It isn't easy to imagine how long ago our faithful companions are dogs. More than one century has passed since man tamed the first dog. Since then, many breeds of different appearances, physique, sizes, color have been bred. Now everyone can find a four-legged friend according to their preferences and needs. Even though they are our guardians, friends, nannies for our children, or just creatures that cheer us up - they have become an indispensable part of many people's lives. 

Anyone with a dog knows very well that treating an animal with love and respect will repay you with loyalty and help you in any matter. Although teaching it to do this is a challenging task. But we know 100% that it is worth it. And your efforts and efforts that you spend will subsequently work for you. 

For example, in such a case as hunting. A hunting dog, in this case, is simply an indispensable assistant. After all, the hunting process becomes much more exciting and productive with him. For example, to bring prey from a place inaccessible to you, or to catch up with a wounded animal, sometimes they drive the animal to you. As soon as a man went hunting immediately after the creation of weapons, the second thing he did was to teach himself an assistant. Therefore, a hunter a weapon, or a dog is a traditional form of hunting that has existed for more than 20,000 years.  

But hunting with a partner always requires special care and caution. This also applies to cases when your partner runs on four legs. Therefore, when going hunting, you should take care not only of your safety, but also follow the basic safety rules when hunting with a dog.

Main rules of hunting with dogs

It all starts long before you choose the guns and ammunition for your pet. 

We will probably start when you just decide to take a dog and bring it to your home. 

These rules will be handy for you if you are new to this business and have never faced such an issue as raising a four-legged assistant. So the first thing you will pay attention to is not the animal itself but the breeder who sells dogs. You can continue the dialogue if you are lucky enough to find an honest person who can provide you with all the necessary documents regarding the dog. Why is it important? Hunting requires specific breeds (which we will talk about later) that have proven their skills in the field or the forest for centuries and have been specially bred for these purposes. Documents can confirm their pedigree and most importantly, they guarantee that the animal is healthy and has no pathologies or chronic diseases. The puppies must have both healthy parents. And if there are any reservations about their health, you will at least understand what you need to monitor and pay more attention to. 

Secondly, when you contact the breeder, ask the following few questions. For example, you will need to determine and understand how often the female gave birth in general. It is believed that the first offspring is the best because the girl is still young and healthy and gives the best to the puppies. The more she gives birth, the worse the puppies will be because pregnancy is very exhausting for the animal. Ask when the dog gave birth for the first time. After all, it affects the health of the future generation. The moment when a dog can be knitted varies depending on the breed. But if we are talking about giant breed dogs, it is about the third heat. After all, by this period, the bitch is formed. And if this rule is not followed, it threatens the health of both adults and puppies. If we are talking about boys, there are also restrictions in this case. Some breeds do not recommend mating before a certain period because the father will stop growing, and the offspring will also be smaller.  

It is essential to ask how many puppies were born. The more they are paid the more they take from their mother and each other. After all, it also affects the health of the dog. 

If you have decided on these questions, found an honest breeder, and waited for the moment you can pick up your puppy, new stages begin. Now you have to choose your future companion. Here is the only recommendation, choose the one you like personally. Many people say to choose the most active one (but keep in mind that it is hard to work with activity), someone says to select the calmest dog (which also does not guarantee that he is quiet. Maybe his demons will wake up later. Or in general, he will be lazy and it will be challenging to make him do something). You have to communicate with the person who has been watching them for a while and take the one (though it is sentimental) whose face you like the most.

After that, we move on to the next stage. You have to take care of its safety. How to do it? It is advisable to immediately go to the veterinarian, who will examine him again and give you worming medicine. This is a mandatory manipulation that you must perform. After all, you will be vaccinated only after that in a few days. Remember that the puppy is highly vulnerable at this moment. Although the dog seems to be a hardy animal, it is a great responsibility for its health. Therefore, before you have done all the necessary vaccinations, you should not let him out into the yard. This is a difficult stage. This is the stage when the puppy gets acquainted with a new place; he was torn away from his mother, and you are already trying to introduce him to the rules of the house to show who the leader is here. 

