TRAINING FOR LURE COURSING
RECALL, RECALL, RECALL. This is the most important thing your hound must have BEFORE you attend your first event, NO EXCEPTIONS!!!! This is an issue of your hounds safety. Most coursing fields are not fenced and therefore a hound who does not return to its owner runs the risk of becoming injured if it were to wander from the general vicinity of the field.
Socialization: As with any activity you plan to do with your hound, proper socialization as a puppy is necessary. The hound must be comfortable with being with other hounds without showing any aggression.
Conditioning: Just like humans, couch potato hounds are more likely to hurt themselves by going out and vigorously exercising than one that gets regular exercise. If possible, let your hound have regular free running (in a safe fenced area, of course) as well as on-leash workouts to build up endurance and stamina. It's also a good idea to get him used to running on a variety of surfaces to prepare his pads for different conditions in lure coursing fields. If your hound has any health conditions, consult with your veterinarian before running him in a lure course.
Instinct: You can test and develop your hound's chase instinct at home, even with a puppy. Take a white rag, plastic bag, or piece of rabbit fur, and tease them with it. As they start to show some interest in it, you may put it on a string or a lunge whip and drag it in front of them, encouraging them to follow it. Let them catch the lure as their reward for chasing, and always quit before your hound loses interest. It is also important to work with one dog at a time so that they can focus on the lure. If they doesn't show interest, you might add a 'squawker' (noisemaker used in racing) or some stinky treats to your lure to make it more enticing.
Socialization: As with any activity you plan to do with your hound, proper socialization as a puppy is necessary. The hound must be comfortable with being with other hounds without showing any aggression.
Conditioning: Just like humans, couch potato hounds are more likely to hurt themselves by going out and vigorously exercising than one that gets regular exercise. If possible, let your hound have regular free running (in a safe fenced area, of course) as well as on-leash workouts to build up endurance and stamina. It's also a good idea to get him used to running on a variety of surfaces to prepare his pads for different conditions in lure coursing fields. If your hound has any health conditions, consult with your veterinarian before running him in a lure course.
Instinct: You can test and develop your hound's chase instinct at home, even with a puppy. Take a white rag, plastic bag, or piece of rabbit fur, and tease them with it. As they start to show some interest in it, you may put it on a string or a lunge whip and drag it in front of them, encouraging them to follow it. Let them catch the lure as their reward for chasing, and always quit before your hound loses interest. It is also important to work with one dog at a time so that they can focus on the lure. If they doesn't show interest, you might add a 'squawker' (noisemaker used in racing) or some stinky treats to your lure to make it more enticing.