Getting a pup used to shooting.

[SquarePizza]

Sun is shining and the temps are climbing. And some supplies have been secured so I actually CAN shoot. The only problem is that I have a 10 week old puppy in the house and I shoot on my land (50 feet from the house, parallel to it).

So, any advice on how to start shooting (leaving the pup inside), and getting him used to gunfire?

22lr is out of the question, since I haven't access to any.

 

[EL34]

What kind of dog is it? In my experience some dogs will not take to it at all, no matter what you do. Example, I have some Jack Rats they have all heard gunfire since they were puppies, even in the womb. The mother isn't afraid of gunfire, in fact she goes nuts when she hears it, and starts looking for squirrels to fall out of trees, but one of the ones I've kept (daughter just had to keep it), is absolutely terrified of it, and hides in the dog house. My daughter also has a Weenie dog (Doxie, Daschund, whatever), and she doesn't like gunfire either. The best thing to do is get the dog to associate gunfire with something to chase, catch, and chew on, get him/her into chasing squirrels, then go get one for them to chew on. After that take the dog with you to get them, but make sure the dog knows the squirrel is there, sometimes they will focus in on the quarry, and not even react to the shot at all. In just a bit they'll associate the shot with "Hey, I'm fixing to have something to shake the piss out of"! Or.................they'll high tail it for the house, and safety. If you do it right though they probably won't mind at all.
Hope that helped, I tried to make it brief.

 

[SquarePizza]

He is a little pitbull pup, and while I would to take him hunting and shake squirrels, I am mostly trying to warm him up to it so that when summer comes I usually shoot a mag a day and I am hoping he doesn't get scared and piss himself in the house.

 

[jasin1890]

The way we use to get labs use to gun shots is take them out in the lake where they cant see land and shoot they will jump out and swim around for a min then they will come back and want in the boat. Then repeat the process they will eventually quit jumping out and just stay in the boat

 

[JB5812]

It's a fairly straight forward process with almost any dog, but will obviously depend on the demeanor of the dog. I personally have a German Shepherd (pet) that is skittish and is scared of her own shadow half of the time... Just the way she is. My last dog I deployed with became overwhelmed during combat and shutdown. Try sweeping for IED's with a dog that is shaking and wants to bolt for the nearest cover... Dogs are very predictable, but also very set in their ways. It is hard to change the way a dog thinks after it has decided to think a certain way (to put it very simply). You are doing good by choosing to start early...

There are MANY ways to train a dog, but I'll give you a bit of standard training that you can do daily or however often. You can heed my advice or Google another way, doesn't really matter. The best way to start getting a dog used to LOUD NOISES, not just gun fire is to expose them to it! Think outside the box. Balloons, firecrackers, bubble wrap, etc...

To see where your dog stands, stay with your dog while someone else introduces loud noises at a distance away. Preferably in an area he is comfortable with as to take away the new strange area variable. Make sure you are keeping the dog busy with a favorite toy or maybe even a treat at very small amounts. It needs to be a positive experience overall and you should be happy and the dog should know it. If the dog reacts well, you can progress the noise closer. If this becomes mundane, take it outside. Now you can move on to louder or more direct noises like firecrackers. Again, start at a distance, then progress based on the dog. Don't rush things, It could take weeks. If the dog does well after a while, start introducing noises when they don't expect it (but not super close and overwhelming). If they react well, reward them! If they are scared, cease the noise and reassure them while moving on to something else fun.

These are the very BASICS of how to get started. You need to learn your dog and see how he reacts to things and what he is scared or not sure of as to not overwhelm them.

The 3 rules of dog training are: Timing, consistency, and repetition. You need to be on top of the rewards and punishment for good and bad behavior AS SOON as it happens... You need to be consistent with your training... You need to repeat your training sessions and activities often with set variables to change it up a bit and keep the dog guessing.



Well as I said, there are MANY ways to train a dog, but hopefully this points you in the right direction with some options. You can PM me if you have any other specific questions.

Take care!

 

[George Az]

started with an air rifle. then .22's for a while. All day outside the truck, hanging out and made like it was no big deal. Then graduated to .45 and 12 gauge. I never actually kicked off a 5.56 or heavier rifle and I gave him some space when I shot the 12 ga. It was great, no fear of fireworks, thunder or any of that quivering. He was great until he passed. Now, starting on a new one myself.

 

[JB5812]

The way we use to get labs use to gun shots is take them out in the lake where they cant see land and shoot they will jump out and swim around for a min then they will come back and want in the boat. Then repeat the process they will eventually quit jumping out and just stay in the boat

That might work for some, but definitely isn't a positive experience for them as they are forced to put up with it even if they are terrified rather than WANT to put up with it based on the reward or whatever method you are using to reinforce it. I do not believe this would work with all dogs. If you aren't careful, you can create a dog that is fearful of the shotgun/rifle by doing things like this. With each method you choose, there can be potential consequences brought out that need to be dealt with... Usually by changing the method.

 

[Wylie Coyote]

We just moved out to the country back in January with our 5 dogs. I was pretty certain they would be terrified of gunfire. Turns out our 4 big dogs like to come up to the fence and watch. They'll even lay down after awhile and go to sleep. Our little dog (who we can't keep in the yard), has to be locked up because she won't leave us alone and likes to run into our shooting lane.

I'm not sure that bit of info helps you at all, but I thought I would share.

 

[areaone]

I raised English Pointers for years, can not even guess the number of litters. A gunshy pointer is backfill for a hole, nothing more nothing else. As such I would shoot a blank 22 around them from the day they were born at a distance and closer and closer and then at feeding time I would shoot and feed them, they experienced the shot with a reward, I have had pups that would go nuts when they hear a gun with excitemnt and anticipation, throw up a dead bird and shoot and the frenzy was on. If a dog was out of site too long and was not responding to a call, then a shot in the air normally brought them running.

 

[Mac21]

"Timing, consistency, and repetition" Sage advice

Add FUN, you can train a dog to do just about anything if you make it fun for him, and keep training times short.

 

[rrflyer]

Make it fun and don't force it.


I started with clapping hands, then 2x4s smacked together, then small guns and up.


One loud noise then play a lot with them


Slow,and steady.

 

[pkp254]

I have had labs for duck hunting for my entire life, and have one of those toy cap guns that I shoot around my dogs from an early age. Then I move to shotgun blanks and associate those with something fun like retrieving. Soon they enjoy the noise because they know they are about to work

 

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

Make it fun and don't force it.


I started with clapping hands, then 2x4s smacked together, then small guns and up.


One loud noise then play a lot with them


Slow,and steady.

Sounds like good advice. I wish I had done this. My dog hides when he hears the safe being opened.

 

[2ndamendfan]

Had a Weihmerwiner when I was a kid, took him out to the field and didn't think nothing of it and neither did he. Had a German Short Hair (past away about 18 months ago) and she absolutely loved gun fire. She ran to it not away from it. It was her favorite thing I think. Would take her camping and most of the time would let her run free all day. she would come and go, in the evening when I hadn't see her for awhile I would call and call. nothing, take a gun (normally 357mag) put one round in the dirt or an old stump and she would be back in camp in a matter of seconds looking at me like "what, is up".