Hunting Dog BreedWhen getting a dog it is important to be aware of the different characteristics each dog naturally has. A Hunting dog breed like the Greyhound posses a natural capacity and desire to run after small animals that run, such as bunnies etc. This type of behavior is something unacceptable in dogs especially if a dog owner has rabbits too! This type of predator characteristic varies though and some greyhounds show themselves indifferent to small animals that run by, whereas others cannot contain themselves and jump at the first opportunity. There are other breeds that have predator instincts and they often times start when the dogs are young. Some dogs just cannot resist the temptation to stalk other small animals. Obviously, domesticated dogs have never had to go and hunt for food, but their hunting instincts are sometimes so strong that they are actually willing to take a risk at trying out their strength and getting into trouble. Watch to see if your dog does this, his movements will be slow to not scare his prey, all his senses will be glued on to the victim and he will forget about everything else around him. Greyhounds are known worldwide for their incredible speed and agility. The younger dogs that are in good shape love running and will do so whenever the owner lets them off the leash to burn off that extra energy they have accumulated while inactive. Greyhounds prefer bursting off running at very high speeds during a limited time, rather than slow races that take a long time. Usually, they run until they are worn out and then they rest a little while to charge their batteries again. If you are thinking about getting a Greyhound, be aware that it is a dog that needs a lot of exercise. Training a Herd DogThe desire dogs have to hunt is legendary and man has used it to breed dogs to help take care of their flock and herd. This characteristic has been transmitted on to our domestic dogs and it is a strong feature especially in animals that have shepherd dog genes in them. If the desire to hunt is not canalized in the right way (by allowing the dog to play hunting games with toys for example), the dog will then start to build up bad habits and get into a lot of trouble by getting into inappropriate hunting chases and even causing damage. |
