How to Train Your Dog to Hunt Boar
Introduction
Wild hogs or boar have become a major problem in the U.S. They are not native to North America but were introduced from overseas and their population has grown out of control, as there are few natural limitations on their population growth. Wild hogs, or boar, destroy crops, property, and sometimes livestock as they are voracious omnivores, and cause widespread damage, rooting up plants, wallowing, and creating pollution from runoff in areas they have damaged and contaminated with feces. They can also be quite dangerous when cornered by unsuspecting humans or pets.
Hunting boars has become a common method of population control in the U.S. due to environmental and crop damage, and danger to people. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the cost of environmental and crop damage from wild boars to be in the billions of dollars annually. To solve this problem, many wild boar hunters employ dogs to aid them in hunting boar, a practice which dates back to the 1800s in America and back to ancient Roman times in the old world.
Defining Tasks
Hunting boars with dogs involves two types of skills, sometimes performed by two different kinds of dogs: bay dogs, and catch dogs. Bay dogs harass and chase the boar until it is cornered. They then bark at the pig until catch dogs and handlers can follow them to the location. Catch dogs hold the boar and handlers capture or shoot the boar. Bay dogs need to locate a scent, track the pig, flush and chase it, then corner it while barking loudly to alert hunters of their location. Once a boar is located by bay dogs, hunters release catch dogs to incapacitate the boar. Catch dogs need brute physical strength to attack, fight, and hold the boar until subdued, for hunters to arrive and shoot or take the boar live. Dogs usually hold the boar by grabbing it behind the ear to control the animal. This can be very dangerous for the dogs, and only large, aggressive physically strong dogs are suitable for the task. Dogs used as bay or catch dogs wear protective equipment such as vests and neck protectors that protect their necks and vital organs.
Dogs can start being trained to be hog dogs when they are 3-4 months of age but will need to reach maturity before being used in potentially dangerous boar hunts on wild hogs. Catch dogs especially need to be fully matured and have reached their peak physical condition to perform the task of holding a wild boar for hunters to arrive.
Getting Started
Dogs trained to hunt wild boar are familiarized with wild or domestic pigs first, that are approximately the same size or a little smaller than themselves in a controlled environment. This will necessitate locating and purchasing such a hog to help train your hog hunting dog. You will need a safe, contained area to work. While hunting boars in the wild, dogs will need to be safely and securely transported to the hunting site. Off-road vehicles fitted with crates are usually used for this purpose, and training your dog to load up and ride patiently is recommended. Some dogs are suitable as bay dogs that track boar, others as catch dogs, although some dogs perform both tasks, you will need to determine what task or tasks you are training your dog to perform prior to training. Make sure your dog is physically capable and suitable for the task you are planning on training him to perform, as boar hunting can be dangerous. Dogs will need to wear protective equipment, which includes, paw boots, to protect feet from terrain, vests, neck protectors, and tail protectors. Hunting dogs also frequently wear tracking dollars so they can be located if they become separated from handlers or other dogs and get lost.
The Preparing Catch Dogs Method
The Preparing Bay Dogs Method
The Experienced Dogs Method
Written by Laurie Haggart
Published: 11/24/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
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Success Stories and Training Questions
Training Questions and Answers
Rambo
How do I get him to go find a hog on his own he will with another dog but not by his self
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Hello Logan, It sounds like pup is dependent on the other dog and might lack certain skills in their own hunting, so they can't perform while alone. I would backtrack on your training, starting from the basics and move through the training without another dog present. Since pup has done the behavior when another dog is present, I suspect the training process will go much faster than if pup had started from the beginning but never hunted at all. I would also look for a boar hunting forum to discuss training with others who train their own dogs, to see what they have found works for them in different situations as you train and pup gets stuck at any point. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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I want to know how to get them to get hogs
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Hello Lavorris, It sounds like you are wanting to train a catch dog, so I would use the preparing catch dogs method once pup is old enough. I would work on pup's socialization around new environments, other people, and other dogs at this age, and work up to off-leash obedience over the next year with pup in general, while you are waiting for them to get big enough to begin more formal catch dog training. As part of pup's training, be sure to get pup around small pigs from a safe distance while young too, rewarding bravery around the pigs, enough to avoid fearfulness of the pigs later, in preparation of future training. A place to ask advice along the way: https://forum.gon.com/threads/training-a-catch-dog.665476/ Some things to consider: https://dogsaholic.com/lifestyle/hog-hunting-with-dogs.html Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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Is my dog up to hunt boars. She is 7 y, 65 #, healthy without blemishes, walk 2-3 miles 5 times each week? Occasional leash free in forest and beach.
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Hello Nancy, Without assessing your dog in person I cannot say for sure. I would ease into it gradually to build up pup's skills and physical endurance slowly - like a person training for a marathon over time, opposed to someone trying to run long miles suddenly. Just like people, dogs build up physical endurance with practice and use of those muscles. They also learn coordination and skills like fighting through progressively practicing those things, starting with easier situations first. Many Catahoula's are successfully used as Board Hunting dogs though. I would see if there is anyone in your area who has trained dogs and experience with board hunting who you could learn from by going with them and watching how they train in person, and who could help assess pup in person. Since pup is a little older, pup may only be able to hunt for a couple of years though before certain medical conditions associated with aging become an issue. Many seven year old dogs are still up for physical challenges, but by age nine that becomes less likely. Training can take a while, so be aware that starting the process now may involve a lot of training work and not a lot of years of hunting. If you enjoy the training process, it could still be something fun to do with your dog. If you are wanting to teach it for functional reasons, starting a second younger dog might be worth considering. For any medical concerns or specific questions about pup's physical abilities I highly recommend speaking with your vet. I am not a vet, and they will be the expert in that arena. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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I want to teach my 2 year old blue heeler to catch a hog and then I can go to the hog and shoot the hog. What’s the fastest way to do that??
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Hello Levi, It sounds like you are wanting to train a catch dog, so I would use the preparing catch dogs method. A place to ask advice along the way: https://forum.gon.com/threads/training-a-catch-dog.665476/ Some things to consider: https://dogsaholic.com/lifestyle/hog-hunting-with-dogs.html Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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He keeps catching nose and it's getting him cut up
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Hello Gage, I am not sure I understand your question. Are you saying his nose is getting cut up by the trail, or he is catching the hogs and the board are hurting him before you arrive. Confused by the words "Catching nose". Forgive me if that is normally associated with a certain behavior and I am unaware. If the trail is scratching him up, you may need to invent something that he can wear that will put a little space between him and the ground (only an inch or so so he can still track), or add a little protection to the skin around his nose (you can't cover the nose though for tracking reasons). Look up things created to keep blind dogs from hitting walls and a think a modified version of that, that will still allow him to get close enough to the ground to sniff. If you mean that the hogs are hurting him, the answer depends on exactly what's going on. Is he tracking without other dogs and the hog is charging him? If so you may need to work on him staying closer to you so you can shoot the boar sooner, or add more dogs so it's easier for him to control the hog with help. The last option is probably safer for you. If he is simply darting in and out trying to bite the hog and isn't good at avoiding the boar's attacks, you may need to hire someone to do some e-collar training to teach him to track and corner but stay further back from the boar and not dart in. You likely need to train this around a more domestic animal first though for safety reasons. Either way i suggest looking at forums online from others who hunt boar and ask about their experiences with what has worked and not worked for them, and any trainer resources they may have in your area possibly. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
By catching nose he means. The Catch dog or even bay dog is catching the hog by the nose. That is getting his dog hurt. And cut up. He wants to know ways to not get his dog cut up, and teach it to grab ear instead of nose.
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