# How to train gun shy dogs.



## southernboy2147 (May 29, 2013)

what are some techniques to training gun shy dogs and also how old is to old to train a dog not to be gun shy


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## krazybronco2 (May 30, 2013)

first does the pup have a desire to chase or retrieve? if so start at a long distance off like 100 yards and have some one shoot a .22 rifle and move in slowely if u see any signs of getting nervous back up from the gun. do this until you are right up under the gunner. then move to something a little louder like a .410 and repeat. then move up to a 12ga and do the same as the .22 rifle. again if you see any signs of the dog getting nervous or scared move away from the gun. also praise for retrieving and do not praise if the pup gets scared. praising when the pup is scared could make the gun shyness even worse.

this is how most people start a puppy.  start far away and move in and after each step get a louder noise but the pup does have to truely love to chase or retrieve.

also helps if the gunner fires the gun right as the pup gets to the bumper for a while and then the next time work with the same gun and have the gunner shot as the bumper is in mid air.


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## JuliaH (May 30, 2013)

What kind of dog?  Used for bird hunting or mainly retrieving?

Julia



southernboy2147 said:


> what are some techniques to training gun shy dogs and also how old is to old to train a dog not to be gun shy


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## Turkey Trax (May 30, 2013)

a few questions have to be answered first.
what did you do to make the dog gun shy? or what did someone else do?
is it really freaked out by it or just a little concerned with it?
does the dog like live birds? 

gun shy dogs are typically made gun shy. so may help to know what caused it. 

we don't do the loud noises by the food bowls or any of that other junk folks say to do. just work it in naturally with 12 gauge poppers. they hear em from the truck during training days since they were 7 weeks old. they hear em when we take them out on lead during training days and others are shooting. they just hear them and are part of life. then ill intro live birds at 8 or so weeks and when the pup is chasing the bird and having a good time i may shoot a popper or 2 and thats about it till week before our first started test. lol and we'll have a shooter beside me picking up marks preparing for a test. never had an issue with a dog being gun shy being brought up like that. They learn fast. Gun shot= i get to pick up a bird.


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## king killer delete (May 31, 2013)

*Turkey Trax*

has ask you the right questions. Most gun shy dogs are made that way by the people training them.  I have heard that you can take one to the local skeet range and maybe that will help. I had an setter when I was a young boy. the dog showed up on our farm and she was starving. At first she was very skidish about coming to people. My father started feeding the dog wheat shorts(hog feed) and then he would feed her the good old stand buy Jim Dandy dog food. Finally she got to trust my dad and I where would could catch her. We took her home and made her the family pet. I was probably 8 or 9 years old at the time. Well next bird season came around and we had at least 10 or 12 coveys on birds on our small farm. Well I got my 410 bolt action Stevens shotgun and I was gona kill me some birds . I got the dog out of my daddys  1950 GMC truck and I pulled that gun out of the gun rack in the back window of that truck and that poor dog saw that gun and ran off. It took us 3 days to find that dog. She would walk in on the farm with me and point birds all day long. But if she saw a gun or heard a gun shot she was gone to the next county. We took her to the vet and he Xrayed her. Her hips were full of bird shot. The guy that owned her before we found her had shot her for breaking point. She was a good pet but she never got over being shot.


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## 91xjgawes (May 31, 2013)

These men are right. The dog was not born gun shy. Someone, or some event made the dog become skidish/shy.


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## GA DAWG (May 31, 2013)

I helped get it out of a coonhound one time. Worst I ever saw. I have no clue about a bird dog though.


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## king killer delete (Jun 1, 2013)

*What did you do to fix*



GA DAWG said:


> I helped get it out of a coonhound one time. Worst I ever saw. I have no clue about a bird dog though.


The dog?


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## southernboy2147 (Jun 1, 2013)

sorry guys, its not a hunting dog just a pit bull but he goes to the farm with me all the time and anytime i shoot a gun hes in the next county.

as far as what made him gun shy idk i got him at 6 months and he was scared of his own shadow then. hes scared of any loud noise, and anything the resembles a gun or something you could hit him with i guess.


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## king killer delete (Jun 1, 2013)

*Whats that got to do with it?*



southernboy2147 said:


> sorry guys, its not a hunting dog just a pit bull but he goes to the farm with me all the time and anytime i shoot a gun hes in the next county.
> 
> as far as what made him gun shy idk i got him at 6 months and he was scared of his own shadow then. hes scared of any loud noise, and anything the resembles a gun or something you could hit him with i guess.


You wana  fix him don't you. Its a valid question and I know allot of hog hunters that shot over their dogs and those dogs are pits.


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## waddler (Jun 2, 2013)

My brother runs a place that keeps 40 -50 birddogs in the kennel, and he showed me a cd that you play continuously in the kennel for new dogs, over about a week or so. It is remarkable in that the introduction to gun shots is very realistic. It is an easy first step play at "fixing" a dog.

Perhaps others know of this and can tell you where to find it. If not, I will call him for the info for you.


