Chicken for a dog

Big7

The Oracle
So, you are only twelve years older than me and got a late start.

And your point is?

Mine is there is no way to "break a gun shy" dog of
any breed, no matter the quarry.

Some will hunt, some won't.

Thank you for your service.
My late Father went in at 17 and retired with 42+ years.
 

tucker80

Senior Member
Birds might help with your old dog. I would try to get her interested in birds . dont fire a gun . just try some ducks and pigeons. Get her going on birds. <
Then see if you can introduce her at distance with a cap gun. Blow a duck call and use a bird boy to get the loud noise away from her. Do give up. The other thought is make her a blood trail dog for downed and lost deer. just dont give up.
Make sure you have her on a check cord.

Hmmm... seems like I said that in post 2
And to the OP. You asked about influence from another dog. The competition factor may help but it'll be by distraction and that's what the birds are doing. Distraction is the prey drive. And stay away from the fireworks.
 
So, you are only twelve years older than me and got a late start.

And your point is?

Mine is there is no way to "break a gun shy" dog of
any breed, no matter the quarry.

Some will hunt, some won't.

Thank you for your service.
My late Father went in at 17 and retired with 42+ years.
Yea I was in in 69 and retired in 90. I don't disagree. When I trained gun dogs it was hard to explain to owners that some would and some won't. In the Retreiver breeds gun shyness is created most times. I have seen skidish dogs brought round. My recommendations as far as the prey drive worked for me on several dogs.But I would say that this condition is created by folks not knowing how to introduce a puppy to gunfire. Now I am not saying this happened in this case. As far as going to the firing range at this point what have you got to loose? I don't think it would make the dog worse. Leave the dog in a dog box . Maybe just maybe you could recondition the dog not to care. The OP has not much to loose at this point. I have dogs that refused to train but when you got them in a stick pond with feathers and birds falling it was a different story.
Not every dog is the same and not every program will work on every dog. Some are soft, some are tuff , some are just plain stupid and some seem to know what to do before you do.
 

atlashunter

Senior Member
I think you are talking bird dog and I am talking retreiver. The dog pictured is a yellow lab not a bird dog. I am looking at it through a retreiver trainers eyes. Your talking apples and I am talking oranges. Training method and concepts are totally different.
A Arthur is good
http://www.findretrievers.com/search/ownerresults.php?PeopleID=19
This is local to and I know Al and Hugh. They are straight shooters.
Water Swat is on here and he is good to on Boykins.
http://forum.gon.com/member.php?u=113576
Here is some one that give you some good info on good blood lines in the retreiver world.
RUTTNBUCK
http://forum.gon.com/member.php?u=1365
Joe Overby
http://forum.gon.com/member.php?u=91188

Someday I will show my National Retreiver club pin. 1985 National Retreiver championship pin.
40 years for you means that I was already grown . Killed my first duck when I was ten in 61 and had been in the Army ten years when your 40 years started. LOL I will be 66 in November. I started in Retreiver Field trials in the mid seventys long before hunt test.

If bird dogs and retrievers are apples and oranges then why were you citing a method by Delmar Smith who was a bird dog trainer not a retriever trainer?
 

atlashunter

Senior Member
I have posted my "fix".

How many have YOU fixed? Ok, NONE. lets just stick with that.

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Probably will. Not really worth the risk. IMO.

king killer didn't get the memo. :rofl:

Sorry about the dog. If you are that into it, get
another one that is gun broke from a registered breeder.

Same here. I gave my fix. I agree with the others it may just be better to get another dog but I'll say this much. If that dog can't adjust to a moderate noise at a distance and gradually work up from there you sure as heck aren't going to get the dog over it by taking it to a firing range and exposing it to a barrage of gunfire. A lot of dogs have been made gunshy by ignorant owners doing that.
 

atlashunter

Senior Member
Here you go Richie.

http://www.huntsmith.com/article.php?id=9

This is from Rick Smith, the son of Delmar Smith who as KKD noted is a renowned (now retired) trainer. Echoes a lot of the advice you've received here. Keep the dog away from the gun range and try the method in this article if you are really dedicated to making this one a gun dog. Good luck.
 

red neck richie

Senior Member
Here you go Richie.

http://www.huntsmith.com/article.php?id=9

This is from Rick Smith, the son of Delmar Smith who as KKD noted is a renowned (now retired) trainer. Echoes a lot of the advice you've received here. Keep the dog away from the gun range and try the method in this article if you are really dedicated to making this one a gun dog. Good luck.

Good article thanks for sharing.
 
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