By the way, the last rule is the most important. And I would like to concentrate on it in more detail. It is not easy to show it, as it seems at first glance. If you love your pet, you want to show as much attention as possible, stroke it, and take it in your arms. This is quite a normal process. But at this moment, you need to overcome yourself so as not to have undesirable consequences. After all, you bought a dog to make it obey your commands. But if it does not treat you as a leader, you will be disappointed in your decision because it will be of no use. 

A dog is a pack animal. And in any pack, there is a leader. And the dog will try to show that it is him or will do so to be with you on equal terms. To build a hierarchy, you have to respect personal boundaries and point them out. The dog has its place (which you have arranged); it does not climb on the couch closer to you (until you allow it). He should not sit at the table when you eat. You play with or caress her only when you want to, not when she demands it. That is, you set the rules. And the first one who has to follow them is you. Until your puppy can go outside, try to find a good dog trainer who specializes in training dogs for hunting. 

This involves endurance training, doing everything possible to ensure that your dog listens to your commands from the first time, does not approach a big game without your permission, does not react to stimuli (smells, sounds, small animals), and is not afraid of sharp sounds. Also, pay attention to the last point because this problem is common among dogs. The sounds of an explosion, a shot, or fireworks can scare the animal. And this leads to the fact that the dog is constantly shaking and is not oriented in space. Start training with simple hand claps. When my dog was tiny, firecrackers came in handy. They are thrown in the other direction by the dog, and he must learn to get used to this sound, to begin with. In no case do not call your pet at this moment to you. For the animal, it will mean that the protection is near you; you calm it down. That is, you praise its behavior in a state of fright.  

After you have passed this way and your dog has shown promising results during training, you can prepare for a hunting trip. 

Before that, make the first or additional vaccination against rabies. You never know what other animals are sick with, and your animal will be in contact with them. Also, treat their fur or give them a pill that will protect them from small but hazardous pests such as fleas and ticks. There were many cases when the owners neglected this rule, and the animal died from a disease that got into the body through a parasite bite. And, of course, after returning from hunting, you must carefully examine the animal's fur to avoid anything dangerous in your home. 

Now, in addition to the gear for yourself, your backpack will contain food, water, and extra bowls for your companion. You have to support both him and your strength. 

In the forest or the field, there are many irritants for the animal. This can confuse it. You can never know what it can react to and where it can see the danger. Therefore, even if you have succeeded in training, keeping him on a leash is better. 

Every hunter, before going hunting, undergoes mandatory training on hunting safety and handling hunting weapons. He never and under no circumstances violates these rules and remembers that it is not only about his safety but also the safety of others, a faithful friend and assistant. Knowing that dogs not only track game but also do not mind playing at rest, the hunter should always be sure that his weapon is stored unloaded and ammunition is hidden in a metal box. And when you are going to make a shot, in no case do it until your pet is not next to you, not fastened on a leash, thanks to which you control its actions. 

There is another danger for you and your pet that is worth noting. And we are talking about snakes. Unfortunately, no vaccine could protect against this "pest" one hundred percent. So be very careful and attentive to avoid or prevent the situation if a snake bites your pet.

Best breeds of dogs

The dog has gained the title of best friend and assistant for centuries. From the very beginning, its direct duty was to protect and help in hunting. Earlier, any four-legged companion was chosen for this service regardless of color, muzzle shape, length of legs, and body. 

Now we already distinguish many breeds by specific criteria. And we understand what category of dogs should be inherent. If it is a shepherd dog, it must be swift and agile. If we are talking about a defender dog: size, powerful jaw, the height of paws, and shape of ears. 

If it is a hunting dog, the main criteria will be its size, stamina, speed, learning ability, the shape of the muzzle, which affects the sense of smell or the ability to grab prey, and so on. 

In this case, it is also essential to understand that even such dogs can be divided into several categories. Hounds. These are medium or large hunting dogs adapted to find and drive the animal until it gets tired. During the pursuit of prey, the animal informs its owner by barking. Hounds are distinguished by their senses, excellent sense of smell, loud voice, and exceptional discipline. A large number of representatives with long ears. Huskies. Dogs tolerate hunger or cold well, fearless and independent. Their job is to drive the beast or detain it in place until the owner comes. Norni. Small hunting dogs do an excellent job catching badgers, foxes, and raccoons. They grab them in a hole or force them to get out. Mink-hunting dogs are characterized by agility and a fantastic independence sense of smell. Greyhounds. A group of breeds, with representatives of which you can go hunting without weapons. This handsome dog gains speed up to 60 km/hour and has no equal on the plains. Legavi. The general name of the group of dogs, typical representatives of which are German Drathaar, English Setter, or Cortalsa Griffon. There is no better hunter for reeds or ponds. The pet makes its way carefully and without unnecessary noise and speaks about finding a game with a unique rack. 

