Shooting pics + a question

[Spudlet]

Not up to Ravenwood / ScrannyAnn standards I'm afraid!

Whizzy dogs quartering

That blur there really is Henry - he was not hanging about!

The lovely Molly - also not hanging about...

Now - Henry is generally not bothered by shots, but today was a walked up day rather than a driven shoot, so we were closer to the guns than normal. He was hunting really well, but then we had a long wait to look for a shot bird, just after Henry had been swimming across flooded ditches, so he got cold and his adrenaline levels must have dropped... then someone took a shot (or three!) at a squirrel just behind us. It was so loud and unexpected that I jumped, and Henry was startled and backed right off, becoming quite clingy He got his mojo back fairly quickly, but then something similar happened a while later - we were hanging about after working through a wood, Henry had wandered over to a clump of guns (technical term there) and then a pheasant set up and five of them fired at once (and all missed!) making Henry jump again

He got over it, but he wasn't quite himself and I'm now in two minds about what to do next week. Do I take him up to see Nickibelle and Purdey as planned for a day in more familiar surroundings (with dogs that don't squish him - in the field in the first pic we let both dogs off, and Molly set off at high speed on the trail of we think a rabbit, and flattened Henry in the process, bless him!)? Or do we give it best for this season and work on it over summer? I'm leaning towards getting back on the horse, but I am a bit worried about it. The last thing I want to do is scare him.

 

[gunnergundog]

At this point in time, given that you obviously have two dogs, personally, I would quit whilst you're relatively still ahead and work at it over the summer. Why risk causing problems that you may never overcome for the sake of one more week or so?

BTW...how old is Henry and has he done walked up days before?

 

[Spudlet]

Only one of those is mine, the other is my friend's dog. We had not done a walked up day before, it was the first time we had gone to that shoot and I hadn't known it was going to be set up as it was.

He's three and a half.

 

[gunnergundog]

Sorry....assumed both woofers were yours! Your dog, your decision of course, but if he were mine and it was his first experience of walked up then I would be having him out walking at a distance where I know there are crow scarers; any problems, call it a day. Positive response then get a friend out with a starting pistol (at a great distance) and building up to close proximity, giving him retrieves or whatever rocks his boat for calm behaviour. It has to be fun. Any probs and I would call it a day for the season. If he gave a positive response to the above then I would take him to a clay pigeon shoot - again building proximity slowly. Any twitchiness and game over. It can be a long haul to rebuild confidence; I guess your boy is not gun-shy, just now a bit gun-nervous, and there is a difference!

BTW....no reinforcement from you for nervous behaviours!!!! Sorry if teaching grandmother to suck eggs!

 

[Spudlet]

I wish they were both mine, Molly is fantastic, even if she did squish Henry flat Poor Henry!

I might get some party poppers out this week and take him to his favourite bit of cover, see how he does with the smaller noise while he's having a great time... if he does ok, we'll head to the shoot we always go to as planned. I can pick a line that keeps up a bit further from the guns, and hunting really is his favourite thing so it should start rebuilding a positive association. Fortunately he wasn't hunting at either point when he got startled, so hopefully he won't have linked the two. If he looks off, I can just take him home again, we are not stuck there all day if it doesn't work out.

I don't think he's gun-shy either, every other time he has been totally unbothered by shots. I think he was just caught off guard today by the unexpected loudness.

 

[gunnergundog]

Hi Spudlet....do you shoot yourself? Just that I have one dog that hates starting pistols (was attacked at gundog training as a youngster) and he has learnt to differentiate between them and real shot. Same as some dogs hate fireworks, yet cope with gunshot. Soooo....guess what I'm trying to say, is start off with your party poppers and move up the line, but keep being aware and don't assume anything!

Good luck!

 

[Spudlet]

No... would probably be easier if I did

 

[Ravenwood]

Just remind me - do you beat or pick up at Nickijems?

If you go next week and you are beating then I bet you will be fine (or Henry will be anyway!). If you pick up you will have to ask be placed out the back on every drive and not in the front with the guns. And yes I would definitely go to regain his confidence otherwise you will worry all summer!

But I would give the party poppers a miss! LOL - I'm not sure what you will achieve!

I know I have mentioned it before but I was quite surprised that a starting pistol wasn't used when you went to gundog training classes and as I said, we always start off with one in ours - maybe you could suggest this to the trainer

Don't panic, Henry will be fine

 

[Spudlet]

Glad to have amused you...

We go beating in Leics.

We have used a dummy launcher with blanks at training, we did that before his first shoot to introduce him gently, starting at a long distance away and moving in closer gradually. I don't have a starting pistol or dummy launcher available to me, so the poppers are just to introduce a sharp bang and see how he reacts, so I can be sure he hasn't been too worried before chucking him into a shoot day. I know they aren't the same, but they are better than nothing and they are the best I can do.

 

[Ravenwood]

I don't have a dummy launcher or a starting pistol either!

I am slightly worried about the party popper though - you are going to see if he gets frightened by a noise when he is not in the environment to expect it. When he is on the shoot he knows exactly what is going to happen. But again, you know your dog best.

Guns are so damned loud when you are right next to them - they even make me jump sometimes and the amount of times I wish I had some ear plugs or defenders to hand!

 

[Scranny_Ann]

evening! To start with - lovely pics! Well done and hope you enjoyed your day (bar the obvious query!)

I haven't read the replies, (this is my opinion)...Yes go next week. The jumpy behaviour....it's not going to knock him, take him back a step, make him nervous. It Will, eventually, make him stronger and more confident! Sounds silly, but it will! BUT you need to make sure if you are around (as in close to) guns, and this happens, you focus all your efforts on HENRY. Make the situation fun, interesting etc. Even if this means you're not inkeeping with what is expected of you on the shoot day. No one will mind. Make fun (and you may look silly - granted - you may pull silly faces, bend down to his height, silly voice, dance around etc)

The reason i say this ... My Jake!

When i first got him ... if a gun was fired near him (same field or 2feet away) he would roll on his back and pee on himself with fear! I made the banging into a game. Each time the gun went off i played 'silly games' which got his attention. He trusted me, like he trusts you and you will eventually get his full attention.

Also, once he becomes more 'experienced' he will understand banging means fun. Takes time ....

Bit of an essay .... prob doesn't make sense. I could tell you/show you face to face no prob lol

 

[Spudlet]

Thanks, Scranny

Will have to prime Nickibelle not to call the men in white coats if I start rolling about on the floor next week I think I'll try and find a local clay shoot where we can practice over summer, one where we can start well back and gradually move closer. Will have to prime them not to call the men in white coats as well

 

[Scranny_Ann]

Thanks, Scranny

Will have to prime Nickibelle not to call the men in white coats if I start rolling about on the floor next week I think I'll try and find a local clay shoot where we can practice over summer, one where we can start well back and gradually move closer. Will have to prime them not to call the men in white coats as well

LOL taking him to the clay shoot is a good idea to get his used to the noise. Thats what i do with my young ones. I will be taking Maisey this summer with OH and his mates to all the clay shoots.

Really though, don't worry about it. If he was 'gun shy' he would have let you know waaaay before now! Just think of it as the next stage of this training, as that is really all it is