When to expose a pup to gun shots
- jlewa989
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When to expose a pup to gun shots
I have a 10 week old Weimeraner pup and I want to get him into pheasant hunting and possibly waterfowl. How soon would you suggest I start exposing him to gunshots?
[glow=yellow]Joe Lewandowski[/glow]
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
My son is doin that to a 6 month old lab right now. He's usin shotgun blanks. He's already got him obedient and retrievin good. I don't think it was an age thing as much as it was the advancement in retrieving.
He's followin some program in a book he bought.
He's followin some program in a book he bought.
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- Hilts
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
Start now. Start out with a .22 and see how he reacts. If he doesn't like it give him a little more time, if it doesn't bother him, keep up with the .22 and work into the shotgun.
- jlh42581
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
I started with a dollar store cap gun then moved onto blanks
- jlh42581
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
Distract him with something when you do it
- Southern Man
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
Don't know that it makes a difference but I've always heard a .22 (or similar caliber) makes a "crack" whereas a shotgun makes more of a "boom". And that crack will hurt their ears more. Like I say, don't know if that makes a difference, could be just an old wives tale....
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- jlh42581
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
I should clarify, I started with the cap gun behind my back
- Hilts
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
When you do it I would have someone handling and petting the dog while you step off to the side a little ways away to fire the gun.
- Zap
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
Starter pistol fired at fifty yards away while the dog is being fed some very desirable meat or similar by another person.
Look for any adverse response from dog.
No shyness shown.......repeat another day and so on....
If dog shows shyness repeat.......but from a greater distance.
There is no rush to farmiliarize dog with gunfire, so easy does it.
Basically the dog should be doing something enjoyable while you fire a gun.
Close distance slowly over a period of weeks.
Look for any adverse response from dog.
No shyness shown.......repeat another day and so on....
If dog shows shyness repeat.......but from a greater distance.
There is no rush to farmiliarize dog with gunfire, so easy does it.
Basically the dog should be doing something enjoyable while you fire a gun.
Close distance slowly over a period of weeks.
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- Jackson Marsh
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
I conditioned my Brittany to load noise=good things. Have someone take the pup in another room and distract him. Put some food in a bowl, then bang the out of some pots and pans as you call him. Do this every time you feed him for awhile, he will come to think loud noise=food/pleasure. As he gets older and you are running him in a field, let him putz around away from you, and with a starter pistol (at a distance) fire off a shot. Watch for his reaction, if he tucks his tail or ears hold off on trying this again for a while. Later when you introduce birds, let him chase a clipped wing pigeon or quail and when he is hard in the chase, have someone shoot a gun off in the distance. No need to rush or hurry this process, it should be quite easy. Just don't take him to the gun club.
- Uncle Lou
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
I started popping a cap gun around mine during feeding when they were pretty young around a week or so, I had a litter of 8. I was kinda sensitive about having gun shy dogs, as my wife had a gun shy golden retriever, when I met her, then it taught our next dog Maxine to fear thunder storms. The first two were strictly pets.
Then we got Kodiak from a breeder at 6 months and she had been introduced to guns by them. And I started hunting with her.
After Kodiak had the pups and Maxy was still around for a while I noticed that introducing the pups to the cap gun and then around shotguns Maxy stopped fearing thunder storms as none of the other dogs were afraid. It was kinda weird, I guess old dogs can learn new tricks.
Feeding time, retrieving excercises are good times to introduce some bangs. Then when they get into birds they will definitely relate it with positive experiences
Then we got Kodiak from a breeder at 6 months and she had been introduced to guns by them. And I started hunting with her.
After Kodiak had the pups and Maxy was still around for a while I noticed that introducing the pups to the cap gun and then around shotguns Maxy stopped fearing thunder storms as none of the other dogs were afraid. It was kinda weird, I guess old dogs can learn new tricks.
Feeding time, retrieving excercises are good times to introduce some bangs. Then when they get into birds they will definitely relate it with positive experiences
- Southern Man
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Re: When to expose a pup to gun shots
Uncle Lou wrote:
........ retrieving excercises are good times to introduce some bangs. Then when they get into birds they will definitely relate it with positive experiences
My son has been doin it while practicin retrievin (at lunch here at the shop). Friday he brought out the 12 guage. They were walkin back from the field and he seen a bird flyin over. He shot it and the dog seen it fall, high tailed it over to it and brought it back. Flawless retrieve. The dog was pumped. So was my son. I think he's still smilin about it. The live bird made a world of difference.
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