needs help with gun shy dog.

I will add to my previous post. Always end on a positive note no matter how frustrated you are with the progress of whatever you were working on. This is a basic rule for all types of dog training but is particularly important when working on a major confidence issue like gun shyness. For eg. If she sits well on command, tell her to sit and reward her when she does it well. End of session. Seems overly simplistic but is very important. While I never advocated banging pots in her ear it is a good choice for noise making as you can control the volume and intensity of the noise at the appropriate times when it will have the most benefit. As you get to know her better you will also know when to push your training to the next level. It is a long but rewarding process.
 
This may sound crazy but here goes - my lab was terrified of the vacuum cleaner - I decided to make the vacuum cleaner a positive thing in her world - I put a little peanut butter on it (without it being on) and let her lick it off - did this every day for a week and then tried it with the vacuum cleaner on - low and behold the draw of peanut butter was stronger than the fear of the vacuum - did this for a week - on the third week I was using the shop vac to give her a quick once over after a brushing. I'm not suggesting you take your oldest rattiest 22 truck gun and let your hound lick peanut butter off if it before you do some shooting with it while your wife (or hunting buddy or who ever) holds the leash lets say 30-40 yard away from where you are shooting and reassuring the dog and then repeating closing the gap then work up to a 410 then a 20 then a 12 - crazier things have worked - easiest way to a lab is through their stomach - maybe retrievers are the same. Good luck and take it slow.
 
I hear you all about not taking your dog to a range but I took my beagle to the range and it cured him.... Its all about the approach..
My little pup was shot at or at least over its head a few times and it scared the crap out of him making him very gun shy.... I ended up taking him to the trap range and just kept playing with him from a distance.... We played with the gunshots in the background, eventually working our way closer and closer... It took a few visits but we ended up standing next to the shooters when it was all said and done.... Its keeping him busy, making feel good and hearing the gunshots in the background that made it work...
Good luck
 
I started mine of with a .22 using Remington CBee's. I have found they are the quietest. I then went to Remington Subsonics - they are a step up but still quite a bit less noisy than regular .22's.
 
Introduce the dog to a real dead duck. If you can, go out into a marsh somewhere and simulate the retrieving aspect with the dead duck. No guns, but say BANG to start. Give favourite treat when they bring the duck in. Go another time, and bang a pot or something. Go slowly, make it super happy wonderful fun time joy for the dog.
 
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