5 Tips for Off-Season Training With Your Hunting Dog
Summer is here, which means that hunting season is a little ways off. Here’s how to keep training with your hunting dog even during the off-season to ensure they stay happy, healthy and ready for next season. After all, champions are made in the off-season.
Keep Them Active
One of the most efficient ways to keep your hunting dog active is getting them to run. You can do this by taking them on daily runs, which also benefits your health. Another option is throwing with a dummy to get a few runs in, along with practicing their retrieving skills. If you’re training in warm weather, make sure to be in the know of hot weather safety.
Keep Them Strong and Agile
To keep working your hunting dog’s muscles, consider having them walk or run with a weighted vest or weighted wagon. By practicing strength training, you are also helping prevent future injuries.
Your dog’s nose is also something to train in the off-season as well. There are several ways to work on scent training including puzzle toys, or even taking it outside and creating a scent course of your own in your backyard.
Keep Them Familiar with the Gunfire
To prevent your dog from becoming gun-shy in the off-season, find a local dog-friendly shooting range and take your hunting dog for a field trip. By keeping them familiar with gunfire, you can avoid having to retrain your sidekick when hunting season rolls back around.
Keep Them Socialized
Have a meetup with your hunting buddies and their dogs to keep your hunting dogs socialized. It’s important to keep them active and healthy, but it’s also important to keep them sociable. In the event that your dog is introduced to a new hunting dog next season, it’s best to keep them socialized to avoid any aggressive behavior that might disrupt the hunting.
Keep Them Healthy with Professional Food
Last but certainly not least, keep your dog healthy with food formulas that match your hunting dog’s needs. Sportsman’s Pride offers several dog food formulas from professional formulas to limited ingredient formulas that vary in protein and fat percentages. Sportsman's Pride Professional formulas have been used for decades by Professional Sportsmen, dog breeders, and serious active dog owners throughout the country. Each formula is awarded with our Exclusive Omega Pride Skin & Coat System for optimum health and shine.
