Why Are Hunting Dogs Often Kept Outside?

Primarily you see hunting dogs being kept outside when there’s limited room inside and you have several hunting dogs. You keep them outside in order to have less conflict inbetween the different hunting dogs.

Some people prefer keeping their hunting dogs outside while others prefer staying with them indoors. Both ways can be done, but it is important to know which method is more beneficial for you and your dog.

What Are the Pros of Having a Hunting Dog Inside?

There is a myth that keeping your dog indoors will make it weak, ruin it’s smelling abilities and in the long run unable to hunt. However, a dog will not lose its sense of smell no matter how long it is kept inside.

Offer Companionship

Keeping your dog inside the home is beneficial for you as the dog is a source of companionship. Dogs can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression . They ease loneliness as one can play with them any time of the day.

Provide Security

Dogs are a source of security, and you will always feel safe with a dog in the house. They have the ability to sense danger from far and alert you to prepare for an attack. They can also be your defense when facing threats.

Dogs are not afraid to protect you and your family. They are also able to discourage people who have bad intentions.

Develop a Strong Bond

Keeping your dog inside ensures that you develop a strong bond with your dog by getting to spend a lot of time with them. At this time, the dog may learn what makes you happy and what angers you. The bond is established when you play together.

Some games played, such as fetch, are great in ensuring that the dog remembers and betters their hunting skills. You also get a lot of time to train the dog to obey simple commands such as sitting or even barking.

Protect the Dog From Adverse Weather Conditions

Keeping your dog inside helps protect the dog from adverse weather conditions, such as excess heat or cold, which may be harmful to your dogs health. Constant exposure to adverse weather conditions puts your dog at a very high risk and may cause injury and even death.

In the house, the dog is not likely to get fleas or even ticks, ensuring that it is generally healthy and always in shape for hunting.

What Are the Pros of Having Your Hunting Dog Outside?

Avoid Contracting Diseases

When you keep your dogs outside, you do not risk you and your family contracting quixotic diseases such as the Lyme disease, ringworm and roundworms. These diseases are passed to humans by infected saliva, contaminated urine and getting in direct contact with the dog. This can be prevented by ensuring your dog is well vaccinated to ensure you and your family are safe.

Avoid Conflict and Injuries

Once in a while the dog tends to become aggressive and may cause harm, especially to other dogs. They may bite another dog and transmit diseases or some other type of injury. This will leave with additional medical costs that you had not initially planned for. For this reason, it may be better to keep your dog outside. It all depend on what kind of hunting dogs you have at home, maybe they work fantastic together – others dont.

Does a Hunting Dog Suffer Outside in The Cold?

Most types of dogs are well adapted with warm coats to protect them from cold temperatures. However, this does not mean that they are entirely resistant to the cold. Their feet tend to suffer the most after being exposed to freezing temperatures. It is very important to make sure that you have some sort of shelter with heating for your dog if you are keeping it outside, and that it can get away from the rain and wind.

I found this really nice video on youtube where he builds a nice kennel. It is a very informative video if you are about to build your own dog kennel for keeping your hunting dogs outside.

Here are some things that you can do to keep your dog safe from the cold.

Keep Your Dog Warm Before and After Hunting

Ensure your dog has boots to protect their feet from the cold. Buy protective clothing for your dog such as neoprene vests. Smaller dogs are more likely to get colder than bigger dogs.

Avoid Keeping Your Dog Outside in Freezing Temperatures

Keeping your dog outside may contribute to health issues, such as hypothermia, which in some cases cause death. Therefore, this should be prevented at all costs. Although the same animals may enjoy being outside, remember that the environment is no longer fun for them when it becomes freezing.

Conclusion

All in all a hunting dog is better kept inside. However, you should allow your dog to spend alot of time outside. This will allow your hunting dog to adapt to the temperature changes that they may experience while hunting.

I have several friends who keep their hunting dogs outside and i really do understand them as they have so many for different purposes, but for me i would for sure try to keep them inside – if possible.