they are going down a badger hole, or golden retreivers aren't happy unless they are chasing after fowl.
Breeds have a certain things they are naturally good at, but that doesn't mean they have to do it. A hunting dog that has never been hunting isn't going to know what it's missing out on, even game hunting dogs have training to do what they do well... it's not 100% natural. |
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