# When and How do you introduce a pup to gunfire?



## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

I'm trying to absorb as much as I can thru reading different things online. I don't think this topic has been raised here yet.

How do you introduce them to gunshots? How young? Do you start them at a distance and get used to the far away sound of gun pops from a 1/4 mile away? Is there any time tested "normal" routine that anyone has found?

Knowing how much of a PITA it is to reverse gun shyness, I want to avoid any obvious pitfalls.

Thanks

Ryan


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## jgat (Oct 27, 2006)

I am not sure if this is the right way or not but this is what I did:

Starting at about 12-13 weeks, when it was feeding time I would take a cap gun and wrap a thick towel around it. When the dog realizes that it is dinner time and gets really excited just before I put the food bowl down, I would pull the trigger and the dog would be exposed to a muffled shot. I did this every day for about a week. Then I began to wrap the cap gun less and less so the sound would be louder up until I got to the point when no towel was needed to wrap up the cap gun. Then I brought her around someone shooting a .22 to make sure that didn't scare her. Then moved on to a shotgun. It worked very well in my case. I am interested to hear how others have done it.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I am not sure if this is the right way or not but this is what I did:

My pup was about 12 weeks old when I started shooting gophers out the pikup window with a .22, I was amazed he didn't even wake up. I think probably what is important is that the dog has been properly weened and now looks at you as it's master and protector. I belive some dogs are just more aggressive than others and will take to anything while others are afraid of a rain drop.

Bonding is the most important aspect when it comes to new and or scary things.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Here is a couple things I did.....again not sure if it is right or wrong. 12 weeks old or so.

when the dog was eating and concentrating on that I made some noise with pots and pans....or shutting cupboards. Making some bagging noises. Not too loud like a toddler thinking he has a drum solo but just some noise. If the dog showed any shyness or concern I stopped. Introduce slowly.

Then after that a couple of weeks......I switched. Now this is as my training and dummy work progressed. I would throw a dummy send the dog on the retrieve. Then have a helper light a fire cracker (lady finger) about 20-30 yards away from the dog.....way behind him. Now he would do this as the dog was focused on the retrieve. Only did this about two or three times during one training session. If the dog broke from the Retrieve, i ended the fire crackers

*** I did two training sessions one in the morning and one at 
night. They where 6-10 throws.

Then after a few weeks of this. I would then move the noise closer. Then a few weeks...closer. Then I had the noise only a few feet from the dog. Like in a hunting situation. (Now by this time we are doing multiple retrieves and what not) So then I wanted to simulate a bang = dead bird. So the fire cracker went off....then I would toss a dummy. Then have him retrieve.

Then after this I introduced him to light gun fire.......22 pistol and dummy's.

Then it was live birds (pigeon's) and shot gun.

This progression worked for me. But I am sure there are a lot wiser people out there than I on this subject.

Bobm....please enlighten us.


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## Gordon Guy (Jul 23, 2007)

I introduce puppies, 4 months and older but it depends on the dog, to gun fire only when they are chasing birds. I let them flush birds (Wild or pen raised quail or pigeons) and chase and as they're chasing, and at a distance, I shoot off a starter pistol. I then gradually shoot when the dog is closer and move up to a shotgun.

When I was much younger I took a dog to the Skeet range that had never been around gunfire. After that I was never able to take him hunting because he was gunshy. Lesson learned.

Only shoot around birds


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Ryan there are lots of hit and miss methods that people use the problem with them is they are good for some dogs and don't work well for others

the sticky brown dog posted above is pretty much fool proof and I've used it for maybe 200 dogs in my life including some that were made gunshy by people doing things they shouldn't of.

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/vie ... hp?t=43926

And I am certain :wink: ....... I know dogs like you know computers

Chuck I would not try that again its a very risky method, some dogs you can throw a a handgrenade and nothing phases them, others misinterpret things and you then have a problem to fix.

Ryan what kind of dog is it,age,level of present training and what is your situation with birds ect tell me that and I can tell you exactly how to go about it


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## Dave Owens (Nov 11, 2002)

While playing with KC I had my kids make all sorts of noise and distractions. The dog was born May 1st and by mid-July we were lighting fire works while playing with the dog. She accociates play with fire works and gunfire. You can shoot over her while laying in the blind and she will never flinch.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Bobm said:


> Ryan what kind of dog is it,age,level of present training and what is your situation with birds ect tell me that and I can tell you exactly how to go about it


It is a young lab pup. I think he just got it from the breeders a couple weeks ago. I'm thinking it must be 10-11 weeks. Ryan can correct me if I am wrong.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Bobm said:


> Ryan there are lots of hit and miss methods that people use the problem with them is they are good for some dogs and don't work well for others
> 
> the sticky brown dog posted above is pretty much fool proof and I've used it for maybe 200 dogs in my life including some that were made gunshy by people doing things they shouldn't of.
> 
> ...


Hey Everyone

Thanks for the awesome tips/thoughts.

Bob I thought you knew about Chaz?

Chaz joined our family almost 2 weeks ago. He's a yellow pointing lab. 12 weeks old this Saturday. No formal training yet. Still has lots of puppy in him  I'll post some pics up later tonite or tomorrow.

Thanks!


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## ccabb0tt07 (Sep 5, 2008)

Also, it is never a bad idea, if possible, to have other "non-gun shy" dogs there. It seems to raise the comfort level. Good luck!


