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Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
#8531437
02/14/22 07:51 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81
quailg
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81 |
Can anyone recommend a very patient trainer for a gun-shy dog? I know it's a long shot, but I need to try. Thanks
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8531472
02/14/22 08:53 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,277
BradyBuck
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,277 |
Does the dog like to retrieve or like birds?
Age?
HRCH Washita's Kimber Locked N Loaded GRHRCH Firefly's Rally The Troops MH
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8531476
02/14/22 09:03 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81
quailg
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81 |
Yes, The dog loves to retrieve and point. 18 months
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8531512
02/14/22 09:38 PM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,189
Smokey Bear
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,189 |
How does it do with other loud noises?
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: Smokey Bear]
#8531761
02/15/22 02:45 AM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81
quailg
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81 |
No issue with other loud noises.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8531807
02/15/22 03:55 AM
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 650
booskay
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 650 |
Harlon Winters, trainer out of Burnet/Austin would not take a gun shy dog. Sort of frustrating if everything else is good.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8532006
02/15/22 02:41 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,217
shooterwalter
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,217 |
You can have a positive impact on the dog if you are patient. First take dog on run in field, no conversation just work the field. Maybe a couple of times. Next get a child toy cap pistol at WalMart and start firing at random while walking the field. No talk. If no problem move to releasing pigeons for dog to chase . When dog is fully engaged with prey pursuit use the cap pistol again when dog is in full pursuit , let dog get a ways from you. If all is good step up to a 410 when dog is in hot pursuit again when dog is far away. And if dog reacts always IGNORE. My two cents worth and I have fixed several "gun shy" dogs. IMOHO
www.poetryshootingclub.comGun Dog Training, Flighty Quail Guided/Unguided Quail Hunting Group Events/Parties 700 Yard Range CLOSE TO DALLAS Take a youth shooting 214-728-2755 By appointment always and you shoot in private.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8532139
02/15/22 05:01 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721
tigger
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721 |
I have treated 3 dogs and was successful twice and the failure was my fault
Tigger If it isn't white it is not a birddog.
KC Lying is lying. Don't bitch about one doing it and condone another. That's called hypocrisy. _________________
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8532392
02/15/22 11:09 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,277
BradyBuck
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,277 |
Yes, The dog loves to retrieve and point. 18 months Well that's positive news. Your best bet is probably to try it yourself. This isn't something that fixed over night or even in a month. The cost would just not be worth it and hard to find a good trainer willing to take it on. You could possibly find an amateur who knows what they are doing. You can do it yourself though. Like others have mentioned it starts with adding it in while the dog is focused on something else. My approach would be to start with a cap gun or .22 and live pigeon. Have the gun 100+ yards away, get the dog chasing the bird and fire the gun. If any reaction move farther. If no reaction start over and move in to 80 yards. Next time start again at 100 yards and use a .410 or 20ga. Continue the sequence of moving closer and or farther depending on the reaction. Over the course of several sessions you'll gradually work your way to the dog's side. If at any point you get a reaction from the dog move farther away. Always associating the gun fire with a live or dead bird. Depending on the severity it could take weeks or months or you possibly will never cure it.
Last edited by BradyBuck; 02/15/22 11:11 PM.
HRCH Washita's Kimber Locked N Loaded GRHRCH Firefly's Rally The Troops MH
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8532628
02/16/22 05:14 AM
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4
NewToClays
Green Horn
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Green Horn
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4 |
Russell Fees - Bosque River Dog Training @ vombosqueriver@gmail.com. I’ve personally assisted him in training a trio of extremely gun shy GWPs using the method Bradybuck mentioned above. He’s about as patient as they come.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8532673
02/16/22 12:16 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,365
kindall
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,365 |
The trainer that has had the most success with helping gun shy dogs is Perfection kennels.
Shopping with your husband is like hunting with the game warden. Experience is what you get, when you didn't get what you wanted.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: kindall]
#8532789
02/16/22 02:21 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81
quailg
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81 |
Thanks everyone. I appreciate your help and advice.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8532955
02/16/22 06:50 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721
tigger
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721 |
I have no experience with the method brady buck recommends. I do know that it is a long hard row to plow and no quick fix. Good luck and I love to hear the success rate
Tigger If it isn't white it is not a birddog.
