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Chopperhead

Chopperhead

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I was wondering if bassat hounds make good hunting compainions? I just got one a couple months ago he's a mutt though. I took our other dog hunting once and the first shot she just drop into a ball on the ground shaking like a leaf and spent the whole weekend curled up in a ball underneath the seats in the truck. Just wondering if this is going to happen with him as well or is it on an individual dog basis whether they will take to guns well?

also is there a good website out there about hunting dogs? also does anyone know if there are any websites of busnisses that breed dogs solely for hunting?
 
I say regardless of breed it is going to be based on the individual dog.

Also it will depend on the type of hunting you do.

Some hunting breeds, are built to totally ignore the handler and leave them to catch up, while others work with the handler...etc.
 
I do not know a lot about training dog (darn little to be truthful) but I do know that if your dog becomes gun shy, its all over. A friend of mine found out that his Lab Reetriever was shy too late (although she was a wonderful pet for 15 years).

His next pup, he did the prep work himself. He started by just having the dog around when he handled the rifle/shotgun. After a couple of weeks he took the dog out in the yard and shot up dog crackers with a pellet gun. The crackers that were hit and fell off the wooden stand, the dog got to eat. Now having the gun around meant fun/food. He then worked up to .22 and finally to shotguns.

A dog has sensitive hearing and can develope a flinch and avoid stuff just like humans can. It is important to make the guns fun and not just something that brings pain.

This may not work for all dogs and it there may be better ways to do it but it definately worked out for my buddy and his dog. Good Luck.

tbhupe
 
Start off by shooting a .22 or some other lower report gun but at a distance from the dog. Slowly move closer, then move up to a lorger gun... etc

As far as hunitng goes, I have no idea what basset hounds are bred for, I think they were used for burrowing types of game. Regardless, with enough work you can train your dog for anything. Hounds however are the most difficult dogs to train, My father had a beagle that would hunt and retrieve pheasants, as welll as come back to a call..... good luck.
 
Bassets are furred game hounds like beagles... rabbits, fox etc.
If a dog is gun-shy it is usually the result of improper training.... not always but usually.
 
All dogs, regardless the breed, have the instict to hunt born in them. It's up to you to find and hone this instinct. When my deer hound even sees a gun, she'd chew through a steel chain just to go hunting. The suggestions about familiarizing them with guns and gun noise in the above posts are all good.
 
I used to take my dogs to the range with me and leave them in the cab of the truck while I shot,started with a 22 rimfire.In the cab the noise is muffled some,then I would leave the windows down a little and shoot.When they got used to this I started the whole thing over again with a centrefire.Both my dogs are just gun crazy now,you pick up a gun and they are ready to go.
 
I started with a capgun and worked up. It takes patience and more patience. My dog goes nuts when he sees the guns come out. He loves being out in the bush, and exploring. Thats one thing I do from the start of the hunt, is let him work his magic with the rabbits. He just took to tracking game naturally, no real training.
 
Introducing a dog to gun shot noise is a gradual process.

You can"burn"a dog easily shooting right away. Get the pup exited with a dead pigeons, dead rabbit... and get a partner 200 feet away. Signal for your partner to shoot 1 shot (I like to use 20 ga) while the pup tried to grad the dead animal you're teasing it with. YOU MUST NOT REACT to the gun shot....don't stop playing. Your dog will get his cue from your behavior. If dog doesn't notice shot, repeat with shooter 15 feet closer. IF dog stops to look for source of noise, STOP the trainig session, play with the pup 5 more minutes and quit for the day.

I never bring a young dog to the range or clays... nothing interesting for him there...meaningless gun shots will scrap a dog.
 
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