Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. There are over 400 different breeds, but they all stem from the Canis Lupus Familiaris species - the literal translation from Latin to English meaning Dog Wolf Domestic. Different breeds were created to serve different functions for humans. For example, some were created to help farmers herd livestock back to their housing quarters. Others were developed to protect livestock from intruders. In this episode, Gary Flynn from The Dog Advocate and I will be focusing on hunting breeds.

It is difficult to quantify how many hunting dog breeds exist, however, they can be broken down into categories such as hounds, gun dogs, retrievers and terriers. They all have their specialties. The type of game you will be hunting will determine which breed you will choose. Gary is partial to German Shorthaired Pointers. They are highly intelligent, athletic and commonly known for hunting fowl. However, he has trained his dogs as versatiles: hunting fur and feathers. Gary recounts colorful stories in our podcast about hunting pheasants, turkeys, and small birds with his client’s and his own German Shorthaired Pointers. According to Gary:

“German Shorthaired Pointers stay locked in pursuit of the holy grail!”

When Gary is working with German Shorthaired Pointer puppies, their instinct to point already exists. He recounts how fun it is to observe a bunch of puppies who are all in point looking at a bubblegum wrapper, a bee, or anything that moves. This is not something that is taught. It is pure instinct. The puppies will learn as they mature to focus that instinct on birds or small animals. Pointing is how the dog communicates what is next. It is a pause before the pounce. If well trained, they will point exactly to what they found and wait for their handler to guide them to what comes next. It is a very intense and focused behavior, but Gary’s dogs will still obey commands while pointing.

When older dogs point in a group, one dog may be pointing at another dog that is pointing to even another dog who is pointing at the location of the animal. They form a chain of pointers. This is called “honoring”. The dogs who come onto the scene where a dog is in a point, respects that dog by waiting and not stealing the prey. This prevents premature pursuit of the prey and demonstrates the discipline required to avoid chaos and an inefficient hunt. As the hunters approach the group, they must assess what they have come upon. They are able to handle the situation without interference from the dogs.

Please keep in mind that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife (ODNR) oversees hunting and fishing by issuing licenses, establishing regulations and managing wildlife populations. Game wardens ensure laws are enforced. This is to prevent extinction of certain species and people shooting at game from their cars, etc. Gary mentions there is etiquette to follow when hunting. For example, it is unethical to shoot at birds that are out of range which can only wound and not kill. Suffering of an animal should be avoided. The mission statement of ODNR is:

“To ensure a balance between the wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all.”

Before I elaborate on the different hunting breeds Gary and I discussed, I would like to address the topic of hunting in general. Some people may not want to listen or read this post because it has to do with the demise of living beings. As an experienced hunter, Gary has observed time and time again how matter of fact dogs are about death. There is no remorse. The only emotion you could attach to the experience is gratification. They are satisfying an instinct. Sometimes, the dogs will flip the dead animal up in the air just to see if they can do it all over again. They couldn’t be happier.

We have to remember, before our meat was already wrapped in cellophane to be sold in a grocery store, hunters had to go out and lure, trap, kill and gut animals daily. We all have the instinct to hunt. That means when we are forced to, we will try to live off the vegetables and fruit of the land and/or kill other animals in order to survive. A way we can simulate that instinct to hunt is to shop. The thrill of finding exactly what we are looking for is a form of hunting. We are excited when we find what we were looking for and we are disappointed when we don’t. This can result in pure exhaustion too!

It is us humans who get in the way of our dogs doing what dogs are born to do. So often I have heard clients tell me similar stories about how they punished their dog for digging a hole to catch and kill their favorite chipmunk named Chippie. The dog had no emotional attachment to “Chippie” and couldn’t logically reason with themselves to not kill it just because you loved watching it frolic around your backyard. Pet parents must ask themselves if they are positively or negatively reacting to their dog when they are fulfilling the instinct to hunt. If they do not provide the structure and environment to fulfill these needs, adverse behaviors can arise. Gary drills in his client’s heads:

“Stay out of the way of your dog and don’t interrupt the hunt”.

Gary talks about how dogs feel when it’s an “off day” when the hunters are unable to find what they were looking for. It’s just like going fishing and the fish aren’t biting that day. If the dog doesn’t get rewarded with the hunt, Gary notices their behavior change. They actually seem to sulk and mope around.

