Dog struggling but good start otherwise

T

troutthink

New member
I have been into birds everyday but my rescued lab has become gun shy. She started off strong but by the third trip just wanted to stay in the truck. Finally figured out what was going on during the third trip out. She is done for the season. Hopefully I can work her out of this this winter/spring. Totally my fault. We have been shooting the .22 around her and she is not afraid of any loud noises. Kicking myself now for not introducing her to the shotgun the right way.

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Nice birds and good looking pup! :)

Bring her along slowly and she will get back to being fine with the shotgun. We have a 16 week old pup and have been introducing gunfire. Started with tapping a metal dish while he was eating. Took him out to a practice field, put him in the back of the Explorer and let him eat, walked about 75 yards away, fired the blank pistol, then watched for my wife to give me the "stop" signal - moved in closer and fired the remaining 4 blanks. Maybe send her out for a retrieve on a retrieve bumper and shoot when she is the furthest away.
 
Like my old mentor from Alaska (pro retriever and gun dog trainer for 40yrs) would tell me "Hunting dogs aren't born gun shy, they are made gun shy".

Things as simple as the cans or metal stuff in a can that folks use to scare dogs off of furniture in the house. Firecrackers while the dog is crated and cooped up with nowhere to go. Young kids make loud and I mean loud sounds right at the dog when they are a pup...

All of these things and there are more, can contribute to gun shyness.

Now, how do you cure that. Very, very slowly. Start somewhere were the dog feels "safe". Dogs are place oriented animals, especially retrievers. I have been training, hunting, raising, breeding, running field trials and hunt tests with retrievers since 1992.

Take a small kids cap pistol and whatever the favorite type of toy, ball or training bumper that the dog likes. Throw it around in the yard/field (again somewhere that the dog feels safe and comfortable, reason for this is that if you take the dog somewhere like the hunting field, well then they will know something is up and theirs and your stress level will go up).

So back to the yard and ball....have fun keep it fun!!! Did I say fun? Then after a few minutes, bang, shoot the KIDS capgun (this way if any neighbors or anyone says anything it is perfectly legal to shoot a capgun on your own property) See how the dog responds, did they run, jump, freak out in anyway or did they just keep on playing and chasing the ball.

If it did not affect them, then move closer and closer. If it did affect them, then have the dog far away from you and then move closer.

Hopefully you can have the dog by your side shooting the capgun. Then go out to the field (somewhere you hunt) and use the capgun. Then go to Sportsman's or Dicks buy some blank 12 or 20gauge popper shells (usually reloads with just a .409 shotgun primer and no powder or shot, sometimes bird seed in them).

Try shooting them (they don't kick and cheaper to shoot). Or use a blank starter pistol. Again start far away have the dog having fun chasing the ball or whatever and then move closer.

I hope this helps...good luck...

Greg
 
Thanks for the tips. I hope I can work her out of it.

The second trip out we got into a field with a ton and I mean a ton of birds. Also a ton of sand burrs and goat heads. I ended up having to help her out of the corner. She was miserable and I was shooting like crazy. I am not sure if this is what did it but she was never the same after that field.
 
Great advice Greg and thanks for taking the time to write all that down for him. I made some mistakes early on with my first labs' noise training but luckily got away with it. I practice a much more careful program with my latest labs, very similar to your methods. Six labs-no gun shyness.

Tom
 
Gunbreaking-

This is how I do it, and I've never had a problem with any of my dogs. This method was taught to me by a couple of pro trainers and it's perfect for the flushing dog guys, I would think.

I take a pigeon and tie a piece of yarn to the leg of the pigeon and a piece of cardboard. Turn the pup loose and let him chase it. (Make sure the cardboard is big enough so that the dog can catch it) and just as the dog is about to get his mouth on the bird, fire your blank gun. You shouldn't get a reaction because if the dog has the prey drive, all of his attention will be on that bird.
Do that a few times, each time moving closer to the bird/pup. Then when you are confident with the dog and the shot, move up to a shotgun. Start over, from a distance, and moving closer.
Yes, dogs are place oriented animals, but they also learn by association. I want them to associate gun to birds. When a gun goes off, a damn good thing is happening. (birds)
The key is the timing. Only shoot when the dog is in chase and focused on the birds.
 
Good on you for rescuing this dog, and great pics - thanks for sharing.

In the past when training gun dogs I have made a point to make loud noises close by (even shooting a gun if you can) when they are eating. This gets them used to it, and obviously they are pre-occupied with something else :)
 
Beautiful dog, she has a very bully look to head and muzzle.:10sign:
 
Found some pigeons on craigslist. Any special type that I should look for? I am sure the kids would enjoy taking care of them but hard sell to tie a string and cardboard and letting the dog chaise them down. Oh well, I'll just have to put it out there before I bring them home. I think she would love chasing them.

She is an "english" lab. Bred for the block head and otter tail and smaller size. She looks a little overweight but I like to say she is just "big boned". Most of it is just skin. She was bread five times before she had to have her uterus removed (all before we got her). Her body will never fully recover but she is a great dog. I can't wait to get her back in the field.
 
Just an update.

Thanks all for the great advice. I worked her out of being gun shy using Greg's advice. Great forum. Can't thank you enough.

Now looking for some birds to do some further training. Any ideas on some inexpensive birds (pigeon, quail or otherwise) in the Springs area?
 
Hope everything works out. Looks like our 8 year old chocolate lab who had an English style lab for a sire and American style for a mom. He is a monster size wise ... got the height from his mom and head and body style from his dad.

Due to some other things going on when we got him, I was not hunting and have never hunted him (or trained him too). As big as he is, not so sure how he'd hold up in a field chasing Pheasants.

But he swims like an otter and can retrieve a bumper all day.

I was thinking I might get him out duck hunting next year but wondered about introducing him to the gun. So thanks for all the good advice.:10sign:

Our new GWP ... I will leave to a professional.:D
 
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