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It is natural for dogs to hunt. The idea of hunter and prey is a primal instinct. Though your dog is a domestic pet, he still has natural urges to chase and hunt. This does not necessarily mean he would know what to do with an animal if he actually caught one, but it could potentially be dangerous if he pulls on your leash or runs away while you are on a walk because he is chasing an animal. It could also be quite annoying to go outside with your dog and watch him chase squirrels and rabbits while you are trying to spend time with him. Few dog owners enjoy being pulled and tugged when they are at the other end of the leash. And few owners enjoy yelling for their dog’s attention when the dog runs off to chase a squirrel or rabbit.
Besides the obvious dangers of having your dog get away from you while leash walking in public spaces, you could also find yourself in trouble with your dog on someone else's personal property or in a fight with another animal, or even injured yourself if you are still holding on to the leash when your dog decides to chase and hunt. Teaching your dog not to hunt can be challenging and rewarding for you both. You want to be able to take your dog out on leisurely walks and have his attention not have him running off and chasing wild animals. Teaching him that hunting is not an activity you are going to do together is going to take some patience, some repetition, and extreme commitment to your dog and your desires of not having a hunting dog.
Some techniques will require treats, toys filled with treats, enough kibble for a meal each session you have with your dog, and a leash. Be prepared to spend 10 to 15 minutes training your dog not to hunt each time you are outside together. As with any other command, teaching your dog a new behavior will take time, commitment, and patience.
The Distract and Redirect Method
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Start on-leash
Start with your dog on a leash in an area where he would like to hunt, preferably somewhere he cannot win a hunt such as in your backyard with squirrels.
Watch
While on the leash, watch your dog react to a squirrel but hold the leash taut and say his name.
Attention
When you have his attention, offer him treat.
Repeat
Try this several times treating him each time you are able to distract him from the squirrels in the area.
Challenge
Once your dog has this new behavior down, take him out on a longer walk in an area where he might find more critters to hunt.
Practice
Practice the same routines with the treats and distracting your dog with a verbal cue and a tasty treat each time he looks at you instead of going after a critter.
Build habit
Each time you do this trick, your dog will become to build the knowledge and the habit of being present with you while on walks instead of hunting.
Improvement
As he gets better with this new habit, take him off the leash in a controlled area such as your backyard using the same method.
The Better Offering Method
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Key phrase
Pick a key phorase you will use to teach your dog not to hunt, such as “No Hunting.”
High-value treat
Prepared with a deliciously attractive treat such as a hot dog or chicken or beef. Be prepared to watch your dog go after an animal in a confined space such as your yard. You will want to be near him and not let him get too far from you.
Entice
If your dog is used to hunting a certain area like a tree or a bush for squirrels or rabbits, stand near that tree with your special treat.
Hunting
When your dog lunges to hunt, get his attention and ask him to 'sit'.
Reward
As a reward, offer a small morsel of the special treat while using your keywords, “no hunting.”
Practice
Practice these steps each time you are outside and challenge your dog to stop the hunting process before it begins.
Repetition
This technique will require repetition and retraining. It will take time and commitment to redirect your dog to sit and not hunt. If you practice this a lot with your dog, he will begin to understand he needs to stop and sit each time you say “no hunting.”
The 'Find It' Game Method
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Hide treats
Because hunting is related to your dog's natural instincts and senses, hide some good smelling treats around your yard or along your path and play a game of 'find it'.
Scatter kibble
Before your dog heads outside, scatter his meal time kibble across the grass in your yard.
Send hunting
Send your dog out to hunt for his meal one piece of kibble at a time.
Instict
This trick will allow him to use his hunting instinct, reward him with a meal, and tire him out, so he has no time for hunting squirrels and rabbits in your backyard.
Chase
If your dog loves the chasing part of hunting, you can make a game of chase as well and have him hunt a ball that you throw for him or a toy filled with treats.
Make Note
Remember hunting is a natural instinct for dogs. Prey is very often searched for by scent, so make your treats and rewards enticing for your pup.
Written by Stephanie Plummer
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 11/29/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Stephanie Plummer
Training Questions and Answers
We just adopted a lab that I’m pretty sure was used for hunting. He walks right beside whoever has the leash, but is overly interested in larger birds, squirrels and neighborhood cats. I try to continue walking and ignore when he “tracks” and make him continue walking with me. However, he has lunged and tried to run a couple times. What are the commands that hunters typically use to tell the dog to stop tracking? And what other methods can I use to help him get over this? Other than this, he is the perfect dog and is quickly learning how amazing indoor life can be.
June 8, 2020
Bubba's Owner
Darlene Stott - Dog Trainer and Groomer
102 Dog owners recommended
Hello, I am not sure of the tracking commands. Perhaps Google a club near you and ask to speak to a trainer. I do think that training Bubba to focus while on walks when you need him to will go a long way. Teach him to heel with the Turns Method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel. As well, listening is essential: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you. All of the methods are good. Have fun!
June 9, 2020
I have a german shorthaired pointer and she loves to hunt. she pulls on the leash too much to go out on one. that being said, we cant take her on walks. she burns energy by running around in our big yard. We often get bunnies born in our yard and she is unresponsive when we try to get her to stop hunting the bunnies. she's killed lots of birds and bunnies over the years. On the rare occasion we get to take her for a walk, she pulls towards animals she smells and she barks the whole time, so we end up cutting the walk short. Im not sure what to do about her, but yelling and most training doesn't work because she has bad anxiety and gives up due to being too anxious. any advice?
May 12, 2020
sami's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello Avery, It sounds like it's time to hire a professional trainer who is experienced with anxiety, prey drive, and high drive dogs. Pup needs to learn commands like Leave It, Out, Heel, and Watch Me first. Since you have struggled teaching commands due to pup's anxiety, that is where the right, experienced trainer can help. The right trainer can demonstrate how to apply the right amount of pressure with pup in training - challenging pup enough for them to learn without overwhelming him. This can be a bit of an art with some dogs and has a lot to do with reading pup's body language and adjusting the training as you go depending on how pup is responding. Once pup knows some of those commands and can obey when not around prey, then it's time to gradually work up to pup obeying in the presence of distractions. That will involve finding an interrupter that works well for pup - which needs to be tested out in person to see what's effective without overwhelming, a leash tug, calm Ah Ah, fast paced heel, with lots of changes in direction, spray with a pet convincer, ect...Are all interrupters. There are many to choose from, and which works best depends on technique and the individual dog's temperament. Pup needs to understand what they are supposed to be doing - such as heeling and Leave it. Pup needs to be interrupted when they don't obey, early on when they first start tuning you out and fixating on something - before they are fully in prey drive, which requires good timing from you. Pup needs their attention then redirected back to you after they were interrupted, usually by doing something like a fast paced, drill-like heel, with lots of commands in quick succession to get pup's mind off the animals and back on you. Pup is then rewarded while in a calm and focused state around the prey animal. Pup gradually works up to being attentive around harder and harder distractions as they improve. Many high strung dogs are trained to heel, come and obey a variety of commands with the distraction of prey during hunting. It will require a trainer with that level of off-leash, high drive dog, experience though, so ask lots of questions to find the right help. Look for someone who has experience with anxiety, prey drive, behavior issues, high drive dogs, and advanced obedience. Many trainers don't have that type of experience, so do some research on the trainer. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
May 12, 2020