Correcting your hunting dog’s bad habits

While hunting dogs are born with drive, it’s up to the owner to get the most from their dog, and it starts with establishing who is boss through clear, consistent communication. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

RESOLVE TO CORRECT BEHAVIOR ISSUES NOW

By Scott Haugen

Happy New Year! If you’re a dog owner and into New Year’s resolutions, sweet! If you’re a dog owner and your dog’s not behaving as you’d like, now is the time to develop a resolution to fix it.

Here are some scenarios I recently witnessed, and how to remedy them.

ISSUE “Those dog beds are terrible; my dog chewed it up in less than a week!” RESOLUTION First of all, no gun dog that you’ve raised from a puppy should be allowed to chew on anything you don’t want it to. The exception to this is dogs with high anxiety, especially rescue dogs, which many people acquired during the Covid calamity; disciplining and teaching these dogs is a whole different scenario.

The problem with a dog chewing its bed is not the bed, but the owner’s inability to control the dog, and the fact it carried on for a week is wrong. When a pup chews on anything you don’t want it to, approach it with a harsh “No!” command and remove the object, or the dog. Give the dog a bone or chew to redirect the behavior. If the chewing persists, approach the dog with a harsh “No!” command and swat its backside, or the underside of the jaw. Never raise a hand to a dog and swat it in the face or from the top, down, as it could lead to irreparable damage. If this doesn’t work, an electronic collar will do the job.

ISSUE “I like to let her run like that; it’s a good workout.” RESOLUTION It was summer and I was swimming my dogs in a river. A man came walking by with his German shorthaired pointer. A few minutes prior I had watched his dog

run across a big farm field, chasing a flock of honkers, barking all the way. I asked him what had just happened. “Oh, that, I always let her chase birds; it’s good exercise.”

When I told the man it’s against the law to harass wildlife like that, and that his dog was trespassing, I had his attention. And if he thought a short burst run is conditioning, he had a lot to learn. A long, steady run or swim is much better, and to get the most of short-burst sprints, do it by throwing bumpers uphill so a dog can build strength in its back end.

As for the question of allowing a dog to chase birds, what’s it going to do come time for a hunt?

ISSUE “Ever since she had a litter of pups, she’s not hunted the same.” RESOLUTION That’s what a man shared with me on a duck hunt together. Over the course of the morning three of us killed limits in a small creek, yet the dog only retrieved three ducks. The dog was reluctant to swim, walk in the mud or move through brush. The man said his vet checked the dog for hormone imbalances, overall health concerns and confirmed she was on a good diet. This dog was being lazy and just needed some direction and a boost of confidence.

Instead of making excuses and wanting to keep shooting ducks, the owner should have set down his gun and worked with his dog to get her fetching. Tossing a bird short for her to retrieve would have done it. The dog was controlling the owner, not the other way around, and at 4 years old, the Lab just needed to be encouraged and told what to do.

ISSUE “He’s just a puppy having fun.” RESOLUTION That’s what a man said to me in the parking lot as his dog ran over 100 yards away into a duck marsh. The pup chased up ducks, snipe and songbirds and was clearly out of control. When walking from his blind to the truck, the man should have kept the 6-month-old pup on a short leash and controlled it. When the pup finally did come back – at its leisure, no less – it wouldn’t obey a single command.

Never take a break from training and always reinforce the pup to sit, stay and heel. Commands and training should occur at work and play. The owner must establish him- or herself as the leader in order for their dog to know what it’s supposed to do, and for them to enjoy the experience of being a gun dog owner.

ISSUE “Down, get down! I hate it when he jumps on strangers!” RESOLUTION I’d just seen the yellow Lab jump up on his owner and lick his face, and the owner encouraged it. As the passenger got out of the truck, the dog did the same to them.

Why does this hunter have a whistle in his mouth? Because he’s prepared to correct any unwanted behavior of his dog. For gun dog owners, the training never stops, even when on the hunt. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

A disciplined dog should do whatever its owner wants, including posing for pictures at the end of a successful hunt. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

That’s when the owner tried to make it stop. By encouraging the dog to jump up and lick the owner, it was being taught that such behavior is OK, but when it did it to someone else, it was told it was not OK. The owner needs to deliver consistent messages. Otherwise, he and his dog will only be frustrated. The man must not let the dog jump on him when it’s excited, no exceptions.

WITH A NEW YEAR upon us, resolve yourself to shaping your dog into the best behaved animal it can be. This starts with you knowing what’s right and wrong, then delivering clear and concise commands that leave no question you’re the one in charge at all times. CS

Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a full-time writer. See his puppy training videos and learn more about his many books at scotthaugen.com and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.