My dog won't hunt
 

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.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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.

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

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

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

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

If the dog is merely a lure how hard is it to steak him out so you can shoot the beasts. I would think a dog of any age or level of training could work for that

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

I would start with a much younger pup. You'll get alot more years of hunting out of a younger dog.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

I understand you wouldn't want to feed a dog very much raw meat unless you got a good tape worm medication.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

Maybe you should to take this dog fishing and get your lure out of the tackle box.

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

This is hilarious. I have never heard of staking a hunting dog out as a lure. I guess you don't think too much of your dog if you will use it as bait. I hope for your dog's sake you are a good shot. If not, won't matter if it is too old to hunt or not. I can just vision the dog on a rope with you hiding in the bushes & a bear approaching. Your dog is thinking "shoot him, shoot him, damn just give me the gun & I'll shoot him."

RE: My dog won't hunt
 

I remember a 7 year old shorthair, that was trained by a buddyand he turned out to be a field champion and then retired at the age of 10. So its never to late to start training, but it will take alot of work and time.