bird dog problem

[cw4192]

I have two German Shorthair's, My male is 5 years old and my Female is 1 1/2. I have had shorthairs all my life and have not had this problem before. My Female will point, honor my male's point but as soon as I shoot she is gone. I will continue hunting with my male for hours and return to my truck and my female is laying there. Any help on how to break a gun shy dog would be greatly appreciated. Never had a shorthair gun shy before. thx

[firstcoueswas80]

Let me start out by saying, I have never owned a bird dog, but I have read a little about them as I was looking seriously at getting one.

 

It seems as the general concensus is to train them while they are eating. Put pots and pans together above their head, throw those poppers near them, use a cap gun while playing fetch etc.

 

I could be completely off base, but that is just what I have read.

 

 

[lionhunter]

I too know nothing of bird-dogs, but had hounds for 22 years. I always shot a 22 bank starters pistol when feeding pups, and never had a gun shy dog that I raised from a pup. I did aquire some older made dogs that were gun shy when I got them and was NEVER able to get them over it as an adult????? Good luck

Whitey

[IHunt2live]

I had one gun shy dog and helped my brother with his gun shy dog and I did what was mentioned above. Then I did a make it or break it senerio. I took them to a skeet/trap shooting range and let them hear all the shots and see they clay break and they are now anything but gun shy. It would start out slow work up to that point then let them hang out in the parking lot for a while then move them closer. It worked for me but every dog is different. Don't give up on your dog she will probably get over it.

[elkhunter]

my dad has 2 English springer spaniels and he broke them in by shooting a .38 pistol with just the primer, the sound is quick and sharp but not as loud as a bullet. Start there and work into a shotgun shell round

[gthudspeth]

IMO, there should never be a shot around a pointer that doesn't have a bird in it. When I gun break a dog I will tether a BW or pigeon, and restrain the dog (Check cord) with the bird flapping in front of the dog, but dog just can't quite get it. Meanwhile I have another person shoot about 50 yards out and observe the dog, if it stays focused on the bird we move it in 10 Yards at a time, for me, this is a process I do not rush.

 

I just got through getting a rescue Brit from being gun scared, to at least gun tolerant, it was a slow Arduous process. Starting with a training blank, repeating with a shotgun only after I could shoot the blank gun on a just released bird and the dog did not take her attention off the bird during the shot. Knine also has a lot of good info on gun breaking, hopefully she will chime in.

 

Good Luck,

 

Gene

[deserthntr]

i havent ever broke a gun shy dog but right now i just shoot 22 shorts with my pup. he loves to hear the shots cause its usually around food. i would just start the process over again if i was you, take it slow. start with a bb gun if you need and work your way up. just have something with the dog that it enjoys, like food. so they associate the noise as a good thing

[klrogers]

Try getting 2 2x4 boards and hitting them together right above their head. That seems to work for my pup, she was scared at first but now it doesnt bother her.

[azbownunter22]

The method I use is to associate gun fire with birds, NOT with 2x4's, pot's and pans, or whatever else. In 25 years of training bird dog's I've heard it all. To answer your question you first have to realize you may never get the shyness out of your dog. It's going to take lot's of time, patience, birds, and more birds.

 

I could go over the steps, but I don't really have the time, so send me PM with your phone number and I'd be glad to help.

 

Hope to hear from you,

[robertramsey61]

Take her to the gun range, start out fare away and move in slowly, have done this a few times with dogs, they will forget about the guns.

[Sir Buckwheat]

The method I use is to associate gun fire with birds, NOT with 2x4's, pot's and pans, or whatever else. In 25 years of training bird dog's I've heard it all. To answer your question you first have to realize you may never get the shyness out of your dog. It's going to take lot's of time, patience, birds, and more birds.

 

I could go over the steps, but I don't really have the time, so send me PM with your phone number and I'd be glad to help.

 

Hope to hear from you,

 

+1

 

The shooting when their eating works but only when they are pups. No breed is immune to gunshyness. I've worked with several shorthairs that were gunshy. My brother had one that he hunted with for 2 years and one day she decided it scared her...she never did get over it.

 

Do Not take her to a gun range, skeet range or any other shooting range. Thats one of the leading causes of gunshy dogs. It overwhelms them with the sound. I'd call azbowhunter or you are welcome to PM me and I'll give you my number.

[bkgsps]

Hi, all.

 

(gthudspeth post)This is an acceptable method to start a pup (not a gun-shy mature dog) on gun breaking, but not the way I do it. I don't want to step on anyone’s toes so forgive me if I do. Most of what I have read in this post has never helped a dog as far as I know. Some people truly just get lucky. Dogs are so resilient that many can “survive” and overcome some of the not so correct techniques that are used. I have dealt with many man-caused gun-shy dogs. Yes, most, if not all, are man-caused. Good dog breeders have removed most of the dogs with potentially genetic issues from the gene pool, but some traits still exist. Gun-shyness can be corrected in most cases. Since no two dogs are alike, and neither are the underlying causes or the severity of the problem there is not just one simple answer. I’d be willing to help you. If you are interested, email me in private.

 

bkgspe

[gthudspeth]

I've thought about this post a lot, being a owner/trainer I constantly look for new/improved methods. I would be very much interested in your method for bringing a 'Mature' dog from being gun shy. The dog I brought from being gun 'Scared' (ran to truck on shot) to gun 'tolerant' was 12 months old when she was rescued, took two months and baby steps with a starter pistol and lots of birds, if that process can be speeded up, I'm all ears.

 

Thanks,

 

Gene

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

I've thought about this post a lot, being a owner/trainer I constantly look for new/improved methods. I would be very much interested in your method for bringing a 'Mature' dog from being gun shy. The dog I brought from being gun 'Scared' (ran to truck on shot) to gun 'tolerant' was 12 months old when she was rescued, took two months and baby steps with a starter pistol and lots of birds, if that process can be speeded up, I'm all ears.

 

Thanks,

 

Gene

 

If you want to reach bkgsps you will likely have to contact him through his website... he rarely visits here.

 

http://www.bkgsps.com/

 

That will get you in contact with him.