With the hunting season just around the corner, now is a good time to talk about conditioning your dog for performance during early hunting. We wouldn’t think about going out and running ten miles one day without some prior physical training, and it doesn’t make any more sense to expect it from our dogs. By getting our dogs in shape before the season, we go a long way toward ensuring a healthier and more effective hunting companion.
A high level of physical fitness contributes to a dog’s mental fitness because a tired dog will focus less on commands and finding birds. Risk of injury is also reduced during both training and hunting when muscles and tendons are strong and joints well lubricated. Training the body to recover from a workout will prepare your dog for longer hunts and more days hunting.
Before You Start
Before you get to work, it is important to consider three factors that can have a tremendous impact on your dog’s ability to function at a high level. We recommend you think of the following before starting any conditioning program.
1) See Your Vet – A good overall examination will ensure that your dog is healthy and free from bacteria and parasites that could adversely affect his health and performance.
2) Choose A Quality Food – Nutrition is very important. Your dog must consume high quality protein to build and repair muscle tissue while supporting his immune system and overall health with quality vitamins and trace minerals.
3) Replenish Fluids – Making sure that your dog stays hydrated may be the greatest single factor in health during hunting. If he won’t drink water, find a good hydration supplement to encourage him to drink.
3 Steps To Fitness
Now we’ll get into the meat of the conditioning program. We base our conditioning program around three basic areas that complement one another for a complete workout of the entire body and organs. You don’t need to do everything every day, but you should try to do something each day.
1. Roadwork
We road our dogs on gravel early in the morning when traffic is sparse. We hook four dogs to a harness to pull a four-wheeler three miles with the engine off. This helps build endurance and strength while conditioning the paws for the rigors of hunting.
This exercise should be done at least three days per week to improve stamina and prepare dogs for long days in the field.
2. Fieldwork
During the heat of the afternoon, we “free lance” our dogs by letting them run and hunt in large pastured areas at a slow but steady pace. This allows the dog to improve lung capacity and scenting abilities at the same time.
It is important to condition a dog in the same heat of the day that they will be exposed to during hunting. We only free lance our dogs on days that we don’t do roadwork and for no more than 45 minutes.
3. Swimming
We swim our dogs several nights a week to work different muscle groups while creating less stress on joints and tendons. We have noticed a big improvement in performance since introducing swimming into our program.
We limit swimming sessions to no more than an hour and often swim alongside the dogs. This helps improve endurance while keeping training enjoyable.
Final Thoughts
Developing a solid conditioning program is very important to the health and longevity of our canine friends. Make sure that you work into condition over a 30–45 day period before the start of the season.
In the end, a fit dog is a better hunter, and you’ll see better overall health, improved performance, and more birds in your freezer.