How to Teach Your Puppy Not To Be Gun Shy

Are you a hunter and having trouble with teaching your dog not to be gun shy? Well come read my article and I will give you some tips on how to cure this symtpom.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cap Gun
• Real Gun

1. If your hunting dog is gun shy and you are having trouble breaking him of this loud noise, here are a few steps that you can follow to help him break this symptom.

2. 
    

   Start of by buying a cap gun. You know the ones you used to play with as a kid pretending you were cowboys and indians. It sounds silly, but it actually works. The loud noise is similar to a .22 caliber which is loud enough to get your dogs heart pumping.

3. 
    

   Shoot the gun when your dog is at his most comfortable state of mind. When he is feeding. Wait till he starts eating and from a good distance away, pop the toy gun one time and see what his reaction is. His first reaction will be kind of jumpy but not enough to stir him away from his food.

4. Keep doing this over time, and each time you shoot again, get closer and closer to him as he eats. Overtime, he will get used to the sound. After he are right next to him shooting your cap gun, he is now immune to the sound and then, you can start shooting the cap gun whenever you start playing with him.

5. When you start to shoot it the gun when he is not eating, remember to praise him with a treat or love after you shoot the gun. He will relate the gun with love. As time goes on, you will eventually have a dog that is broke from being gun shy!

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a bird dog and you are training him to hunt, throw your decoy in the air and have a buddy shoot a shotgun with the bird in the air to get the dog used to the gun shot and the falling bird. He will relate the gun shot to a falling bird and he will know he needs to retrieve when the bird falls.
• Whenever you first shoot the cap gun while he is eating, never start off with a rapid fire. If you shoot the gun as fast as you can pull the trigger, not only will you have a gun shy dog and put yourself two steps backwards, you will have a dog you will be timid to eat when loud noises are around.

[betterbody]

on 3/6/2009 The old fashioned way works-just as you outlined.

[GreenMomma]

on 2/28/2009 I'm always amazed when the dog brings back the bird without eating it!

[darlenemichaud]

on 2/20/2009 Cool info! Thanks!

[kimarkent]

on 2/20/2009 This is similar to what my grandad did with his old hound dogs.. I can still hear their distinctive howl!! Interesting, there are many hunters out there who could use this!! Thanks! 5*

[Lilfix]

on 2/20/2009 Great article...Thanks for sharing! RRCR5*