does playing with a pup from a early age help its hunting ability?

[blando 0]

This might be a daft question and I bet I get slated for it but oh well! Does playing with a pup say winding it up with a skin from a young age improve there hunting skills heart and determination. The pup I have was chasing and playing with a skin right from the start it loves it! But my mates pup born the same time is not anywhere near as playful and is just not showing the same instincts is this just in the breeding of the dogs or could it be because it was played with from a very early age? Now surly this has to improve there hunting ability but I mite be wrong.

Edited July 14, 2007 by blando

[skycat 6,174]

In my experience each pup from a litter is different: some are more playful, some just want to mooch off down to the bottom of the garden on their own, some sleep more, some hardly ever sleep, or so it seems!

Some pups will need more work doing on a one to one with their owner to bring them out of their shell and bond, others are in your face 24/7 and are more people orientated: dogs are just like people, all different.

Is your mate playing with his pup the same as you are? Obviously the more you 'activate' the pup's brain by playing interesting fun games with it, the better it will develop all round, both physically and mentally. They don't learn much sat in a kennel all day.

But just because a pup wants to play more doesnt' mean it's going to be a better worker: some of my best workers have been shy little pups and not into playing, but when they've got out in the field they are all work work work, hunting like demons.

As long as pups are getting the right sort of stimulation at home, and regular trips into the field to develop field sense and become accustomed to everything the world has to throw at them then it is in the lap of the Gods as to which one becomes the best worker. Though one pup may hunt better than its brother or sister, the other may well be a better catch dog, always being in the right place at the right time for a bolt.

[Royston2 0]

Not a daft question i think to bond and have fun with your pup from day dot is brilliant really each to there own but i personally dont think it does any harm but it wont neccesarily make it or improve its hunting ability i think that is with in the breeding rather than tugs of war you should be fine with that mate

[Guest oneredtrim]

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Edited January 13, 2008 by oneredtrim

[heart of wales 19]

Very intresting I see my Lurcher pup loves chasing and catching some of the other dogs particullary the red patterdale,could this be the shape of things to come

[martin 332]

I would say that if it does nothing else,it will give you a good bond with the pup,which is very important in my mind.

[jultaylor1972 2]

I would say that if it does nothing else,it will give you a good bond with the pup,which is very important in my mind.

I'll second that!