You always want to set the dog up for success no matter what skill you are teaching them. When Gary is working with puppies, he always ends a hunting session on a positive note. If nothing was caught, he will tie a long string to a bird wing and fling it around causing them to point. They can chase and catch that as their reward. Sometimes he will sneak away into some tall grass, make a lot of commotion, get the puppies to come check it out. A bunny might be in there. Whether they catch the bunny or not, it was still important to them because a bunny was there.

It is worth mentioning that all dogs have a prey drive. They are predators. The instinct to hunt, chase and kill prey emanates from one of the four responses processed in their brain to ensure survival and continuation of the species: fight, flight, feed (eating) and breed (reproducing). Hunting is not part of the feed response. It is part of the fight response. Gary will return for a future podcast where we will delve into the prey drive and how he manages it so that the dog remains clear-headed as it escalates through this fight response.

The instinct to herd animals also comes from the fight response. A border collie’s locked-in stare and posture when herding sheep looks different than a Bluetick Coonhound holding a racoon in a tree, but it comes from the same fight response. As a trainer working with different breeds, it is critical to understand what to expect from each breed.

“Breed traits are real.”

I don’t own a gun and have never hunted. However, when talking about dogs who were bred to perform specific tasks, there is something special about watching them do what comes natural to them. I love watching dogs work. There is a certain energy they exude while they are performing that instinctual act.

My dog Ebi is a Leonberger. They were bred in Germany to pull carts on farms and to be reliable watchdogs. They also are known to be excellent swimmers and are still used in water rescues due to their size and strength. Their paws are webbed making them effective swimmers. Several years ago, I simulated a water rescue at the old Canine Country Club in North Olmsted. I had a floating device with a handle. I bobbed up and down shouting “Help!” Ebi swam over to me, I showed her the handle to grab with her mouth, and she pulled me to the ramp! I did not train her to do that. I unleashed the instinct which is in her DNA. It was an awesome experience.

I also fulfilled Ebi’s instinct to haul carts by fitting her with a special harness and rigging up leads attached to a sled so she could pull my neighbor’s son on the snow covered sidewalk. As soon as I got her started, the instinct to pull took over and she pulled him right along as shown in the video below.

Gary uses the term genetic fulfillment when talking about this innate, instinctual drive in dogs. I was fulfilling my Leonberger’s genetic makeup by simulating a swim rescue and pulling a sled. The activities I have chosen for her align with the original purpose of the Leonberger breed.

In my opinion, a well balanced dog is one that gets their needs met in addition to the obvious eating, drinking and sleeping. They get plenty of exercise that includes structured and unstructured time. This includes structured walks with their leader and unstructured exercise rooting around in the backyard or playing with other friendly dogs. A well balanced dog is provided with activities that simulate or duplicate their specific needs as a breed. They also know their boundaries and limitations as set by their leader. Finally, they receive affection at the appropriate time - while they are calm and submissive. If these needs are not met, behavioral issues can arise.

Gary recounts a story about clients of mine who were having a slew of behavioral issues with their Redbone Coonhound they purchased from a pet store. The adolescent puppy was eliminating all over the house, would not stay in a crate, and constantly broke away from them. These are all common behaviors of the breed, especially when they are not provided structure and getting their needs met. The clients actually wanted to make him a hunting dog and had aspirations to train him to do so. I reached out to Gary for his expertise since I didn’t know how to train hunting dogs. It required work that the client eventually realized they could not provide and ended up finding a new home for the dog.

Some clients I have come across prefer hunting dog breeds. I understand why. As puppies, they are adorable with their big floppy ears that are almost as big as they are! The bright blue eyes of a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy or the droopy faces of Bloodhound puppies are irresistible. We also can’t forget that Labradors and Golden Retrievers are hunting dogs too. No matter what the breed, puppies melt our hearts. According to Gary, the worst reason to get a dog is how it looks. Instead, match the breed with your lifestyle based on what you currently do now, not what you are going to do.

Puppies grow up to be beautiful dogs from an esthetic point of view, but can wreak havoc on their pet parents when their needs are not met. I hope I have sparked some motivation in you to reflect upon if and how you are genetically fulfilling your dog. You will also benefit from the feeling you will witness when you unleash that skill your dog’s DNA is yearning to express.

Please share in the comments below what you currently do or would like to do for your dog so they can express and enjoy what they were bred to do.

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