introducing dogs to shooting?

[Kelly and Beth]

Just wondering what the best way to introduce a dog to gun shots would be? I was thinking of training a dog and I don't want to spook him right off the bat. He has never been around guns and I don't know what to expect when it comes to shooting around him. a little help would be welcome.

 

[TonyMo]

Do you have a trap/skeet field nearby? What I did was take my pup and stand a long way away. Let him play and sniff around and then he hears BANG. He looks up and right away tell him "good boy". Hold his leash or at least let him drag it around in case he spooks and tries to run off. Continue to do this and then slowly get closer. Even give him a treat when he notices the gun shot. Let him know it's ok and stay close and good things happen when he hears a bang.
I'm am no expert, but that's what I did and never had a problem with any "gun shyness."

 

[Pudelpointer]

GRADUALLY.

Get him excited about birds, or fetching a training dummy with wings tied to it, or something. Buy some .22 blank rounds, and when he/she is really excited or focused on a bird or a thrown dummy, fire the blank behind your back (or get someone else nearby). If done at the right time, the dog will hardly notice.

Do this once or twice an outing for a while, then you can fire the blank over the dog, and eventually increase the sound level by using a small shotgun (410) and then a 12. If the dog shows ANY signs of nervousness or distress at any point, stop, back up and start over.

DO NOT under any circumstance fire a 12 guage near your dog until it is accustomed to shooting and associating shots with retrieving a bird, or dummy, or whatever.

If you do it right your dog will love the sound of gunfire, because it means there is a bird to retrieve, somewhere.

What kind of dog?

 

[Kelly and Beth]

he's a choclate lab, I live less than 1/4mile from the gun range so as far as hearing shot he would get used to it fairly quick at a quieter range. I may have to work on the 22 blank thing, that sounds like it would work pretty good.

 

[warrenb]

Like PP said, gradually, very gradually.

I started my dog with an air rifle and hotdogs. You can have a 10 to 12 week old pup excited about the sight of a gun using hotdogs easy peasy. Line up tin cans get them to sit, shoot a can and give a treat. At twelve weeks my pup would focus on the direction of shot and sit to wait for a treat. Then get out in the bush, while the dog is exploring away from you, shoot with a 22, I used quiete CB caps, then shorts, then longs, then 12 gauge, then 10 gauge over a period of weeks.

By 5 1/2 months my dog loved the hot dogs she got when I shot the 10 gauge.

You can also ruin em in 5 minutes.

EDIT: just wanted to add, watch your dogs reaction to the shots. You'l find if done right your puppy will be more interested in the coming retrieve, treats or combination of when you fire. If they have even the slightest hesitant reaction leave it for the day or shoot further away from the dog after a period for it to relax.

 

[Mount Sweetness]

Go very slow.

Take him for a walk with a pellet gun a couple times one week and fire a few shots, pay no attention to him....peek a look at him but act like nothing happened.

Week #2, take him for a few walks with a gun that can handle .22 shorts, fire a shot or two with him a good distance from you, same thing sneak a peek but don't make a big deal of it.

Week #3, use .22 LR

Week#4, continue with .22 or if he is doing fine introduce a .410 or a 20 gauge

Never have him around a gun range or lots of blasting. And always shoot with muzzle away and dog a good 20 yards away from you.

Take it slow and he will be fine in a month or so.

 

[eltorro]

Some say 22Lr is actually harder to bear than 12ga.

 

[Pudelpointer]

Did you get that dog from Mike in Bluffton?

 

[mvarley84]

Some say 22Lr is actually harder to bear than 12ga.

I heard the same thing. Something to do with the high pitch frequency. When I trained my dog I used the 12 gauge the whole time. I just started him about 100 yds away and gradually got closer. I never used treats or praise. I treated the noise as if it was nothing, He gets praised when he brings the bird back.

My .02

 

[Wrong Way]

I used a blank firing pistol for Ruger.....drove the neighbours f'n crazy for about 6 weeks, but it worked. We'd go through 20-30 blanks on our daily walks.....worked well for us

 

[warrenb]

Some say 22Lr is actually harder to bear than 12ga.

I believe the blanks are louder than both. At least to my ears. Thats why I start with cb caps and shorts. But too be honest if the dog is far enough away and distracted by say a training partner, there is no reason you could not start off with a 12g.

 

[Grouse Man]

Associate "fun" and "treats" with loud noises, any loud noises - banging pots, etc. to simulate gunfire. When you do introduce gunfire, have somebody else fire the gun from a reasonable distance while you play with the pup. Then gradually get closer to the sound of gunfire and make a game retrieving the dummy. Throw the bird - bang - go fetch.

 

[Pudelpointer]

I believe the blanks are louder than both. At least to my ears. Thats why I start with cb caps and shorts. But too be honest if the dog is far enough away and distracted by say a training partner, there is no reason you could not start off with a 12g.

I use the blanks with my dog all off season. They are pretty loud, but not even close to a shotgun of any guage. They are about as loud as a 22 LR, but not so sharp (to my ears anyway), but still too loud to start right over a puppy.

 

[asphalt599]

Maybe start with a cap gun then work up to .22 and go from there.

As far as blanks go.......the charges for a ramset are .22 shells. They fire fine in a .22. They come in different strengths so you might get some variation in noise level that way aswell. Easy to get...home depot etc.

 

[scott_r]

I used caps with my GSP then a 22LR then a 12 guage. Gun shyness has alot to do with very poor breeding from what Ive read and talked to with reputable breeders.
I agree with others in take it slow, you can easily wreck a dog and rarely get him back.

 

[Longshot]

I used dummies with my two labs not treats.They love to fetch so I took them to a range that no one was on.Started with the wife holding them about 35m back.Fired a few shots untill they were yawning and obviously bored.Then she just worked her way closer to me with them.After a few minutes I had them sitting beside me.I then took the dummy and threw it in the air and fired a shot(not at the dummy).I made them wait til I gave the command to fetch after the dummy hit the ground.One dog at a time.Now when I bring out the shotgun they get all excited as they know they are going hunting.Using an E-Collar can easily expidite your training and keep them on an invisible leash when they are learning.I will never train another lab without them.

 

[RBM]

Do a lot of noise before giving his/her meals, call him shouting, slam the doors, bang the pots; he will relate loud noises with pleasure. Eventually include shooting blanks in these shows (not near the dog). I used 22 blanks in a ruger single six. Never a complain from the neighbors although not sure if legal here in Canada (this was abroad). Lots of flash - shoot against a wood board or phone book and don't start a fire. Slamming two pieces of 2x4 together will make almost as much noise as a 22, no gun powder smell though.