Hunters? How do you know if a dog has a desire to hunt?

[Fancie]

I have a rat terrier/dalmation/pointer mixed puppy. I wanted to train him to flush pheasant. I read that any dog can be trained to hunt as long as they have a desire to hunt... What should I look for?

Thanks.

 

[shawnkfl]

with the terrier and pointer in him, he certainly has the traits to hunt. terriers were bred to chase and hunt, as well as pointers. get a few pheasants and train him. he'll love the hunt and excercise!

here's a quick "how to". there are many out there, but stick with the basics until you can see if he will take to it. i bet he will.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5582383_train-pointer-hunt-pheasants.html

 

[Fancie]

thank you, I bookmarked the page and will use it to train him.

 

[onthespot]

you can test a puppy as early as eight or ten weeks. Take a quail wing with you and tie it to a string and drag it around past the puppies. The ones that chase it, go in a "maybe" crate. The ones that don't go back to mama for someone else to buy. One by one, try them out to see if they will make any attempt to bring it back to you if you toss it say, three feet or two feet away. It is amazing how much is hereditary and how early it shows in the ones with really strong hunting lines. Always go for a proven hunting line. The worst puppy from a great litter is way better than the best puppy from a mediocre litter.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
With that bloodline??? take him out hunting. As for teaching him, I am sure there is a ton of information out there. Google is your friend.

 

[Fancie]

Quote:
My puppy is 9 weeks old. He already plays fetch with his toy, not 100% everytime. We gave him a pheasant tail feather and he chewed on it and tore it apart. I will try the wing thing in the morning... thanks again everyone.

 

[Cara]

Just be aware that if you want to encourage the hunting instinct, you may not be able to let him loose around your birds.

Are you sure he is both Dalmation and Pointer? Many people see spots and include every spotty dog in the mix

 

[Fancie]

My puppy is the one in front, His sister is the one in back. The previous owners had an add saying if they weren't picked up by 6 o'clock they were going to the pound.... the pound closes at 5.... so we saved both of them. I found a home for the girl, but we desided to keep the boy. The owners said they were dalmation pointer rat terrier.

I thought about the chicken dog issue and read if they are raised together they will know... but will still watch him carefully.