Has anyone had this problem? I worked my @$$ off training my dog to retrieve for me and last duck season he just lost it! Me and a buddy went out last season with his new puppy and my now 5 yr old lab. Started out fine with a few ducks flying high when it happened... 2 ringers come in hot and we shoot. My friends puppy, now asleep doesn't budge and my dog might as well have done a back flip, got up on two legs and ran home!!! I guess what I'm asking is, is there a way to break him back in? This will potentially be my first and possibly last year hunting ducks in TX. I start active duty DEC 8. I need some way to get my ducks granted I shoot one. Had to sell my boat before I moved here and now I've got a scared dog. HELP

Wonder what caused it...

Your guess is as good as mine... By the way, that's a good looking dog. Looks like mine and what he used to do for me! LOL. The only thing I can think is when the ducks came in they went right to left. He was sitting on my left side like he's supposed to. So maybe it was the shot over his head that he just wasn't ready for...???

mmm that is a good question...and just maybe your theory is correct. What branch did you join?

Start over on the sound conditioning. Start with a cap gun from a distance, work closer and then up in noise level. If he acts scared, back off. Do all of this while he is doing something he enjoys (retrieving, running in the field, etc). Don't push him now.

x2 Also remember start slow 4 or 5 retrieves then a break for a while...if you do this enough you could have them read to hunt this year I am guessing.

Just starting gun shots around my new pup. Sounds doesn't scare her but she's still easily distracted.

I have always gone to a shooting range and walked up slowly. Park down the road and gradually make your way towards the shooting witht he dog. Its always worked well for me.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I was thinking about taking him out one morning without my gun just to see how he reacted to other shots going on around him... I'll post the results after the weekend. Oh yeah,(TexasHunter88) I joined the Air Force. What about you?

Something spooked him... I will second the gun range, get him used to being around it again. Mine got hit by a car and from every day thereafter she was terrified of a sneeze I'm guessing because it sounded like the car somehow. Unfortunately there are no sneezing ranges.

Be careful at the gun range. If she is already scared of them, this could make it worse. She will have no way out.

I wouldn't take a gun shy dog to a gun range.