So what breeds are better to pay attention to? 

Dachshund. It is the oldest breed of burrowing dog. The owner of the standard qualities in the form of fearlessness, determination, agility, and good sense.  The breed originates from hounds, namely from the short-legged hound; it is from them that they inherited such hunting qualities as the ability to search for a trail, follow prey, drive and hold the beast. Dogs were valued for their hunting qualities and ability to climb into holes; unlike ordinary long-legged dogs, dachshunds could go into a hole and drive out a fox or badger.

The compact Estonian hound owes its origin to conservation measures. The Estonian hound was bred specifically for hunting animals. This relatively young breed quickly gained popularity, gaining the status of an excellent hunter of small animals and a faithful companion. The compact hound has a surprisingly sharp mind and is easy to train. An active dog quickly learns commands. With it, the owner feels protected.

Such a distinctive characteristic of Estonian hounds, anger, is directly manifested in the animal during the hunt. At home, it is a gentle and calm pet.

Basset Hound. A dog with a deceptive appearance. It looks sedentary and melancholy, but the dog has no equal in its business. Basset Hounds became popular among hunters not because of their agility and agility. No, all this is due to the dog's incredible sense of smell. Few breeds can compare with the basset in the ability to pick up the trail of the game and not lose it, no matter what.

Drathaar. The dog of this breed appeared not so long ago in Germany. The animal was bred due to mating Kortals griffin, Stichelhaar, and poodle-pointer. Pets perfectly hunt large animals and game. In the latter case, the dog finds prey and brings or informs the owner about its location. In the case of hunting animals, the Drathaar distracts the live target with its bark. The main feature of the dog is that it can hunt in any terrain and weather conditions, thanks to its complex and dense coat.

The Cortals Griffon is a dynamic dog with an excellent sense of smell and excellent hunting skills. It works mainly on birds in any climatic conditions, on terrain with different complexity of relief. The dog goes to the game at a gallop. 

American spaniel. The breed was bred in the 19th century in America. Residents of regions with many water bodies needed a dog with good hunting qualities, trained for waterfowl. English spaniels, Irish divers, German spaniels, and curly retrievers participated in the selection. The selection resulted in a hardy dog that swims well in cold water.

Hungarian Vizsla. Direct ancestors of the Hungarian Vizsla have been known since the tenth century. They lived in settlements at the base of the Hungarian Carpathians. The writings of those times praised the working qualities and external beauty of the ancestors of the modern Vizsla. Further, the Viennese chronicle of 1375 described dogs of characteristic appearance as excellent hunters of hares and small animals.

Over time, the Hungarian Vizsla has become a universal working dog that works equally well in meadows, swamps, and forests. The dog became a descendant of several breeds of hunting dogs in England and Germany. 

West Siberian husky. Hunters worldwide dream of having such a dog as a pet. It has everything that a hunting dog needs: an excellent sense of smell, hearing, sharp eyesight, speed, and strength. It is an indispensable assistant in hunting large animals (deer, bear, wild boar) and small animals (fox, sable, marten, squirrel). West Siberian husky is characterized by great perseverance and good mobility, so it almost always returns to the owner with prey.

Labrador. Recently this dog has a certain stereotype that it is a lazy domestic dog. This is not entirely true. Labradors are patient and reliable dogs. They love an active lifestyle and pay attention to themselves. Walks and games are the best pastimes. Watching the pets, you can decide they never get tired of the activity. After all, from the beginning, it was a specially bred-hunting dog. 

This is not the final list of breeds you can take with you for hunting. The main rule you will be guided by when preparing for hunting is a careful attitude to your friend. This should be manifested in the upbringing and care of the animal. Bringing up such a friend is not an easy task, which requires a lot of strength and patience. After all, when an animal feels needed, it thanks its owner with devotion and good service.