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## southernboy2147 (Jun 2, 2013)

krazybronco2 said:


> first does the pup have a desire to chase or retrieve? if so start at a long distance off like 100 yards and have some one shoot a .22 rifle and move in slowely if u see any signs of getting nervous back up from the gun. do this until you are right up under the gunner. then move to something a little louder like a .410 and repeat. then move up to a 12ga and do the same as the .22 rifle. again if you see any signs of the dog getting nervous or scared move away from the gun. also praise for retrieving and do not praise if the pup gets scared. praising when the pup is scared could make the gun shyness even worse.
> 
> this is how most people start a puppy.  start far away and move in and after each step get a louder noise but the pup does have to truely love to chase or retrieve.
> 
> also helps if the gunner fires the gun right as the pup gets to the bumper for a while and then the next time work with the same gun and have the gunner shot as the bumper is in mid air.





JuliaH said:


> What kind of dog?  Used for bird hunting or mainly retrieving?
> 
> Julia





Turkey Trax said:


> a few questions have to be answered first.
> what did you do to make the dog gun shy? or what did someone else do?
> is it really freaked out by it or just a little concerned with it?
> does the dog like live birds?
> ...









killer elite said:


> You wana  fix him don't you. Its a valid question and I know allot of hog hunters that shot over their dogs and those dogs are pits.



i was answering the questions above......


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## southernboy2147 (Jun 2, 2013)

waddler said:


> My brother runs a place that keeps 40 -50 birddogs in the kennel, and he showed me a cd that you play continuously in the kennel for new dogs, over about a week or so. It is remarkable in that the introduction to gun shots is very realistic. It is an easy first step play at "fixing" a dog.
> 
> Perhaps others know of this and can tell you where to find it. If not, I will call him for the info for you.



ill look into that thanks


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## Joe Overby (Jun 2, 2013)

Both the physical presence of the gun and the sound of the shot have to mean something good to the dog...everyone of my dogs goes insane when they see me pick up a gun...they think it means they get to hunt...everytime...my 11 year old still loses his mind and stays glued to my side when he sees me with a shotgun...bottom line is you have to un-do the negative association your dog has with the gun...start carrying it around regularly when you're with the dog...feed him near it...play games while you have it...lots of love and praise for paying the gun no attention.  Then add random shots well away from the dog while he is occupied with doing things he loves...simply, bang means fun.  SLOWLY, move the shots closer praising and rewarding the good behavior and ignoring the undesireable...DO NOT make a big deal out of him being uncomfortable.  Dogs read humans very well and if he senses ANY anxiety you will only foster the "bad" behaviors.  Take it slow and keep it fun and exciting...he will come around.


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## watermedic (Jun 3, 2013)

Joe Overby said:


> Both the physical presence of the gun and the sound of the shot have to mean something good to the dog...everyone of my dogs goes insane when they see me pick up a gun...they think it means they get to hunt...everytime...my 11 year old still loses his mind and stays glued to my side when he sees me with a shotgun...bottom line is you have to un-do the negative association your dog has with the gun...start carrying it around regularly when you're with the dog...feed him near it...play games while you have it...lots of love and praise for paying the gun no attention.  Then add random shots well away from the dog while he is occupied with doing things he loves...simply, bang means fun.  SLOWLY, move the shots closer praising and rewarding the good behavior and ignoring the undesireable...DO NOT make a big deal out of him being uncomfortable.  Dogs read humans very well and if he senses ANY anxiety you will only foster the "bad" behaviors.  Take it slow and keep it fun and exciting...he will come around.





Good advice!

If you have a dog that gets excited when you pick up a bumper, carry your gun when you take the bumper out.

This will take a lot of patience so be prepared! Keep us posted.


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## southernboy2147 (Jun 3, 2013)

Joe Overby said:


> Both the physical presence of the gun and the sound of the shot have to mean something good to the dog...everyone of my dogs goes insane when they see me pick up a gun...they think it means they get to hunt...everytime...my 11 year old still loses his mind and stays glued to my side when he sees me with a shotgun...bottom line is you have to un-do the negative association your dog has with the gun...start carrying it around regularly when you're with the dog...feed him near it...play games while you have it...lots of love and praise for paying the gun no attention.  Then add random shots well away from the dog while he is occupied with doing things he loves...simply, bang means fun.  SLOWLY, move the shots closer praising and rewarding the good behavior and ignoring the undesireable...DO NOT make a big deal out of him being uncomfortable.  Dogs read humans very well and if he senses ANY anxiety you will only foster the "bad" behaviors.  Take it slow and keep it fun and exciting...he will come around.





watermedic said:


> Good advice!
> 
> If you have a dog that gets excited when you pick up a bumper, carry your gun when you take the bumper out.
> 
> This will take a lot of patience so be prepared! Keep us posted.



only 3 things really get him excited... goin for a "ride". seeing other people, and seeing other dogs


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## Joe Overby (Jun 3, 2013)

Then carry the gun to the truck and let him see you put it in and make him sit next to it...unloaded obviously...carry the gun when around other dogs and let other people hold the gun when he meets them..this is where a training group really comes in handy!


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## gonehunting81 (Jun 10, 2013)

Gunshy cure system CD by the masters voice. I ordered it today for $28 off eBay.


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