I was very heartened.... and request for tips too on gunfire

Spudlet

Spudlet

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... when watching a shoot for a minute or two yesterday at lunchtime to see one of the beaters dogs running riot
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We were standing a good way off on the next hill but it looked suspiciously spaniel-y to me, as it charged straight at the guns, waaaay ahead of all other dogs and people!

Maybe there is hope for me and Henry after all
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However the tips bit - Henry is not too sure about the sound of guns yet
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He doesn't head for the hills or hide behind me but he does keep a close eye on me and is not keen to play - yesterday I was throwing snowballs for him to chase but he wasn't interested after we heard a gun go off and didn't relax until we started moving again.

Not sure how best to go about introducing him to this?
 
Even the best dogs misbehave, usually at the worst possible moment!
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If he isn't sure then I don't suggest a starting pistol, unless you can employ someone to fire it a long way away!

You need to start off at a distance he is comfortable with, so find out how close you can get him with no reaction at all. Then get a wee bit closer and stay there, playing with him etc, until he has no reaction again, keep going until you can get as close as you need to be.
If he relaxes when your moving, try just keep walking in small circles, pause and move off again. Just increase the pause length until he is relaxed stationary too.

Take it really slowly, it takes seconds to ruin him for life, and you want gunfire to make him think funs things are about to happen.

My Mum's dog was really gunshy, and by gradually getting him closer to the Local Clay Pigeon Shoot (she started off at least 2 miles away!) he now stands behind the guns all day with no problems!
 
Ignore it, don't pay any extra attention, keep moving, if u think he may bolt, put him on the lead otherwise walk on, if he wont play offer him some treats and walk on......believe it or not our pointer is terrified of gun shots and fireworks, he will immediatley be by our side when he hears an of the 2 noises, we completely ignore him, he settled aslong as we are in sight.
I dont avoid area where gun shots go off either, the fields we walk are frequently occupied by working gun dogs training and guns going off, I kinda like to keep desensitising him to it and not avoiding it altogether I just pay him no attention at all, apart from dish treats out frequently for a positive assosiation.
 
I might look into local clay shoots, we'd have to start a very long way away too. He is ok with gunfire in the very distance - the first time we heard a full shoot a mile or so off he was unsure then too but he is relaxed with that now.

This one was not having a good drive, think they got about one shot!
 
Thanks Cayla - I do ignore him apart from treating if I have something available.

I was really interested to watch the beaters working though, it was the first time I've had that opportunity. Watching them, I really think Henry could do it - as long as he isn't too freaked by the gunfire! But I think he can do it as long as I can find a way to introduce him.

It probably didn't help that we nearly blundered into the middle of a shoot before Christmas (we were on a footpath I hasten to add so just one of those things!) and a gun went off quite close - I was watching but hadn't known he was standing so close as there was a big hedge in the way! Henry got a huge bit of chicken but think it did startle him
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Also there is a bird scarer close to work that sounds like the Battle of Trafalgar which he dislikes - again I ignore him amd he just sticks that little bit closer for a moment after it has gone off, then he's fine again.

That said Henry is fine with fireworks and thunder so I see no reason why he can't become fine with guns too
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My Mum's dog is (or was!) terrified of Fireworks too, the other dogs don;t bother, but he would dig at the floor trying to get away from them! New Years Eve, my Mum let the other dogs out and he shot out with them, not bothered at all by the fireworks going off!!

Don't relax when you do take Henry out beating, it's like Horses and hunting - the cope with galloping in company etc normally, but take them out hunting and it just blows their mind! Taking a dog out beating is exactly the same, no matter how much you train them, they can still go mental when faced with pheasants flying off left right and centre and hundreds of tasty smells in every direction!
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Oh no, there are spaniels involved, that means hooligans ahoy!
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In fact I was overjoyed to hear my Dad say that at one shoot he goes to, Otto would be one of the best behaved dogs there... the fact that he would on a lead was overlooked
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