My dog won't hunt

[Gunmanfinland]

I have a westland terrier. It is 5 years old. It's not a hunterdog. No, it usually likes to eat meat and just lay down. I'd like to use it on my hunting trips. I don't know where to begin with the training. I should be able to chase bears and wolves in the wilds of Finland.

Is it safe for a dog to eat raw bear meat? I'd like it to eat some unprepared meat during my long trips.

[FRanchiMon]

If your dog starts chasing bears and wolves you wont have a dog for long

[Gunmanfinland]

I will shoot the beasts before they can get to my dog, the dog is merely a lure.

[bigangrychicken]

too late. If it ain't huntin' now, it never will. Try a Laika or Karelian.

[EODLT]

5 yrs old is going to be extremely challenging, the dog has so many bad habits. I guess it could be done though, he just wont be a GREAT hunter, might be killed, might not. As far as eating raw meat goes, I have never fed a dog raw meat, but wolves eat raw, and stray dogs probably eat roadkill, so I guess it wouldnt kill him.

the dog is merely a lure.

Does he know about this?
He may not WANT to hunt if knew this...

[muleyhunter91]

I dont think eating raw meat will hurt your dog as long as his body gets used to it. I feed my bird dogs the raw pheasant hearts and stuff. One thing that neeeds to be done though is getting his body used to eating that kind of stuff because myMutt ate a bunch of raw deer meat scrapes after I had butchered it up and the scrapes were still out on the back porch( He at alot), but anyways he had the squirts for awhile. I figure if the dog's body got used to eating that kind of stuff though itd be fine.

I also had a brittany that lived on the farm here and wouldnt eat the food I fed her. She would go out and hunt for herself eating what she caught Like mice, voles, moles, squirrels, and any kind of bird or roadkill she could get her paws on. A very gross dog she was.

[kdvollmer]

feeding your dog raw meet will not hurt it. It might take a couple days for his digestive tract to get used to it, but there should be no problems. There are several raw food diets out there recommended. Do a net search for RAW diet for dogs, and you will find a ton of info.

good luck

[bryant1]

I hate to tell you but a 5 year old dog might be too old to train. you might consider a walker, bluetick, redbone, or any otherhound for bear or wolf hunting. A dog with alot of grit willtree a bearjust like a coon dog.Youcan find some info on the internet about it.

[EODLT]

Training a 5 yr old dog is not a cake walk, but it can be done. You can teach any dog anything at any age, with consistent repetition and consistent determination.

[bronko22000]

The old saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" was started by a lazy old dog.