Gunfire

[hanandhen]

Bit of advice please?

Henry is not heading for the hills or hiding behind me when we hear guns, but he is a bit unsure about them. We have dropped across a couple of shoots out walking recently - one fairly close by - and he is definitely not convinced by them at the moment!

Anyone got any tips on getting him to relax with the sound? He is fine about fireworks and thunder, so I see no reason why we can't overcome this, but I want to be careful about doing it.

If we keep moving he is happier - I stopped to watch a shoot a good distance off yesterday, thinking it was far enough away for the guns not to disturb him but he was still not keen. I tried to distract him by playing with snowballs but he wasn't having it - although as soon as we moved on he was ready to play in the hedges again. Fortunately (well for me anyway!) they seemed to be having a pretty rubbish drive, and only got one shot off!

On the upside, I was greatly heartened to see a suspiciously spaniel-y looking creature charging off miles ahead of everyone in the beating line!  Maybe there's hope for me and Henry yet  I was starting to despair at ever getting to the ideal gundog standard!

I know it's early days for us to start with guns given that he is only just begining his training but I think this could take a while to build him up so I reckon the sooner we start the more gradually we can build it up.

Do you think I could clicker train him with them? Only just thought of it!

Ta x

[moola]

we used a starting pistol to get our pup our pup used to gunfire.  They're easy enough to get hold of.  Distance wise - about 400m to start off with and then worked in.  £25 easy enough to get hold of.  There are pink ones available from 'Black gundog'!!  (they also sell pink whistles too )

[hanandhen]

**Ahem** I have a pink whistle from that very site 

I'll have a look at the starting pistols although not sure who I will get to fire it! 

[Nicola]

I use starting pistols too as well as taking them out to see a few shoot drives, from a distance at first and then working our way in. Do you have an OH or a walking buddy you could rope in to help you with firing it from a distance at first? I do that and then move on to firing it myself (just point it well away from your ears!).

[mcphee]

Cruella makes me keep walking and totally ignore the shooting, not even comment look or alter what I am doing. It has worked brilliantly. As you know we are never going to work, as Rufus is very vocal and not likely ever to be 100% steady, but there are so many shoots near where we walk, that after he became noise phobic last new years eve after the fireworks, it became a big problem. This season we have got much better. He does stop and the tail goes down, but he forgets and moves on almost immediately. He remembers next walk where he has heard gunfire, but soon decides that it is not worth missing the walk.

[hanandhen]

Do you have an OH or a walking buddy you could rope in to help you with firing it from a distance at first? I do that and then move on to firing it myself (just point it well away from your ears!).

Sadly I have neither I could do with a training buddy really - anyone in south Norfolk / Suffolk up for it....?

If we keep moving he is fine, but obviously we will need to improve on that if this idea of working is ever to come to anything. He doesn't remember where the guns were or anything like that - although show him a squirrel and he'll never forget!

[Nicola]

Bit far from us or I'd be happy to do it! Can you keep exposing him to shoot gunfire at a distance to begin with? If so I would do the same as mcphee says her trainer suggested and I wouldn't do anything in particular when he hears it, just keep doing what you're doing and be very matter of fact about it. The more 'fuss' you make about it the more likely he is to think that there's something to make a fuss about iyswim. Rodaidh was a bit reluctant about gunfire at first so I stayed matter of fact and didn't fuss over him but I jollyed him along a bit, played with him and used a tennis ball to keep his attention, my lot don't get to play with tennis balls in the house so they're pretty high value.

[moola]

I'm in mid Suffolk and as soon as school starts again I am a free agent!  (is there a manic jumping up and down in the air smilie??? - or one that maybe loops over the moon???) ..... happy to head north and meet up if you fancy it.   I have a pistol to use....

[sophiew]

I'm in mid Suffolk and as soon as school starts again I am a free agent!  (is there a manic jumping up and down in the air smilie??? - or one that maybe loops over the moon???) ..... happy to head north and meet up if you fancy it.   I have a pistol to use....

Oooh, me too! I'm on the Norfolk / Suffolk border and would love to train with some other people.... count me in!

Sophie
x

[moola]

Ok - wide open spaces would be best.  Knettishall heath?  I've some OS maps - I'll take a look at some other places too...

[sophiew]

Sounds good!

[hanandhen]

That sounds great - though as a working woman I'll be stuck with weekends only Knettishall is one of our favourite walking spots though I haven't dared try to get there for ages in all this snow and ice

[moola]

I'll pm you all.  Mr M says that we will have to check restrictions on the use of the starting pistol.  Apparently the police tried to prosecute someone this year using one on private land, and BASC had to intervene.  I'll get back to you

We use ours around here - but we know what's what and who is who.  A very small village and no-one would bat an eyelid....

[pwd]

Hi all  Best way I found to get a dog used to gunfire was to take it to a local clay ground if the layout allows..shotguns have a thump to them compared to a crack of a starter ..and seems to go down better..plus clay shooters tend to use light loads which dont make as much noise as game loads..and usally there are some form of screen too ..I stated with a slightly nervous leb I had about 150 yards away with a ball ..plenty of hype play as we slowly got nearer to about 100 yards ..then back in the car and repaeated a few days later..edging slowley nearer but starting at the 150 mark ..she hate thunder and fireworks...but is very switched off to gunfire now as a fear but switched on as to retrivals that may follow...which is just as well as she,s my main workhorse in the field 
If no clay grounds start with a blank firer ..but fired inside a game bag or similar so it really muffels the shot..then do some hyper play like a dummy throw so it becomes the start of something good

[moola]

for reference for everyone : You can use a starting pistol in a public place but the following guidelines must be followed http://www.basc.org.uk/en/utilities/document-summary.cfm/docid/276D067E-50F9-491B-A664649D38B873BD

There's a bit on dummy launchers too...