Puppy 7 Months
Training Supplies For Your Gun Dog Puppy
If you have just become the proud owner of a puppy who you plan to train to be a hunting or gun dog, you might be wondering what supplies you are going to need to help get your puppy off to a great start in his new home. Before you bring your puppy home there are some things you will want to purchase right away.
Because puppies don’t come housebroken, you will have to get a crate as a puppy home. This is acceptable practice because puppies aren’t fully potty trained until they are 12 months old. A crate is a great way to leave your puppy safely unsupervised and protect your house and furniture.
Crates are easy to use, come in a variety of sizes and styles to fit your dog, and many can be collapsed for easy transport or storage. Some dog owners use a crate for the dog’s entire life while others use it only to get through puppyhood.
Most dogs like to be in a crate. The dog crate helps them feel protected, secure and they begin to consider it a safe place to go. Most dogs treat their crates as if it was their own personal den! Whether you elect to purchase aluminum or a metal wire dog crate, you will want to make sure that you have purchased the appropriate size. If you get a dog crate that is too small, your dog will be unable to turn around comfortably in it and a crate that is too large may result in your dog being frightened and not feeling safe. Some dog crates come with removable panels that can be added or removed depending on the size of your dog.
Dogs don’t train themselves—another sad fact. Luckily, they have us to do it for them and the process is usually fun. Training hunting dogs is even more of a challenge with greater rewards. Training collars can really help with this, especially the long-range electric collars. Whether you choose one of those or a simple choke collar for obedience training, make sure it’s the right one for you and your dog.
Training collars are designed to serve a purpose. You’re obviously attempting to train your dog not just to become a great hunting dog, but also so that he will listen to your commands and remain safe. Using training collars will help fulfill these goals. Find out what kind of system works best for both you and your dog, and start early while your dog is still a puppy.
Other Hunting Dog Supplies
Start working with puppy early to begin the training process and to set a schedule of training, play, and down times. The earlier you begin obedience and hunting training, the more effective it will be. There are a lot of products out there to help you accomplish these tasks and they are generally available at all hunting and pet supply stores:
1. Dog whistles: both obedience (call) whistles and water fowl imitation whistles are available and useful in training.
2. Dog training bumpers/dummies – for teaching retrieval and flushing, they simulate the bird to be hunted.
3. Launchers – for sending the dummies into the field or from hidden positions to better train your dog for outdoor hunting and retrieving.
Your hunting dog puppy is going to be a part of your home and your hunting experience for many years to come. Purchasing the right hunting dog supplies provides you the tools that you need to effectively train him, keep him safe and make sure he is obedient.
