[cobbercb2]

I need some advice with my 6 mo old Yellow Lab female. I didn't introduce her to guns properly and am afraid I have made her scared of guns. I took her to a pheasant game farm a month ago to see how she would react to gunfire and she seemed to be unphased. I decided to take her to South Dakota with me to do more pheasant hunting. As my friend and I shot clays in their backyard she became scared and moved further away each time we shot. I only took her out once in the field in South Dakota because after more shots were fired she became more scared. Have I completely made this pup gunshy? Or can I fix this issue with some simple tasks to get her to associate the gun with birds equaling a good thing? Any advice would help! Thanks.

 

[CoryPedersen]

Others on here will probably have much more to say in terms of methods, etc., but I think you put way too much on this pup, way too soon. I think you need to go all the way back to square one with your pup and start with a .22 blank pistol.

Stay with your pup while a friend/family member stands 100 yards away with the gun and something for the pup to retrieve (dummy, dead bird, etc.). Have your friend throw the retrieving object and fire the gun while the object's in the air. If all goes well and the dog doesn't react, send your pup for the retrieve. If the pup reacts to the gun in any way, your friend will need to start farther back. Go slow with this and gradually decrease the distance until you're able to shoot directly over the pup. Given the pup's past experience, this might take some time and a lot of patience, but I think it can be done. Once your pup's comfortable with the .22 pistol, start the whole process over with a 20 gauge shotgun. When the pup's comfortable with a 20 gauge, start over again with a 12 gauge.

I think you can pull your pup out of this, but it's going to take some time, some patience and a lot of support and understanding on your part. Whatever you do, don't get in a hurry and try to rush things. And if you get stuck at one particular step, back up and start over. Your pup will let you know when it's time to move on.

Good luck.

 

[7pntail]

---Just curious, how did you miss socializing your dog to gunfire in your training?

It is difficut to fix---yet doable.

There are some proven methods (we need some dog beviorists to chime in here- I am no expert) but in the mean time, you need to start over with your association to noise.

Make sure the dog is doing something fun (or eating) and rattle some pots and pans. Baby steps---all, while the dog is doing something pleasurable i.e. walks, swims. tennis ball retrieves, etc... Move to a cap gun at a distance. Reinforce desired response. Move to shorter distance with small bang and start the process and distance over as you increase bang power. This will TAKE TIME don't rush and don't coddle. The dog has to learn to get through it.

Good luck to you---- My wife had a rescue dog that was gun shy and it was very difficult to de-shy him.

Take care, john

 

[Bill Davis]

I have had this work.

Have your training partner start out 100yds away with a shotgun. YOU throw a bumper in the oppisite direction as the shooter. When your dog is enroute to the bumper have the person fire one shot. IF the pup does not stop, flinch, or slow down while making the retrieve, have the shooter move up 10 yds and repeat. At any point the dog does any of the above have the shooter move back to the last successful distance and start again. If the dog does any of the above after the shot immediatley throw another bumper.

 

[Parnell Perry]

I think Cory’s message is the basics for trying to resolve the issue. Only information I can add is not to do what Cory said or expose the dog to any shooting until you know he is crazy about retrieving something else. I would throw birds and a lot of them until you know the dog wants that bird no matter what....then try what Cory described. If the dog doesn’t become crazy about the bird it may not be worth trying to resolve the gun issue.


What about thunder or other loud noises, do they bother him?

 

[BWCA Labs Margo Penke]

Train with feathers...I mean birds...or at the least a wing strapped to a bumper (or dummy) This will get her extra excited about retrieving birds just by throwing dead birds to retrieve, no shots.
And yes, proceed with the good advice previously given in this thread.

 

[Dale]

Go back and start at square one, where you should have in the begining. I just went through this for a client. It's tuff but it can be worked through.

 

[Mark L]

I would definately start over at square one. I ruined my first Golden by allowing someone to shoot over her at 10 months old (not by choice), and she never hunted again I also never hunted with the idiot that shot over her. She just turned 16 years old 2 days ago and has been a great house dog, but every time she even saw me getting ready to go hunting she would run and hide.

So, start with a cap gun a feeding time. Pop the cap as you are putting the food down. After a few days go to two or three caps, until she does not even care about it. (Do this outside)

Then move to a .22 with blanks about 50-75 yards away. Give her treats and praise (so she is focused on you) as someone else starts walking closer and shooting the blanks. Once they are within about 10-15 yards then start associating the shot with the bumper or wing (retrieve). Then move to a bumper launcher that uses the .22 blanks. Again, start shooting them about 10-15 yards away. Work that until you can use the launcher next to her.

At that point I would move to a shotgun, .410 or 20 gauge. Start with the shots being fired at a distance, 20-25 yards along with throwing a bumper and move closer as she is comfortable with it until you are near her. I would also look into shooting the gun along with throwing a live pigeon, if she has been introduced to birds, which it sounds like she has.

Your next step is shooting whatever you normally hunt with next to her, starting at a distance. Again, I would do it using something for her to retrieve so at that point she is associating the gunfire with retrieveing birds/bumpers.

It may take a few weeks or a few months, but remember, the dog will be with you for a long time and many, many hunts if you do it correct.

I am by no means an expert, but have made the mistake before...

Good Luck,

Mark

 

[bo brock]

i agree. start at square one... feeding time

 

[Kenneth Niles Bora]

---Just curious, how did you miss socializing your dog to gunfire in your training?

This, from a feller who didn’t introduce decoys until opening day?????
Let they who are without sin, cast the first stone!




.

 

[Swampbilly]

I took her to a pheasant game farm a month ago to see how she would react to gunfire and she seemed to be unphased. I decided to take her to South Dakota with me to do more pheasant hunting. As my friend and I shot clays in their backyard she became scared and moved further away each time we shot. I only took her out once in the field in South Dakota because after more shots were fired she became more scared.

