# Gunshy



## kowey (Feb 28, 2006)

Anyone has experience about how to treat a gunshy dog of 3 years old. Is that possible?
Thanks!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Depending upon the circumstances, it is possible to fix the problem. But it will be a long process requiring a great deal of patience and understanding. It isn't something that can be fixed in a matter of days or a couple of weeks. It can take months of careful work to bring them back.

Does the dog have a lot of retrieving desire?


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

How did you find out he was "gunshy?" When I used to help my ex train one of the dogs, we always introduced the gun sounds slowly. You can't just take them out into a field and fire a gun next to them. We tried to build a connection between the sound of the gunshot and something positive-the bird or a dummy.

If nothing else, you can buy the sound tapes on e-bay, and introduce him to the noise in a familar place. I also had a handheld dummy launcher that we used, which helped a lot when training in the back yard.

One of my conformation bred dogs had more hunting instinct than any dog I have owned since-this was in the 80's, and he was half English and half Gold-Rush. We took him out to a large pond that had a number of ducks and geese on it. My boyfriend shot off his starter pistol (this was the dog's first introduction to birds and the gun), I prepared to throw the dead bird I had, the ducks and geese took off...........and so did my dog! He lept into the water and struck out after the birds. When he got to the part where he thought the "dead" birds should be, he swam around trying to find one, then came back with the most disgusted look on his face-like "I did my part, how come you screwed up?" He ended up being a wonderful duck and pheasant dog.

SC is right-it isn't easy to work with a dog who is actually gun shy, and it can take a very long time. In the "old days", I trained with some people whose dogs were gun shy and it was hard, and not always successful. It helps a lot if they have an intense desire to retrieve.


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## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

I've never had to deal with it and have no first hand knowledge of this product...but I've seen it in the Dogs Afield catalog for years now:

Dogs Afield-Masters Voice Gunshy Cure System - CD


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Don't waste your time with audio tapes. The sound pressure generated by real gunfire is exponentially greater than can be produced by a tape, and the dog can tell the difference. Tapes or videos can be good at general desensitising to loud noises, but you could accomplish the same thing by cranking up ZZ Top's Greatest Hits.

I used to have instuctions for correcting gunshyness on the server, I'll have to dig around and see if I can find them again.


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## kowey (Feb 28, 2006)

The dog is hysterically afraid of everything that goes "BANG" (not only guns). Whenever that happens, straight to the house ASAP and with ears laid back, tail between the legs, you know it.
I thought there are two ways to correctly introduce the "patient" to shots: (theory)
1/ step by step (starting with small bangs, pop-guns etc)
2/ flooding (machinegun????)
and off course there is the third way:
3/ leave it alone!
As everybody says that it's a difficult proces, I d' better choose that course
Thanks for responding though.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Important Question:

Does the dog posess a strong desire to retrieve?

That desire is what we use to overcome the shyness. If the dog lacks strong retrieving desire, it would be very difficult to overcome the problem, as there is nothing in it for the dog.


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## kowey (Feb 28, 2006)

I think so!
But her desire to retreat is very much larger than to retrieve:


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

You need to build and expand that desire to retrieve. That desire is what we use to overcome the sensitivity to the sound of the shot.


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## kowey (Feb 28, 2006)

Thank you. We'll give it a try.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Don't tray any shooting around the dog until after you have a little retrieving maniac on your hands. Don't try to keep the dog steady until after you have the gun issue under control.

Once you have the dog driving hard for marks, enlist the aid of a helper to further extend the marks beyond that which you could hand throw. You need to get the dog doing at least 75 yard marks (on short or no cover) before attempting to add the gun to the picture. Have the helper blow a duck call, yell hey hey or do something to get the dogs attention before throwing the mark. 

When the pup is doing 75 yard marks with good drive and intensity, you can add another helper (a gunner) with a blank pistol. Send the gunner 100 to 150 yards further past the thrower, in line with the arc of the thrown bird. You want the dog to see the thrower, the gunner and the bird, all in the same picture. Have the gunner hold the blank pistol behind his back, to difuse the sharp crack of the shot. 

When you signal the thrower, he should blow the call and toss the bird (mark). As soon as the bird is in the air, the gunner should fire a shot. You should be watching the dogs behavior, looking for any nervousness. If the dog doesn't flip out with the gun being shot at 225 yards distant, you have a good chance at overcoming the problem. If the dog still ducks for cover at that distance, you will probably have to relegate the dog to house pet duty. 

If the pup, makes the retrieve without concern for the gun, toss a couple more marks and call it a day. It is critical to offer lots of praise for successes. 

The next day, start with the gun out long, and gradually work it a little closer with each retrieve, looking for any sign of aprehension or nervousness from the dog. don't move up any more than 10 or 15 yards per day. If the dog starts to get a little nervous, back the gun off until a stable response is restored. In time the gunner will be able to move up adjacent to the thrower, and then work closer to you and the dog, and eventually near to you. 

When this has been accomplished with a blank pistol, you will need to start all over again, with a shotgun out at 225 yards. It is critical for the pup to develop the picture that a bird in the air, and the sound of a shot means there is something for him to retrieve, i.e. equals FUN.

This process will take months to complete so exercise patience and take your time.


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