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Introducing Gun Fire to Your Dog


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  • 4 months later...

Prior to the laws regarding imitation firearms, I used a starting pistol one evening in a local park (it was empty on a drizzly evening and I was well within the law according to my local FO). Had a good little training session, went home and thought nothing of it. The next day I found out that an ex-policeman who lived near the park had reported hearing the sound of a "shotgun" in the park which in turn led to every exit being covered by fully tooled Kent and Met Tactical Fireams officers before sending the dogs in to search for the gunman. Seems funny looking back but just be careful where you use a starting pistol - guidelines as follows...

 

* Ensure that you use your starting pistol only on private land

* Ensure that you have the permission of the landowner to use the starting pistol

* Ensure that you cannot be observed using the starting pistol by any members of the public at any time. (Be aware of where public footpaths may cross or border the land you are on)

* Ensure that the starting pistol is kept completely covered at all times when not in use

 

Cheers

 

Gillaroo

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

Hi. New to this site. Joined to get advice on Clays but SWMBO works our dogs (FlatCoats) so was very interested in this thread

 

She does a certain amount of trials and goes gundog training weekly. She also started at a local shoot last year picking up and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

They start off with a dummy launcher and for our previous dog this seems to have worked and she was never gun shy.

 

Keen to read this thread tho as we now have a 16 week old liver FCR - who has started her training already.

 

I was going to take her to the clay shoot and start in the car park, however, may suggest the CD mentioned on here.

 

Is it available via iTunes?

 

Mark

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  • 10 months later...

I took our Golden retriever to a local clay pigeon ground at about 16 weeks old. Started him off in the car park and moved gradually closer to the guns. Not fussing him, but plenty of treats and playing to keep him occupied.

 

Now he gets very bored by gunfire, even if sat at my feet whilst I'm shooting. We even took him along to a civil war reenactment the other day and he wasn't bothered by the canons and muskets, and they were loud.

 

Maybe we chose the right dog, maybe he's a bit dim, but it certainly worked for us.

 

Merman

Introducing the dog at the local clay ground worked for me too. Started off in the car park and gradually getting closer to the shooting stands, now she sits and waits at my side while I shoot. Only problem is she wants to go and pick up the pieces of broken clay and gets frustrated when I won't let her LOL.

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I normally go to a clay ground , however i took my 25 week old Viszla and her sister out to see how they would react last week, i took my Bracco italiano as a bit of support. My wife came and held the pups, at 50 yards, bang....not the slightest reaction, so we let them off, 35 yards nothing, then a pigeon came over and I shot over the top of them....didnt bat an eyelid.....absolutely over the moon!!!!

 

Next day, took them again, shot the first pigeon that came over, the pup who was watching went straight after it but couldnt get to it dude to brambles.......but what a great start!!!!!!! :good: :good: :good: :good:

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  • 5 months later...

I have used a .22 starting pistol with my springer and latterly my 2 cockers (8 months and 10 months now). I agree that the pitch and report of a 22 starting pistol is quite different to a shotgun. I started during a normal obedience walk by having my wife drop back with the starter pistol in my game bag which muffles the shot producing a much softer, deeper bang. As soon as the gun went off and the dogs reacted to the report, I made a great fuss of them and provided the reassurance that was needed. This progressed until the gun was closer and more frequent, then came out of the bag at distance and progressively got nearer to the dog.

 

Start slow and soft - baby steps as opposed to rushing in.

 

Good Luck.

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I have used a .22 starting pistol with my springer and latterly my 2 cockers (8 months and 10 months now). I agree that the pitch and report of a 22 starting pistol is quite different to a shotgun. I started during a normal obedience walk by having my wife drop back with the starter pistol in my game bag which muffles the shot producing a much softer, deeper bang. As soon as the gun went off and the dogs reacted to the report, I made a great fuss of them and provided the reassurance that was needed. This progressed until the gun was closer and more frequent, then came out of the bag at distance and progressively got nearer to the dog.

 

Start slow and soft - baby steps as opposed to rushing in.

 

Good Luck.

 

This is exactly what I am going to do.

 

Luckily my dog isn't bothered by fireworks and a year ago i was stoking my fire when a cigarette lighter must have slipped out on my shirt pocket into it. I was sitting watching the telly when there was a hissing sound...i was just trying to figure out what was happening when there was an almighty bang. It gave me a right shock and i saw shock waves move the grate...luckily i didnt react outwardly and i looked at my dog curled up on him bed and he just wagged his tail lol.

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  • 2 months later...

An old friend of mine used to train his pups with one of those blast bangers what gamekeepers an the like used to use for intruders. Just attached a line to it a couple of hundred yards long and gradually got closer. I no there cheaper than starting pistols and much more realistic to the sound the dog is going to hear in the field. I've aquired a gas bird banger that I will use when the time comes.

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  • 1 month later...

My dog always loved it. Chased after kids with bangers when she was a year, took her to country shows at 1-2 to watch and she hated the lead but wants to run in. She will be 3 next month and I can fire right next to her. She still runs in. But I love her, she will retrieve and is a good rough dog.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I took our Golden retriever to a local clay pigeon ground at about 16 weeks old. Started him off in the car park and moved gradually closer to the guns. Not fussing him, but plenty of treats and playing to keep him occupied.

 

Now he gets very bored by gunfire, even if sat at my feet whilst I'm shooting. We even took him along to a civil war reenactment the other day and he wasn't bothered by the canons and muskets, and they were loud.

 

Maybe we chose the right dog, maybe he's a bit dim, but it certainly worked for us.

 

Merman

This is what I did ! Alot easier

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  • 7 months later...

took my springer last week to NWSS, he was not bothered at all by the gun fire walked him right through the clay ground and even sat behind two guys having a go at the clays, he was brilliant, on the third trip through I took him off his lead to let him have a sniff about and he was brilliant, he came back to the whistle every time so I,m well pleased .

 

that was one part of his training I was worried about, but he passed with flying colours,

 

atb Evo

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 years later...

NTTF,

 

The Starfire system that you refer to is it the Gunshy Cure System or the Gunshy Pevention System, they do the two and I want to make sure that I get the right one. I am assuming it's the Cure system as this has the 14 tracks that you mentioned.

 

I am training a wire Vizla and want to make sure she does not become gun shy, by using this and the other techniques you have mentioned in this section.

 

Ian,

Edited by Scotty99
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There is some good stuff in the sticky but one big error

 

A dog has a membrane in its ear and this is not able to handle the report of a shotgun until it is many months old above six but no fixed thing it will occur late or early

 

If you damage it via early exposure to loud noise the dog will forever react to loud noise like gunfire

 

Don't take a puppy to a clayground it isn't training it more a test maybe of how dumb the dog or handler is

Too much can happen outside your control!

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Start with cap gun in bag at a distance don't rush things . I had similar problem with my dog when I progressed to a shotgun I used primer only cartridges less of bang more of a thud and very safe if you have a assistant, worked for me. Good luck

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  • 4 months later...

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