Dogs - Introducing the Gun??

Robotack

I been given a bit of advice on this but as it'll be my first time doing at I'd welcome any suggestions / recommendations / methods that the more experienced dog guys might have for me!

gregers85

We had 2 new springers this yr, What we did is one person stay with the dog, preferably who ever at home the dog has the best bond with and the other person walked about 100 yards away and let off a shot! if all OK then walked closer and let off another kept doing this until the shot was being let off right over there head! worked a treat for ours! Did them on separate occasions not together!

charlie10

i done this for the pointer too only i brought a dummy along and threw it up pulled the trigger then dog associated shot with something fun

dclarke1977

i usually us my .22 shoot a few crows around the house and the dogs are usually keen to see wats going on its easier to progress on to the shot gun from there they usually associate the bang with dead birds well most of the time anyway

deeksofdoom

The above methods are all well and good if the dog is not of a nervous disposition, however if it is then your going to have to start out by going for walks with the dog and the gun, putting gun down beside the dogs bowl at meal times and generaly getting the dog used to the sight of the gun.

Have had to do this with a GWP in the past and am working on a springer bitch at the moment who is very nervous.

How old is the dog?

Robotack

He's just over 4 months. That was actually my next question to all of the above posters... At what age did you do this??

So far he does not seem nervous. I try to make plenty of loud noises & drop things on the floor etc and he puts no pass on me. He's also ignored very distant gas bangers etc. He did however leg it the other day when I started a chainsaw so I knocked it off immediately.

deeksofdoom

Robotack wrote: »

He's just over 4 months. That was actually my next question to all of the above posters... At what age did you do this??

So far he does not seem nervous. I try to make plenty of loud noises & drop things on the floor etc and he puts no pass on me. He's also ignored very distant gas bangers etc. He did however leg it the other day when I started a chainsaw so I knocked it off immediately.

4 months is a bit young to be firing a shot over him, 12 months would be more like it. He's still very young. The springer I have is scared ****less of an air rifle but she seems to be responding well to banging tins and firing only the primers in a shotgun.

Just keep up the banging and keep bonding and playing with him. Don't be tempted to rush the shooting part, he's not going to be hunting this year.

Fellahs will tell you to get him out and fire a few shots over him, but he's your dog you'll have to deal with him if you make him gunshy.

jarv

Sounds funny but I downloaded a shot gun sound off the net then played at high volume every time I fed him.

Next step I took him to the clay grounds and walked around at a good distance praising him every time a shot went off and he didnt react. Each week I closed the distance to the shot till he was happy by my side when shooting.

He now thinks Halloween is great and is ready to retrieve all eve.

patdahat

gregers85 wrote: »

We had 2 new springers this yr, What we did is one person stay with the dog, preferably who ever at home the dog has the best bond with and the other person walked about 100 yards away and let off a shot! if all OK then walked closer and let off another kept doing this until the shot was being let off right over there head! worked a treat for ours! Did them on separate occasions not together!

iv done the same but i threw a dummy when the shot was fired.

Alchemist2

Use a starting pistol meself and as has been said throw a dummy just before firing you will know from your pups character whether to thread gingerly or not for said excerise

snipe02

when the dog is sitting and staying while you throw a dummy out and he is watching and listening for your hand signal and voice command and he is bursting to go get it have someone 200 yards away with a shotgun give him the nod and as soon as the shot is fired give the hand and voice commands and the dog will burst out for the dummy and will associate the bang with wait for signal and retrieve and will soon be on high alert every time he hears gun shot just move it closer as the dog is ready and comfortable this works for dogs who are a little bit nervous of load sounds and is safe and wont spoil the dog because your in control of the situation

TriggerPL

gregers85 wrote: »

We had 2 new springers this yr, What we did is one person stay with the dog, preferably who ever at home the dog has the best bond with and the other person walked about 100 yards away and let off a shot! if all OK then walked closer and let off another kept doing this until the shot was being let off right over there head! worked a treat for ours! Did them on separate occasions not together!

This is a perfect example mix in with Charlie's throwing of dummy ya can't go wrong , make sure do it over few days not all the one day as pointed out

I normally do it around 8 months

LOUTHSHOOTER

Robotack wrote: »

I been given a bit of advice on this but as it'll be my first time doing at I'd welcome any suggestions / recommendations / methods that the more experienced dog guys might have for me!

What i normally do is from a pup is everytime i feed them clap my hands over their head and build this up over time until u can bash pots and pans over their head the reason for this is they will associate something nice ie grub everytime u feed them.Then i move onto starting pistol at about 10 to 12 months depending on the dog but only when i have them very steady to a thrown dummy u dont want him running in on shot especially on rabbits.Make sure when u start that everytime u fire the pistol u also stop him on the whistle eventually fading out whistle and just getting him to stop on shot.I vary quiet a lot when i pull the trigger sometimes i send him straight away(a runner) other times i make him wait just to reinforce whos boss,dont over do it and remember keep it fun for him.hope this helps

Dalken

gregers85 wrote: »

We had 2 new springers this yr, What we did is one person stay with the dog, preferably who ever at home the dog has the best bond with and the other person walked about 100 yards away and let off a shot! if all OK then walked closer and let off another kept doing this until the shot was being let off right over there head! worked a treat for ours! Did them on separate occasions not together!

This is the only way I've ever heard it been done, who ever knows the dog best stays with him reassuring, petting and encouraging, if u have an experienced dog bring him along too. Not so close the first times. Don't bring in the shot closer for a while, certainly not the first few times you do it just too build the confidence.