The Drever is a small, hardy scent hound originating from Sweden. It is an active and intelligent breed that can make an excellent companion or hunting dog. Training your Drever for both hunting and companionship requires patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. With the right approach, you can have a loyal and obedient pet that will be a joy to own.
Getting Started with Training
Before starting any training with your Drever, it’s important to get them used to basic commands such as sit, stay, come, and heel. These commands will be essential for teaching your dog how to hunt or behave in public settings. Start by introducing these commands in short sessions each day using treats as rewards for good behavior. Once your Drever has mastered the basics, you can move on to more advanced training techniques.
Training Your Drever for Hunting
Hunting with a Drever requires specific skills that must be taught through proper training. The most important skill is scent tracking which helps the dog locate game animals such as deer or rabbits. To teach this skill, start by having your dog follow a trail of treats or toys that you have laid out in an area where there are no distractions. As they become more proficient at following the trail, increase the difficulty by adding more turns or hiding the treats in harder-to-find places. You can also use live prey such as rabbits or birds to help hone their tracking skills further.
In addition to scent tracking, it’s important to teach your Drever how to respond when they find game animals so they don’t scare them away before you have a chance to shoot them. This can be done by teaching them commands such as “stay” and “come” so they know when it’s time to stop chasing after game animals and return back to you. You should also practice shooting near them while they are wearing ear protection so they get used to loud noises associated with hunting trips.
Training Your Drever for Companionship
Training your Drever for companionship involves teaching them basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, come, heel and leave it so they know how to behave around other people and animals in public settings. It’s also important to socialize them from an early age so they learn how to interact appropriately with other dogs and humans alike. This can be done through puppy classes or by taking them on regular walks around the neighborhood where they will encounter different people and animals each time.
In addition to obedience training and socialization exercises, it’s also important to provide mental stimulation for your Drever through activities like hide-and-seek or fetch games which will help keep their minds active while strengthening their bond with you at the same time!