KC Lying is lying. Don't bitch about one doing it and condone another. That's called hypocrisy. _________________
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8532957
02/16/22 06:54 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721
tigger
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721 |
Yes, The dog loves to retrieve and point. 18 months Well that's positive news. Your best bet is probably to try it yourself. This isn't something that fixed over night or even in a month. The cost would just not be worth it and hard to find a good trainer willing to take it on. You could possibly find an amateur who knows what they are doing. You can do it yourself though. Like others have mentioned it starts with adding it in while the dog is focused on something else. My approach would be to start with a cap gun or .22 and live pigeon. Have the gun 100+ yards away, get the dog chasing the bird and fire the gun. If any reaction move farther. If no reaction start over and move in to 80 yards. Next time start again at 100 yards and use a .410 or 20ga. Continue the sequence of moving closer and or farther depending on the reaction. Over the course of several sessions you'll gradually work your way to the dog's side. If at any point you get a reaction from the dog move farther away. Always associating the gun fire with a live or dead bird. Depending on the severity it could take weeks or months or you possibly will never cure it. the above statement is very true on that method. You will probably never cure it
Tigger If it isn't white it is not a birddog.
KC Lying is lying. Don't bitch about one doing it and condone another. That's called hypocrisy. _________________
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8533172
02/16/22 11:38 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91,416
bill oxner
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91,416 |
Pessimist. Use the copy cat method. Put her on a chain gang and let her get excited watching the bold pups. Worked for me. Use a few live quail.
Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: bill oxner]
#8533219
02/17/22 12:33 AM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721
tigger
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,721 |
Pessimist. Use the copy cat method. Put her on a chain gang and let her get excited watching the bold pups. Worked for me. Use a few live quail. Reminds me of a frient who too his gun shy dog to a gun range for 3 weekends in a row Parked close where gun shot reports were loud.. kept dog in truck and fed treats for hours. claimed dog would not chase rabbits after training sessions
Tigger If it isn't white it is not a birddog.
KC Lying is lying. Don't bitch about one doing it and condone another. That's called hypocrisy. _________________
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8533354
02/17/22 02:39 AM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,189
Smokey Bear
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,189 |
No issue with other loud noises. I can’t help with recommending a trainer but I can tell you what I would do if I thought the dog had the right stuff. Put the shotgun away for a while. Your dog needs a steady diet of birds. Let it point them, if it busts them let it chase them. If it holds point flush and let it chase them. It needs to gain confidence and learn its job. After a couple weeks as you see it’s confidence grow get your shotgun out but no shells. Have the shotgun with you when you work the dog on birds daily, when you feed the dog, pretty much most of the time you are around the dog, tote the shotgun until the dog is ok with the shotgun and ignores it. Continue at least another week. Maybe two. By now the dog should be getting bird crazy and be confidently going after birds. If not you have bigger problems than gun shyness. What I am laying out will not work if the dog is not bird crazy. You need a 410 for the next part. With the dog fully engaged in chasing a bird, from 100 yards or more, with the gun facing 180 degrees away from the dog pop the 410 off. If you have been patient and sufficiently stoked the dogs desire for birds, let it gain it’s confidence and FOCUS, and it has learned that birds are its one true love, and is fully engaged with a bird, it will not check up from the bird. Repeat a few more times that day from at least 100 yards. Each time the dog needs to be in hot pursuit of a bird. Continue daily for a week or so. The second week if the dog is showing no reaction, you can slowly in small increments move closer. If that does not work, re-home the dog and get a new puppy. Then seek out some help with properly introducing gun fire to your new puppy. From what I have seen, I believe gun shy dogs are not born, they are created by not properly introducing gun fire to a puppy. Good luck, I hope it works out. Out of curiosity, how was gunfire introduced to this dog?
Last edited by Smokey Bear; 02/17/22 02:43 AM.
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8534701
02/18/22 04:00 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 475
Mundo
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 475 |
distance and gradual increase in volume are the key-- it helps if the dog is doing something it enjoys--like retrieving or eating when it hears the noise. Is the dog timid about other things? How does it behave in the field without guns around?
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Re: Dog trainer needed for gun shy dog
[Re: quailg]
#8539086
02/23/22 07:27 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81
quailg
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 81 |
Mundo--The dog is not timid at all. It's not the guns, it's the noise. I don't have the time or patience to work on this is why I asked if anyone knew of a trainer (I think I have one lined up). thank you all for the great suggestions.
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