Intro to gunfire?

[willyworm]

As you may remember I rescued a 1 1/2 yr Boykin a week or so ago. He's a very intelligent dog, learning fast and is sitting on command... most of the time. We've been working on come, sit and heel first and foremost. I've had him retrieve some bumpers and he's VERY enthusiastic about going to get them, he just doesn't always come right back. (We'll solve that one later if he doesn't progress.) Anyways, I also got a new 11-87 recently and went to shoot it on Saturday for the first time. So I brought Sam with me to see how he'd do.

So I walked a ways off across the field and had my bud pop off a couple rounds and it caught his attention of course, but he didn't seem frightened. (I didn't hold his collar or anything so he was able to run free.) So as we gradually walked closer, he continued to shoot and Sam seemed ok with it. But when we got close I could tell he was growing more and more uncomfortbale. He wanted to get in the truck so I put him in the cab and we commenced to shoot some skeet. He never did freak out, just laid there minding his own on the floorboard.

Lastly we wanted to shoot some different choke/load combinations for patterning. I let him run free again and when we started firing he ran and hid under the truck about 50 yards away. He didn't run for the hills, he just didn't like it too much.

I know I should have posted a thread to clear the water on this subject before last weekend... with the whole "ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure" thing and all. At least I don't need a cure quite yet. I just want to get some opinions on where to go from here.

I'm not in a hurry to get him ready by this duck season, so my main goal is to progress slowly so I don't push him and create fear or bad habits or ruin him altogether.

Thanks in advance!

[huntinghagen#12]

Not an expert or professional at all, but going with a smaller caliber like a 22 could be better. My dogs first experience with gun fire was with a dummy launcher that shoots 22 blanks and she's never showed any signs at all of disliking gun fire. I'd stick around for some of the experts opinions though.

[ParaMarine]

Less is more and it needs to be a whole lot more gradual. Intro to gunfire is not something you generally conquer in a day.

[gundogguru]

go to walmart and get a cap pistol. start with that. it you can get a blank pistol even better. 22's are very sharp when fired. I start my pups at 5 weeks old with a blank pistol at a distance and get closer with time then a .410 after that they pretty much don't care. good luck.

[Duckman#1]

As these guys mentioned start off with something lighter (22 or cap pistol). You need to get him doing something other that running around. Throw some bumpers while they shoot. Distract him. Take your time go slow dont rush it.

[Glenn]

I'll tell ya what not to do.

Don't give your 6 year old son a 12 shot ring cap pistol and turn him loose unattended. What happens is you will be in the kitchen and you will see your dog come skittering around the corner of the house with said 6 yo behind her fanning that cap pistol like Wyatt Erp screaming "DIE VARMIT!"

Poor miss Maebelle ain't been right since.

[willyworm]

I'll tell ya what not to do.

Don't give your 6 year old son a 12 shot ring cap pistol and turn him loose unattended. What happens is you will be in the kitchen and you will see your dog come skittering around the corner of the house with said 6 yo behind her fanning that cap pistol like Wyatt Erp screaming "DIE VARMIT!"

Poor miss Maebelle ain't been right since.

Duly noted Glenn.

BTW, you ever try a leash on him?

I wasn't looking to break Sam in one day. I knew I should have started him off lighter, you guys just helped me confirm it. I also wasn't looking to turn this it into a training session, just wanted to feel him out... see how he'd act. Now that I know, I'll grab a cap gun then be sure to employ some fun bumpers.

Thanks guys.

[willyworm]

How do you guys do it?

[Professor]

We introduce our AWS pups to gunfire at 5 weeks of age. I get Mrs. Prof playing with them on the deck (low deck...falling off is not an issue) and I go off in the woods about 100 yards away and fire off a few 12 ga. Dove load rounds (away from the house). The next day, I go about 50 yards and do the same thing. Pups at 5 weeks have no fear, so this is a good time to let them hear guns firing at a distance. They never pay any attention to the shots.
Professor

[wcrites307]

hold off on gunfire. You are way ahead of yourself. Get thru basic obedience (sounds like you are doing great there.) and get your dog addicted to the bumper and if possible pigeons or ducks. Once your dog is positively addicted to them you can add gunfire to the throw. Your dog will be focused on the bumper or bird and not really notice the gun. In a short time the gunfire will only be a cue to the dog that a bird is comming, and that is a good thing.

It doesnt sound like you set your dog back but you were close.....take a short break and work on his enthusiasm for birds. Make yourself a bird dog and then turn him into a gun dog.

[willyworm]

Gotcha, I'll hold off on the gun for now and keep pounding out the basics.

Sam's got sit pretty good. Today we started heel. He did pretty well with it... after all he is a smart dog, we just have to harness that intelligence.

The wife wasn't sure if he'd stay in the fence, so she left him in. He was ok for 2 days then he got bored. This is what's left of a couch pillow and a houseplant. At least he's interested in feathers!

Crate training has also begun as a result. He now lives outside and is not interested in escaping the backyard at all even when he watches me leave.

[huntchessies]

LOL sounds like you got your hands full dude!!!

I agree with everyone else your going a little fast and in too many directions. focus on OB and getting the dog to LOVE retrieving more than anything else!!! Then you can branch out from there....