Ron Likes All His Dogs In Kennel's I Kind Of Disagree
Before I begin this blog post today, I just want to start off by saying that there really is no right way or wrong way to house your gun dog. Every breed, dog and owner will have different success and opinions on where a gun dog should be kept but when it comes down to the actual statistics of success, it is usually six to one and half dozen to the other.
Basically, that being said there are a number of breeds that do not thrive in a kennelling situation and you will find that I mention this in all the breed profiles that you will find throughout this site. In addition, every trainer will feel differently about housing issues but regardless of popular opinion, there are many pros and cons to keeping your gundog outside and I would like to address those today.
The Pros of keeping your hunting dog outside:
Like everything, there are always a number of pros that will come into play when you make your decision on housing your hunting dog and it is very important to look at them. Many trainers feel that the pros far outweigh the cons and often feel that housing a gundog inside will not only affect their training but will also destroy any potential to do so. That belief, in itself, is a good reason why you should kennel outside but it isn’t the only reason.
The gundog’s training is more controlled: This is one of the major pros of keeping your gundog in a kennel. When a gundog lives inside there are many bad habits that can occur. First, you are constantly training your dog and sometimes those lessons are very negative.
Since the gundog is given free reign of a house, he is less likely to listen when told to do something such as sit in place. Also, he is more likely to get into things that capitalize on his natural instincts. If he gets into something that would bring a correction, it can inadvertently teach him to ignore his natural hunting instincts.
A dog that is kept in a kennel is not constantly learning or capitalizing on negative behaviors and you can really say when and what he is learning or being trained to do.
The gundog has his own space: Something that is another pro is that the gundog has his own space outside. This is his room where he goes when training is over and he can take a break. It also provides a strong split from work and rest and your dog will know that he is going to be working the minute you open up the kennel door.
The gundog is eager to train: One behavior that most trainers have seen with their hunting dogs is the fact that they are always very eager to train. When their owners come up to the kennel, they know that now is the time to get out and get active. They are very excited to get to work and receive praise for all of their hard work.
In addition, training is a great way to break up some of the boredom the dog will feel in the kennel. This means that training, and hunting, is fun for the dog and he will usually be much easier to handle when you take him out since he is striving for his rewards and for a nice outlet for his energy.
The Cons of keeping your hunting dog outside:
Since I have mentioned the pros of keeping your gundog outside, it is only appropriate that I go over a few of the cons that can occur when you house your gundog outside.
The gundog is not well socialized: Although this is not the case with all kennel raised gundogs, it can be very easily since socializing is often overlooked by all dog owners, regardless of how their dog is used.
A gundog that is kept outside may not have much opportunity to learn about interacting with other people and animals and may become aggressive or timid when they are around anyone other than their owner and trainer.
The gundog may not bond: Again, another thing that may or may not happen but since a gundog is not interacting on a regular basis with their owners; they may not have as strong of a connection to them. If an owner takes the time to interact with his dog several times per day, then this bond will be built but if interaction is minimal, then the bond may not develop and you won’t have a dog that performs to his best potential.
The gundog may have behavioral problems: Remember, a kennel is a dog’s room and if you keep your gundog outside, he may become used to being king of that kennel. This can lead to dominance issues during training and it can also lead to territorial aggression.
In addition, gundogs that are kept outside, especially if it is a breed that is not suited for it, may begin to exhibit separation anxiety and will become destructive, may dig and will often bark, which can be a nuisance to both you and your neighbors. Lastly, the gundog may not housetrain completely and this can be a problem if you need to have him inside for any reason.
Even with the pros and cons, housing your dog is up to the individual owner and trainer and it is possible to utilize both your house and an outdoor kennel so that your gundog is given the best of both worlds with all the advantages.
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