Hunting in New Hampshire: Regulations for Hunting With Dogs

Hunting in New Hampshire is more enjoyable with a canine companion. Hunting dogs perform many helpful tasks, including pointing, flushing and retrieving. However, not all situations are appropriate for dogs and caring for the dogs presents additional responsibilities for the hunters. Dogs must be provided with nourishing food, proper shelter, and grooming. Hunters must examine the dogs for burrs in the skin, parasites and foot wounds, depending on the season and environment.

Hunters must follow laws for licensing as well as abide by animal safety regulations. Additionally, hunters must select dogs based on their appropriate breed characteristics. Gun dog breeds include retrievers, hounds, setters and pointers, spaniels, terriers, curs, and dachshunds; however, other breeds and mixes can become successful hunting companions, too.

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Training for field dogs is specific to the job the dog will perform. Novice dog trainers should work with professional trainers, or enroll in classes sponsored by a local hunt club. "Early training involves a very positive guiding, directing, encouraging mode, blended with exercise and socialization to the things and places your dog will work in and around as training progresses and later while hunting or trialing," says Bob West in Gun Dog magazine. Here is some other information to know regarding hunting with dogs in New Hampshire.

1. Licensing
 - Licensing laws vary by county and municipality, but according to the courts of New Hampshire, "Every owner or keeper of a dog four months old or older shall annually, cause it to be registered, numbered, described, and licensed for one year in the office of the clerk of the city or town in which the dog is kept, and shall cause it to wear around its neck a collar to which shall be attached a metal tag …" Dog owners must present proof of rabies vaccination to apply for a dog license. The license application will require a current rabies vaccination certificate and, if applicable, a spay or neuter certificate.

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2. Health and Wellness
 - Hunting dogs are canine athletes that must be in top condition to perform their work. Check with a veterinarian to determine other preventive health care measures recommended for this activity, such as heartworm medication, flea and tick control, and vaccinations that protect dogs in the field. A vet can also assess the dog's overall health in respect to orthopedic soundness, cardiac health, and other issues related to performance of the vigorous activities of gun dogs.
3. Training
 - Hunters must also ensure that their dogs are under control at all times. Dogs must be protected from hunters that could mistake them for game in the brush. The dogs must also be kept from scaring off birds and other games, robbing hunters of opportunities.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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