...'Cobber, ..don't want to beat cha' over the head, (your pups' probably punished ya' enough), but I'd luv to know why in the world you didn't stop at the first signs of trouble.. No disrespect.....

A fella' brought a Lab to me once that would run and hide under the truck at the very sight of a shotgun..It's a shame..What takes around 1 second to destroy can take many months to re-build..and there's really no guarantee....

Good suggestions folks have given you. It is important to continue on with the pups' training at the point where ever you left off before this happened, and you may just consider to forget about hunting your pup this season until you can work with her on the issue and come to a conclusion...

First it is important to progressively get your pup successful again and build confidence back into her, whether it's obeying a command, or a successful retrieve..Lots of praise-
I'd be curious to know how your pup would react to a bird today if you were to toss one dead or a live clipped winged bird in the yard..You must get your pup birdy..very birdy..and without gunfire this time.

As others have mentioned, "noise conditioning" would be ideal ..from a distance..You see, lots of folks do different things to prevent future Gunshyness in their pup, i.e., background noise banging pots and pans together when feeding, cap guns, etc., ..Some of these things are considered "wives tales", or unneccessary by some folks..other folks use it as a preventative. I myself like to use it.

Pups/dogs in kennels adjacent to training fields hear starter pistols/gunfire from a distance, day in and day out..they get a certain amount of noise conditioning while they stand in the kennel looking out with their tails waggin' at other dogs in the training field....
An Rx for truely gunshy dogs are progressive and a little lengthy...come back and let us know what your intentions are..then we'll take it from there...

 

[Juli H]

I'd suggest going to the store and starting with a toy cap gun (if this has already been mentioned, sorry!) Use the methods given, or use treats after every shot..

A cap gun that holds the 8 shot cap ring, works best, I have found...

Juli

 

[cobbercb2]

Thanks for all the good advice so far. I took the first step last night by bringing out my shotgun (which she had no negative reaction to) which I held in one hand and played fetch with her dummy for about 10 min. She was extremely excited to play and brought back the dummy to my hand each time, then was ready for the next throw. This way I was hoping to associate the gun being present means the puppy gets to play fetch. This morning I brought out the gun while I filled her bowl with food and set it next to the bowl while she ate. Again no reaction towards the sight of the gun. I plan to continue this until the weather cooperates and I can get some work with her outside with some birds or bird wings. This morning when I mentioned "do you want to get a bird?" She was beaming with excitement and knew what I was talking about. Does this sound like the right things to do? Do I continue to get her excited about birds without gunfire then add the gunfire at a later time? Thanks again.

 

[Kasomor]

May be this will help you "see" how.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc8iO8iemLw&p=9393BBB0ADA17923&playnext=1&index=36

This goes really fast but I would SLOW IT WAY DOWN WITH YOUR DOG.

Actually I would slow this way down with any dog and do it over a couple of months.... and start with a smaller caliber....dollar store cap gun first. I also have the gunner in FRONT of the dog because I don't want the dog spinning around looking to see where the noise came from.

And yes your dog should be nuts about birds.... retrieving enthusiastically before introducing gunfire again.

Take your time...a LOT of time... and good luck.

 

[7pntail]

This, from a feller who didn’t introduce decoys until opening day?????
Let they who are without sin, cast the first stone!




.

Decoys are overrated! he he. The first one that came back was kinda cute. The next ones were't quite as cute.



Besides, he was multitasking during down time. Thank goodness I dropped a few of the real deal in the dekes and he learnd the difference. And thank goodness for a leash. He didn't break to the shot though, he just couldn't resist those imposters!

As you know this is an easy fix. Gun shyness is a differnt can of corn

Take care and make sure you start over!

John

 

[jeff t.]

Thanks for all the good advice so far. I took the first step last night by bringing out my shotgun (which she had no negative reaction to) which I held in one hand and played fetch with her dummy for about 10 min. She was extremely excited to play and brought back the dummy to my hand each time, then was ready for the next throw. This way I was hoping to associate the gun being present means the puppy gets to play fetch. This morning I brought out the gun while I filled her bowl with food and set it next to the bowl while she ate. Again no reaction towards the sight of the gun. I plan to continue this until the weather cooperates and I can get some work with her outside with some birds or bird wings. This morning when I mentioned "do you want to get a bird?" She was beaming with excitement and knew what I was talking about. Does this sound like the right things to do? Do I continue to get her excited about birds without gunfire then add the gunfire at a later time? Thanks again.

I would focus on the noise issue rather than the physical presence of the gun.

My approach with pups is to fire a toy cap gun 50 yds away outside, while they are inside eating. One or two shots...and quit. Make sure and pick a mealtime when pup is really hungry. Most of the time, pup doesn't even notice, just keeps on eating.

The next day I might do it again at the same distance, or maybe just a little bit closer...assuming that there was no problem the previous day.

Every day I get a little closer until eventually I am standing right outside the house while they are inside eating. Even then, the walls of the house muffle the sound somewhat.

Assuming this goes well, we use a primer pistol or .22 blank pistol and repeat the process.

Assuming all of the above has gone well, then I would take it outside, and perhaps fire the cap gun while retrieving. If that goes well for a week or so, then increase the noise level by using a blank pistol.

This is a problem that is easier to prevent than it is to fix.

I absolutely would not rush it. I would take much more time than I thought was necessary, and praise pup when he is doing well. I would not force the issue or do anything to reinforce the fear.

She's only 6 months old, time takes time.

 

[Swampbilly]

Does this sound like the right things to do? Do I continue to get her excited about birds without gunfire then add the gunfire at a later time? Thanks again.

..Absolutely...and NOT untill then.