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Here's a couple pics of Chaz:

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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

ccccrnr said:


> I can't get to anywhere I can shoot with her very regularly. And having been rasied a Tennessean I would like to follow the laws (however uninforced here) in St. Louis which is no discharging guns, cap pistols, fireworks, or any other device to make sound from combustion, and no livestock which means I can't keep live birds in a pin outside to have available.
> 
> .


If you want a hunting dog, you have to break her to the gun. Anywhere outside of town will work fine and use a blank gun. Follow that stickie post. Don't fire the gun until she is in full pursuit of the bird. She should pay no attention to it. Timing is everything when breaking a dog of gunshyness. You need two things: 1) Something they love more than the thing they fear. That would be a bird. 2) Timing. Timing and birds are everything.

You have to make the effort to fix this or pay to have it done. Doesn't sound like she's very gunshy to me and I think you can fix this problem.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Damn isn't he /she prettty... I love dogs. It's gonna be a dark yellow it looks like.


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## LuckCounts (Aug 8, 2008)

I agree with Gordon Guy. I had my dog professionally trained and the trainers goal was to train me also. He was adamant about the only way to introduce a dog to gunfire is with a flushed bird. I have never experienced an incidence of gunshyness. If you have the opportunity to utilize a professional I would highly recommend it. They will evaluate your dog and start the training when the dog is ready (and develop you as a hunting dog owner). I was in the same position as you and I posted a help message on Pa. outdoors. There were a lot of knowledgable people that gave fantastic advice. One of the posts suggested a professional trainer and gave me his name. Maybe someone in your area knows of a good trainer. You can go to one session and see if that's the route you want to follow. I've had my dog for 2 1/2 years and have hunted over her since she's been 6 months old. She was with us when we took our trip to NoDak last year and performed fantastic. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Tom


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

buckseye said:


> Damn isn't he /she prettty... I love dogs. It's gonna be a dark yellow it looks like.


Thanks Buckseye!

We are pretty surprised at how much color he has transformed this past week. Even photos from a week ago show him much much whiter. I was sorta hoping he'd remain white with the red fringed ears. Looks like he's gonna darken up now...

He goes to puppy socialization training this afternoon at PetCo. He's quite the heart stealer still, as he is so mellow and agreeable to everyone.

Ryan


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> He's quite the heart stealer still, as he is so mellow and agreeable to everyone.


Perfect Ryan... his calmness speaks of great deeds to come believe me I know just by looking at him... I'm more dog than human myself.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Thanks for thoughts guys! Appreciate them all!

Bob thanks for that sticky link. Not sure it was up a sticky before, as I thought I checked there first? No worries.

Question based off of those responses then...

Is it an ok idea to take him to a field trial in a few weeks just to walk around, socialize and soak in the excitement? I'm wondering if him being around the other dogs, and being distracted by all of the excitement, he'll simply ignore or be curious about the shooting?

Good idea? Bad idea?


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

Usually the shooting is quite a distance from even where the dogs run from which is the line. I would however recommend that you keep yourself away from the line and away from the most traveled path that a pro would bring a dog down. Many pro's frown on a puppy getting into the face of a field trial dog right before it hits the line.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Chaws said:


> Usually the shooting is quite a distance from even where the dogs run from which is the line. I would however recommend that you keep yourself away from the line and away from the most traveled path that a pro would bring a dog down. Many pro's frown on a puppy getting into the face of a field trial dog right before it hits the line.


Ok sounds good.

He is pretty socialized to distractions and noises. We had a puppy gate drop on the floor on Saturday morning, and he was laying there chewing on a bone, and barely glanced at it. The noise made me sit up as it was DAMN loud at 8:15AM. He just glanced at it, and dropped his bone to wander over and sit next to me. I took that as a good sign he won't get worked up around loud(er) noises down the road.

We'll stay away from the line. We take him for daily walks to PetCo and the mall, etc, and he often ignores other dogs and is into his own thing. Not too worried about him getting into any dogs way.

Thanks!


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

I agree with chaws, although I'm not sure about those pointing FT's. In retriever trials the shots will be quite distant from the gallery. I would think you will be just fine sitting in the gallery with him. Obviously you're going to want to keep him on a leash. Nothing worse then a stray dog running around messing up the games.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

R y a n said:


> Chaws said:
> 
> 
> > Usually the shooting is quite a distance from even where the dogs run from which is the line. I would however recommend that you keep yourself away from the line and away from the most traveled path that a pro would bring a dog down. Many pro's frown on a puppy getting into the face of a field trial dog right before it hits the line.
> ...


Ryan I wouldn't bring him anywhere gun fire is likely to be until hes be conditioned to the gun, as mentioned by the guy Gonehunting responded to for me fireworks can really screw up a dog. Gunfire without association to birds or retrieveing dummies is likely to end up with the same result. ANd you can get away with it a couple times and then still end up with a frightend dog so don't think that if you do it once you are home free.

I never allow gunfire (never ever fireworks) around my kennels or broke dogs without the bird or dummy present.

Its a lot easier to avoid than to fix


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Pro dog trainers get the dogs "birdie", after they have flushed a few birds they start shooting over them. It's best to get the bird desire in place first if it's not there from birth. Too many new things at once is not good if you are training. As pups introduce them to the world.


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