Many people believe that hunting dogs should never be contained indoors or allowed to be around children. They think that because the dog has “tasted blood” on the hunt, it cannot be trusted not to hurt children. This line of thinking is simply not true. Hunting dogs make wonderful family pets because of their natural tendency to want praise and acceptance from their masters. They are also quite intelligent and follow commands easily. Most hunting dogs, especially retrievers, have “soft mouths”, which means that they don’t bite down hard. This is definitely an advantage for young children who love to play with dogs.
America’s favorite dog is the Golden Retriever. Their unique traits make them wildly popular – they’re natural swimmers, are calm and gentle, are very intelligent, and are generally content. Plus, they’re just beautiful to look at. They’re also large enough that children can play and roughhouse with them and they never seem to run out of energy or patience for this. These things also make them ideal service dogs. And yet, most people that own one don’t realize that all of these things were bred into them so that they would be great bird dogs. They’re so common that most people don’t even think of them as being hunting dogs.
Training your hunting dog to take to children is pretty simple. It’s important to remember that a hunting dog sees you (as the adult and trainer) as the top dog and therefore considers children who they are living with as part of the ‘litter’. As your children grow up, the hunting dog will follow your example. He will watch and see how you treat him as well as his ‘litter-mates’ and he’ll determine what the ‘pecking order’ is in the home.
Not only are most hunting dogs very docile, but they are usually very sturdy dogs. Because of this, they are more likely to stand up to the less than gentle playing that children are so prone to. Always monitor what is going on so that your children don’t hurt the dog, especially when he’s a puppy since they do not always understand their own boundaries. Knowing what your children and dog are doing when playing will help make your hunting breed a beloved family pet and keep both children and dog safe.
Set rules and boundaries for both your children and your dog and make sure they follow them consistently. Children don’t always remember that a dog does not act or think like they do. Your dog is certainly a member of the family, but a canine member, not a human. Have rules such as: never feed the dog from the table or let him beg; the dog sleeps in his crate, not in anyone’s beds; or, the dog is not allowed in certain areas of the house. This may not seem fair to your children, but it will help them understand the boundaries set for them and for your dog.
There is no price that can be set on owning a dog. Their unconditional love will be remembered forever in your children’s hearts. Every dog is unique. Think about your first dog – can you remember the special tricks he did, what treats he loved to eat, the little quirks of his personality? Who would not want that for their own children? Dogs help us remember that the little things in life are what’s most important, and they give us an appreciation for nature. In this respect, hunting dogs are no different than other breeds.
To help you train your hunting dog you should make sure you have the proper supplies. Some of the more popular supplies include: Tracker Maxima Tracking Collars and Innotek ADV300P Dog Training Collars.




















