# Gun Shy Golden Retriever



## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

This year, after a 13 year hiatus, I have returned to hunting. I have a 3 year old golden retriever that I would like to take small game hunting. I would use her as a flusher/retriever. Her name is Maggie. Maggie is easily the smartest dog that I have ever been around. Also, she wants to hunt. A walk has turned into a squirrel/bird hunt. We take long walks in the woods and she is ever vigilant for game. One problem: Maggie is also very skittish. While she has the heart of a warrior in the field, she is a chicken around inadament objects such as garbage cans, brooms, snow shovels, rakes (any thing with a long handle) vacuums etc.

Recently, during deer season, I had Maggie out in the woods to help me find a downed buck (she loves to roll in dead things). I tied a 50ft check cord around Maggies so she wouldnt take off after a deer. I had a .357 magnum on me which I fired. She took off like a shot and I grabbed her check cord.

A friend of mine said that this is no way to introduce a dog to gunfire. HE said I should start from 100 yards away and reward her after each shot with a treat. So I set out to do this. The plan was to fire a shot with a shot gun from 100 yards away and gradually move a little closer. My daughter was to stand with her and feed her a milkbone with each shot. She would not eat the milkbone and was shaking bad after the first shot so we aborted the mission.

I understand now that I should have started with a cap pistol and then a .22 pistol and worked up to a shotgun etc. My question is as follows: Is there a way to train this dog or is it to late to fix this dog? I really want to hunt with her and she loves being afeild.


----------



## duckjunky (Mar 8, 2007)

Try this: Go to your local toy store and by a kids cap gun. Fire the gun cap gun when you're getting ready to feed her. Fire the gun before you put the food bowl down. I got this tip from Richard Wolters book Water Dog. In the book he says to do this for two weeks but trained untill I ran out of caps. It is all about association she has got to associate somthing good (the food) with the sound of the gun. With an older dog it might take a bit longer. 
good Luck Happy 
holidays.
Duckjunky


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

look at the sticky above and follow it

both those methods in the posts above are horrible ideas

never ever ever ever ever ever shoot a gun around a unless a bird is flushing or a retrieve is being done


----------



## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks Duckjunky and Bobm. There certainly are different schools of thought out there. If firing a cap pistol at feeding time is wrong it is a common misconception. A dog trainer in our area suggested a tape of gunfire to play at feeding time as a way to desensitize the dog. She also said that the breeder should be "shooting" over the litter to weed out the gun dogs from the full time pets. This was her opinion. This is not an exact science. She used to run a kennel and currently runs obedience classes but I would not consider her an expert on gun dogs.

I did purchase a single shot .22 rifle from her for 20$. I read the sticky and I discussed this with her. I will follow the method in the sticky.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I am a gundog trainer with 40 years experience and have fixed alot of gunshy dogs, I can tell you with certainty that lady doesn't have a clue about what shes talking about.

What shes suggesting will work sometimes and sometimes it will cause noise shyness forget it. DOn't fool with hit or miss methods its not worth the risk.

There is no seperating the guns dogs from the pets done correctly they can all be gun dogs.

Good luck with your dog


----------



## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks again Bob

Again I will follow the methods in the sticky. I really believe Maggie has potential.


----------

