Although German Shepherds are not originally hunting dogs, you can train them for that purpose. If you are a fan of hunting different animals in the forest and instructing your pet, you can do it. German Shepherds have a significant advantage over other dogs because they have great size and running ability.
With great size and good speed, German Shepherds become the ideal hunting pet. What you should do is instruct your pet by finally helping you on the hunt for fun. These dogs are highly intelligent, and it won’t take you long to teach them to follow a target in the woods.
The German Shepherd is a beautiful dog that retains an incredible intelligence to follow its owner’s orders. If you have trained your dog very well, it will not be a problem for him to learn how to hunt. Everything is a matter of communication, and if you have been a good master, this entire teaching process will be summarized in a few hours.
You can teach your German Shepherd puppy to hunt from the first weeks of birth. With this training in the following years, the dog will improve its hunting technique and satisfy you. Something very important is that you must teach your pet to respect the hunted target, not eat it or take possession of the animal.
Learn how you can train German Shepherds to hunt and make the most of this great dog. Learn what the types of animals that your pet can hunt and what their practices are to improve their hunting are. You can start now on the process of taking your dog from a pet to a hunting helper.
How To Train The German Shepherd Hunting?
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You can train your German Shepherd for hunting no matter how old he is, but preferably puppies. With this dog, you acquire many skills to locate the desired animal in the forest. You can train your pet as young as six months old, where they have already developed a large part of their body.
For your German Shepherd to understand the art of hunting, you must teach him the following things:
Tracking Techniques
If you manage to teach this technique to your pet, he will reward you by being the most effective hunter. By tracking a German Shepherd, you can get a lot of deer, rabbits, or even deer. For you to teach how to track your German Shepherd, you need to do:
- Be familiar with the target: you can invest in decoys so that your German Shepherd becomes familiar with the targets to hunt. You can throw the object at him and instruct him to bring it back to you.
- Train your sense of smell: with the same lure that you bought, you can improve your pet’s nose for that hunting animal. This process can take 1 to 3 months, depending on how much effort and practice you apply with your pet.
- Rewards phase: when your pet finally manages to sharpen his sense of smell and recognize the goal, you must reward him. The rewards for the German Shepherd can be croquettes or a very delicious cut of meat; he deserves it.
With this training, you will teach your pet to follow the target point; it is among the most complexes for him to learn. You must teach him to run to a point, either with a lure in the shape of that animal or other targets. With the tracking technique, your German Shepherd will give you optimal results by guiding you towards the goal you want.
What Kinds Of Animals Can My GSD Hunt?
You must remember that German Shepherds are not hunting dogs but that they adapt to the demands. With this clear point, you cannot demand that your pet hunt large or high-speed animals. Among the animals, your German Shepherd can track, and takedown is:
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Small animals
A German Shepherd is an effective hunter for small animals like rabbits, rodents, and squirrels. You can train your pet to accomplish this goal and finally give him a good daily hunt. In rabbits, the German Shepherd can follow up, although their recovery may be affected by their size.
A German Shepherd is a very large dog to go into a rabbit hole, so you must teach him not to enter. By tracking those rabbits, you can take them home and find a way to get the target out.
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Birds
Your German Shepherd can be trained to recover any bird that is found dead after being shot. You can teach your pet how to take the lens gently so as not to damage it. With this training, you can spend a long time teaching your pet not to eat the bird.
Ducks are the most important target for hunting with the German Shepherd, and you must train him for that purpose. If you see that your dog is very rustic for retrieving birds, you can teach him to locate the target.
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Large deer
You can train your German Shepherd for this purpose, although you must recognize that they are not very efficient. Deer have faster running speeds than your pet, so their goal may be interrupted. You can teach your German Shepherd to locate the dead target because it won’t be of much help to a headhunt.
How Can I Practice Hunting With My GSD?
How you can hunt with your German Shepherd is varied to make a connection. When you get a connection with your pet by hunting, you will get a good friend for the goal. Things you can do to hunt with your German Shepherd include:
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Search games
One surefire way to connect with your pet is by playing search games with different objectives. With this game, you will teach your pet how to hit the hunted target without hurting it. You have to teach the German Shepherd the difference between the game lure and the actual target.
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Swimming exercises
With the swimming exercises, you can teach your pet how to move in flooded areas. If your hunting goal is birds, it is helpful to use the swimming technique for your German Shepherd. If your German Shepherd learns to swim correctly, he will adapt to flooded areas and increase his power and strength.
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Outdoor activities
You must do all kinds of outdoor activities with your German Shepherd so that he adapts to nature. This exercise can be applied with walks in the forest, park, or steep areas with many obstacles. The benefits that your German Shepherd acquires are infinite, and you will see it reflected in how fast he moves on the royal hunt.
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Rewards for learning
Never forget to reward your German Shepherd on each training day to turn him into a hunting dog. With extra food, you can improve your pet’s connection to help you in your hobby of hunting prey. Never over demand your pet, remember that the German Shepherd is not a hunting dog.
