Chicken for a dog

Delmar Smith a famous bird dog trainer in Texas talked about a type of oil well that would pop off the natural gas. He would take a gun shy dog and put the dog on a pen with food and waterlocated near the well .The well poped off continually. When he would return the dog would be cured of his gun shyness
Same concept. Better to not create the problem. Just like throwing a puppy into extreme cold water on a freezing day. That will break a true water dog from loving the water.
 

atlashunter

Senior Member
Delmar Smith a famous bird dog trainer in Texas talked a type of oil well that would pop off the natural gas. He would take a gun shy dog and put the dog on a pen with food and water. The well poped off continually. When he would return the dog would be cured of his gun shyness

That's interesting because Bill Tarrant wrote the book on the Delmar Smith method as well as many other books on retriever training. In those books he chided those who recommend putting a dog on a firing line and instead recommends the method of gradual introduction others here have described. Maybe from the dogs perspective that pop on an oil well is far less traumatic than a firing range.
 

tucker80

Senior Member
The oil well is 24 7, becoming the norm. That's a huge difference from a 60 min shell shock trip to a range.
 
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The oil well is 24 7, becoming the norm. That's a huge difference from a 60 min shell shock trip to a range.

The shell shock has already been done. I trained dogs as a pro for many years. Never had a gun shy lab. You know why? Because when I introduced gunfire to a puppy I did it the right way. The dog is already a wreck. What have you got to loose. As long as you protect the dog so the he can not run off I do not think he has any thing at this point he he can try to fix his dog. I would try anything to try to keep my dog in the game. Chance is the dog is not Fixable.
No gun shy dogs here. Gun shy dogs are made.
 

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atlashunter

Senior Member
What you advise is only going to terrify an already gun shy dog. It's akin to putting a man who already has shell shock in an environment that triggers his fear to the max as if that will cure him.
 

Para Bellum

Mouth For War
What you advise is only going to terrify an already gun shy dog. It's akin to putting a man who already has shell shock in an environment that triggers his fear to the max as if that will cure him.

Agree 100% atlashunter. Cruel and unusual to say the least. There are much better ways to go about.
 

Jack Ryan

Senior Member
I'm always afraid of my dogs going deaf because they all run TOWARD the gun fire and look for what ever you are shooting at.

I have to put them in a pen if I shoot much on the range of have company to shoot with.
 
What you advise is only going to terrify an already gun shy dog. It's akin to putting a man who already has shell shock in an environment that triggers his fear to the max as if that will cure him.
No I am not. This situation was created. I have trained many more gun dogs than most. Delmar Smith used this method to fix gun shy dogs. If the dog was exposed to gunfire continually it might fix the problem. Like I said might. The best way to prevent a gun shy dog is by proper conditioning. Its just like you create a Lab that does not want to go in the water . Take a puppy to a pond on a cold day and then when he does not want to go in the water because it is freezing and you make him go . Guess what you just created a problem.
 
I'm always afraid of my dogs going deaf because they all run TOWARD the gun fire and look for what ever you are shooting at.

I have to put them in a pen if I shoot much on the range of have company to shoot with.
That is because your dog or dogs associate gun fire with something good. Proper conditioning. It tells you how to do this in about every gun dog training video or book out there.
 
Agree 100% atlashunter. Cruel and unusual to say the least. There are much better ways to go about.
Yea by avoiding the problem to start with. Just like an e collar in the hands of some one who just bought it and has no idea how to use it. That happens every day.
 

Big7

The Oracle
take her to the firing range in a dog box and put him as close a s you can to the firing line as yo can get.

That would make it worse.


If it won't hunt, it just won't.

They make good pets and stick chaser's though.
 

That would make it worse.


If it won't hunt, it just won't.

They make good pets and stick chaser's though.

What is your fix? For the problem . The man wants to try to fix his dog.
 
That's interesting because Bill Tarrant wrote the book on the Delmar Smith method as well as many other books on retriever training. In those books he chided those who recommend putting a dog on a firing line and instead recommends the method of gradual introduction others here have described. Maybe from the dogs perspective that pop on an oil well is far less traumatic than a firing range.
What would you do? To help this man? Tarrant is a writer. Never saw him at hunt test or a field trial. His methodology is very dated just like Richard Wolters and Richard and I were friends.
 
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red neck richie

Senior Member

That would make it worse.


If it won't hunt, it just won't.

They make good pets and stick chaser's though.

This is the conclusion I have come to. She loves the water and will retrieve with the best of them but as soon as she hears a bang shes gone. Do you think if I get another dog her behavior around gun fire, thunder and fireworks will affect the new dogs behavior?
 

Big7

The Oracle
What is your fix? For the problem . The man wants to try to fix his dog.

I have posted my "fix".

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

This is the conclusion I have come to. She loves the water and will retrieve with the best of them but as soon as she hears a bang shes gone. Do you think if I get another dog her behavior around gun fire, thunder and fireworks will affect the new dogs behavior?


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.
 
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This is the conclusion I have come to. She loves the water and will retrieve with the best of them but as soon as she hears a bang shes gone. Do you think if I get another dog her behavior around gun fire, thunder and fireworks will affect the new dogs behavior?
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.
 
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.

No fix here just a wash out . Never heard of a registered breeder. If you get a puppy get a pup out of gun dog stock and go find a pro to help you with your puppy. When did you become expert on Gun shy dogs? A Gun broke puppy. Give me a brake. They got to be trained.
 
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Big7

The Oracle
No fix here just a wash out . Never heard of a registered breeder. If you get a puppy get a pup out of gun dog stock and go find a pro to help you with your puppy. When did you become expert on Gun shy dogs? A Gun broke puppy. Give me a brake. They got to be trained.

Prolly a BUNCH of stuff you never heard of. :rolleyes:

Try This:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=gun+br...-23&sk=&cvid=519A146DF7BA45658A06832C640DEB0D

Then try here: No shortage of breeder's and dogs.
http://www.bing.com/search?q=huntin...BAAFC6B14B464A88A210F9B23794D5&FORM=QBRE&sp=1

And to answer your other question:
About 40 years ago. ;)

To the OP. #3 is local if you want to check them out. :D
 
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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.
 
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