Mary Allen
The hunting instinct in dogs is genetically anchored and more or less pronounced depending on the breed and breed. But what makes the four-legged friends happy does not make the owner happy. Weaning dogs off their hunting instinct is one of the most difficult parts of training, you can find out here how best to do this.
What Does Hunting Instinct Mean in Dogs?
One speaks of a hunting instinct when a dog picks up the scent tracks of an animal and pursues the prey. If the four-legged friend is successful, the so-called rush instinct sets in when the hunted person plans to flee, in which the hunting success does not necessarily have to be expedient, but the chase alone can also be the highlight.
Innate Hunting Instinct in Dogs
Most dogs have a natural instinct to hunt prey. Because the natural quality of hunting comes from the ancestors. Wolves were dependent on obtaining their food completely independently by hunting. Some four-legged friends have a stronger hunting instinct than others. Just the mere chasing of an animal makes the heart of the fur nose beat faster. As soon as the prey is no longer within a realistic range, many dogs give up the hunt. Others, on the other hand, only give up when they are completely exhausted themselves. In these cases, you need sufficient patience, assertiveness, and various measures to train your child. The hunting behavior cannot usually be switched off, but it can be controlled and steered in an orderly manner.
When the hunting instinct in dogs becomes dangerous
An uncontrolled hunting instinct can be deadly for humans and animals. Chased deer or cats, for example, panic, and when a dog poaches, it doesn’t stop at fast-moving cars in its intoxication. From the sixth to eighth month of life, the four-legged friend’s hunting instinct kicks in. Leaves flying around as well as flies and butterflies offer successful playing and hunting fun. If you don’t break the habit of such activities from your faithful companion, he will continue to get into this hunting and hunting instinct.
Deter Dogs from Hunting
It is without a doubt one of the most challenging chapters of dog training. There is no reliable method. The happy hormones that the dog feels when hunting is incomparable. What is suitable for educating one four-legged friend is far from being true for the other. You have to open yourself up to the matter and approach it with a lot of empathy. Even if you manage to curb the urge to hunt through experience and study, you must continue to train and refresh what you have learned.
Dog School: With Respect and Commitment to Success
Your four-legged friend has to orient himself to you, keep checking whether you are still near him, and obey your word. You should always reward appropriate behavior. If your dog runs away on a walk, you can use the situation to hide. Your sudden absence will unsettle him. The furry nose will start looking for you and overtime won’t take your eyes off you. A strong bond develops between you, which at the same time gives you better control.
Use a leash to show your dog where he belongs. The motto is: Grant freedom and still retain control. The leash should be durable and not too narrow. It is also important that you use a chest harness to avoid cervical vertebrae injuries or other health problems. Products made of leather or Biothane are recommended. These are very tear-resistant and of first-class quality. Your posture is also important. In order to have your beloved four-legged friend firmly under control, you have to be stable and concentrated. The leash signals to the four-legged friend that he should stay close to the pack – and therefore close to you. If your four-legged friend changes direction during a walk, you should calmly teach him not to do this. Before the leash even tightens, you call your faithful companion to heel and reward him with praise or a treat.
The use of a dog whistle is also recommended, as this is particularly effective over longer distances. If your dog is stubborn, change direction immediately and refrain from any verbal communication. Always stay consistent and above all patient with this training method.
Using the Play Instinct of Dogs
You can focus your dog’s attention on you with search games. Retrieval exercises and races are also suitable. The four-legged friend will quickly notice that you are giving him plenty of variety and joy. Words of praise, cuddles, and treats also show him that it’s worth staying close to you. If your dog is distracted by a cat or wild animal, you can easily show him an alternative with a toy, food dummy, or retrieval exercise, which is accompanied by an enticing reward.
Hunting with Dogs
During the two world wars, English and French hunting dog breeding came to a standstill. Most quadrupeds were killed due to food shortages. In England, after the end of the war, it was finally decided to import German Shorthaired Pointer dogs, which were recognized as gun dogs. Many other packs could also be replenished in their species population, but lost importance due to the significantly reduced game population. Hunting with dogs still exists in England today. Due to changes in the landscape, however, fast and large dogs are no longer as popular as small, slow-hunting four-legged friends. Bloodless horseback hunts are still popular in Germany and France. However, suitable puppies are now sold almost exclusively to hunters.
You are the Highlight from Now On
If your dog has a pronounced passion for hunting, then you need a lot of patience and the necessary assertiveness. There is no sure way to wean your four-legged friend from hunting. Nevertheless, you can get your faithful companion to focus on you so that the hunt for game, cats, or birds recedes more and more into the background over time. You are the highlight from now on. Keep your dog busy with retrieving and search games or, for example, food dummies and thus strengthen the bond between the two of you and at the same time prevent the mostly annoying hunting instinct in dogs.