The American Beagler Forum

Any way to break a dog from being gun shy?

good luck I would cut my lose and try another dog

The way your question is worded I can't tell if you want to keep a dog from becoming gun shy or cure one that already is.
When I raise pups I purposely expose them to sudden and loud noises on a routine basis.Banging feed pans together,hammering while fixing/building around the kennel,shooting a .22 a short distance from their pen while they are eating,etc. and have never had a gun shy pup as a result.
I once had a retriever that became gun shy as a young dog as a result of neighborhood kids and fireworks during 4'th of July celebrations.
I was able to get the dog over it's gun shyness by taking it to a trap range.I started by sitting with the dog quite a ways back and just stroking the dog while the shooting was going on.Over a period of several weeks I gradually moved up closer and closer with the dog until he could tolerate the shooting with no nervousness or flinching.It took time and effort but that dog became an excellent hunting companion and sat in duck blinds and heard many shot guns go off.
Can be done but like HBmudbug said you might have to cut your loses.
As always JMHO.

How old is the dog and how good is he jumping a rabbit an did you buy the dog? If you did buy the dog that may tell you something there.an if the dog cannot junp a rabbit.Give it away.

I think it is possible, but it's a long difficult process! I guess it depends on how much you like the dog and how much time you are willing to put into it! I think folks take running or started young dogs to the field and just start shooting around it. If the dog isn't nervous you may get away with it. It takes one time to scare one and then it's work to overcome it. Best thing to do is break the dog in slowly and properly the first time. I have only ever bought a shy/nervous pup or dog. Never raised one of my own that was shy.

have done it but long drawn out process

I had a young dog that I hunted and was fine until one time three guys I was hunting with shot about 8 times all about the same time; she got scared and stopped hunting and came up to me shaking and just followed me around the rest of the day. I scolded her for it, but found out that was the worst thing to do for a gun shy dog at that point. The only time she got scared was if we shot a lot of shots one after another. After 4 or 5 times of her getting scared like that, I would stop and pet her and assure her that everything is ok, and that she would not be hurt. A couple times of that, she was cured, turned out to be one of my best hunting dogs to that date.

Thanks,
Bob

Have to be a super special hound for me to want to try

It is easy to break a dog from being gun shy and only takes a few days.

When you feed your dog, set the food down and shoot in the air (use a .22). If the dog shys away, pick up the food and leave. Next day do it again. Do not leave the food until the dog will stay and eat when you shoot. After about three days your dog will no longer be gun shy.

RiverBottom wrote:It is easy to break a dog from being gun shy and only takes a few days.

When you feed your dog, set the food down and shoot in the air (use a .22). If the dog shys away, pick up the food and leave. Next day do it again. Do not leave the food until the dog will stay and eat when you shoot. After about three days your dog will no longer be gun shy.

Good post!! The best dog trainers are those who have learned how and what a dog responds to. Most of man's unsuccessful attempts to train dogs comes from a false expectation that dogs "think" like humans. I'm still learning!

I've had or acquired gun shy dogs over the years takes time and patience and definitely reassuring to the dog not just hangin onto to him and shooting over his head. If the dog has game and true drive for its quary be it rabbit ,coon or whatever in the heat of the chase should take over the fear of gun shot unless someone shot over his head . I also play music in kennel from time pups are born and change stations and volumes. Some make it some don't starting prevention early as pups with the radio and noises they don't even acknowledged the shot just that thier reward a rabbit etc is waiting. Goodluck

River bottom I've seen guys try your way.it does work. SOMETIMES. sometimes not. depends on the dog.

River Bottom, what you said works. I did a similar thing, I put the gun shy dog in with a fast eating hound that was not gun shy. Then shot over the dogs while eating, the gunshy dog would go in the box and the other glutton dog would clean up all the food. A few days and the dog was not gunshy.

Thanks for the information. She was never gun shy until my 8 yr old shot right over top of her. She is a young female that has tons of potential so I am willing to try and get her back to the way she was. Again thanks