Choosing the right dog food, and following a proper feeding regimen, is one of the best ways to keep your hunting dog healthy.

To make your opening day hunting trip successful and ensure your working dog has all the stamina and energy needed to carry it through the following weeks of the season, it’s important to pay attention to proper feeding and nutrition year-round. A balance of energy is important to maintain a dog in good health. Too little can result in loss of weight, lethargy and poor condition; too much will lead to obesity and all its complications.

“Choosing the right dog food, and following a proper feeding regimen, is one of the best ways to keep your hunting dog healthy,” says Bob West, Managing Consultant of Field Programs for the Ralston Purina Company.  West has been involved in dog sports for over 30 years as a professional trainer, handler, judge, and club official. When he talks about canine nutrition, folks listen.

Buying the right dog food is step number one, West says, and when asked if it really matters what brand is used, he answered with an emphatic, “Yes!”

“Anyone can duplicate an ingredient list on a package,” he said. “But not all ingredients are of the same grade, quality, palatability and subsequent digestibility. Not all deliver the same nutrient availability in the finished product. Good dog food tastes good and supplies the required nutrients, including the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to be healthy and perform as expected.”

To make a wise decision about the dog food you purchase, West suggests looking at the label, ingredient deck and feeding instructions. “Look for a company that conducts feeding studies as a basis of formulation and providing the nutritional adequacy of their products for growth, reproduction and maintenance,” he says. “Look for an 800 number to call for more information. In general, look for quality products produced by trusted and reputable companies.”

When asked how often a dog should be fed, West suggested once or twice daily. “Some folks feed twice a day,” he said, “with a smaller portion in the morning an hour or so before any exercise, and the remaining portion in the evening, an hour or so after the dog has rested. Many feed once a day, in the evening, again being sure the dog has rested an hour or so. What is important is not feeding too soon before or after exercise. At the very least, this practice can cause discomfort, and it could lead to serious, even life-threatening complications.”

Adding human food to a nutritionally balanced commercial dog food may upset the nutrient balance of your dog’s diet. Ideally, table scraps should not be fed. You may also be creating behavior problems. Your dog may begin to steal food from the table or the food preparation area.

It’s a good idea to avoid certain foods, too. In this instance, dog owners should be aware that:

* Milk is a food and not a substitute for water.

* Repeatedly adding raw eggs to a dog’s diet can cause a deficiency of the vitamin biotin, which can lead to dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), loss of hair and poor growth.

* Some raw fish can cause a deficiency of the vitamin thiamine. Signs of a thiamine deficiency include anorexia (complete loss of appetite), abnormal posture, weakness, seizures and even death.

* Raw meats may contain parasites and bacteria and do not contain a proper balance of nutrients if fed alone. Although meat is a source of protein, it has very low levels of calcium, a mineral dogs require for proper bone and tooth development. If large quantities of raw meat are fed over time, skeletal problems may develop.

* Raw liver, fed daily in large quantities, can cause vitamin A toxicity in dogs.

* Small soft bones (such as pork chop or chicken bones) should never be given to your dog, as they may splinter and lodge in his mouth or throat.

Normal healthy dogs that are not pregnant, nursing or hard-working have relatively low nutritional requirements for maintaining an appropriate body condition. Good body condition for a dog is defined as:

* One in which the animal is well proportioned

* Easily observable waist behind the ribcage

* Ribs can be felt with a slight fat covering over them

Dogs fed a complete and balanced diet do not need supplemental vitamins, minerals, or meat.

If supplemental meat or table scraps are fed, they should account for no more than 10-percent of the total diet. Higher levels can dilute the nutritional value of a dog’s diet, predispose him to obesity and may create a finicky eater.

Most people tend to overfeed, West noted, which leads to obesity, the primary cause of health problems in dogs today. “When viewed from above, your dog should exhibit an hourglass figure,” he said, “and when you place your thumbs together along its spine and move your hands from front to back, you should be able to feel the ribs.

If for health or other reasons you must change your dog’s diet, do it gradually over a seven- to ten-day period. Add a small amount of the new diet to the food currently being fed. Each day increase the quantity of the new diet and decrease the amount of the old. This gradual diet change helps avoid digestive upsets.

“There are two primary variables dictating the caloric needs of our hunting dogs,” West continued. “These are activity and environmental temperature. So, as you begin late summer training and continue into fall hunting season, plan to feed more to keep your dog at the proper weight with the right amount of energy. Remember, too, it takes six to eight weeks to get your dog in shape for hunting season. Begin with a visit to your veterinarian for a complete physical, and be extra cautious in the beginning if your dog is overweight.”

written by Keith Sutton

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Training a dog for hunting should be fun for both owner and dog. It is best to start trainig a dog after six months of age and after he has already mastered some basic commands such as sit and come.

Dogs are eager to please and respond best to positive reinforcement. Beginning and ending each training session with a game or playtime will keep your dog upbeat and anxious to learn. Patience and enthusiasm are also important. And always praise your dog for tasks he completes correctly. Never punish your dog during training.

It is very important not to rush the basic obedience techniques, as they are the foundation of every dog’s behavior. It may take up to 2 to 4 weeks to complete your training with 30 minute sessions, four times a week. Remember, be patient, consistent and be sure to keep the training fun.

Once you have mastered the basic behavior commands you are ready to begin the retrieval training like Landmarking. This is an exercise that develops the dog’s ability to judge distances. This is where you will need someone to assist you. The “handler” will be the person in control of the dog. The “thrower” will be the assistant with this exercise by throwing the training dummy for the dog. You will us a canvas dummy and sent for this training activity.

You will start by positioning the “thrower”, with the scented dummy, 50 yards away from the “handler”. The “handler” will have the dog at a heel position and will signal to the “thrower ” to get the dog’s attention. When the dog is looking in the direction of the “thrower” toss the dummy at a 45 degree angle back away from the “handler” and the dog.

The “handler” will release the dog on command to retrieve the dummy. After the dog picks u the dummy, recall the dog to you. Do not forget to paise him for a complete retrieve. Rotate this exercise in varying areas with different grass and weed coverage; short grass, long grass, tall weeds, etc. Also change your distances from the “handler” and “thrower” from 25 yards to 150 yards. Always set up the area with ehe wind at your back. This will give the dog a chance to see the dummy and learn how to judge distances and not use just his nose to find the dummy.

Another exercise is quartering. This means to have the dog work back and forth in front of you in the field looking for birds. To start this exercise yoou will need to be in medium height grass with your scented dummy. Take the dummy and place it upwind from your starting point. Where you place the dummy will be your ending point. With your dog in the heel position, walk with him from the starting point and give a verbal command to release him from your side. Walk with your dog in a zig zag pattern letting him work about 20 yards in front of you.

If you need more control of your dog during this exercise attach a long leash to the collar. You can continue to set up different training areas and change locations of the scented dummy. Do not forget to give your dog praise for a job well done. Remember make it fun.

Finally, after the dog understands landmarks and quartering you may progress to water marks. This exercise also uses a “thrower” and a small pond or water area. Have the “thrower” toss the dummy into the water, then release the dog to retrieve it. Do not have duck decoys in the water at this time. This may confuse him for the first few times. You may put some decoys on land by the water entry. After the dog has learned to run through the decoys on land and retrieve the dummy out of the water, you can place a couple duck decoys in the water. Remember to praise for a job well done.

I hope this information helps with your new retriever or even with your old one. And with a lot of praise and patients maybe my retriever and I will see you in the duck blind.

Source: Remington Field Training Manual

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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, and to sniff out and track animals for the hunter.

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, make excellent trackers, especially bloodhounds. They have a very acute sense of smell, 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.

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