What's the best way to introducing a dog to the report to a shotgun. I'd like to be able to get my pup where I can take him hunting this duck season, but he hasn't been around shooting much and I hear that if you just throw them into it they could become extremely gun shy.

If he will get a dummy have a bud stand behind you a hundred yrds. When you throw the dummy have him fire. If it has no affect on yur dog have him move up 20 yrds and repeat. If the dog reacts have Jim back up some. Keep going til the shooter is beside you and the dog getting the dummy. Just try to read yur dog and don't rush. That worked for me.

start small I used a 22 then moved to the shotgun

The little dummy launchers that use 22 blanksnis a good way if you get someone to go 20+ yards away to shoot it

I broke my dog in 10 minutes... Had a buddy walk 100 yards away & shoot his 20GA, then he kept getting closer the whole time I sat with Sadie gave her some food and tossed bumpers between shots. Before you knew it he was firing off to the left 10' away and she was more concerned about her next retrieve on the bumper.

All answers are good ones. If your dog is retrieving, shooting at a distance as you throw the bumper is a good way to go. The retriever trainer launcher is also good. If your dog is jumpy do alot of fun retrieves between shots. Make several shots at a distance before moving closer. Don't try to fix it in one day. Do this over several different days or weeks depending on the dog. Some are easy and some are not. Worst thing is to take one into the field w/out ever conditioning them. They may handle it and may not. Good Luck.

I started my pup out while she was in the kennel in my truck while me and a buddy shot clays. Then got closer and closer every shot. With in ten or fifteen minutes she was heeling beside me while shooting clays with out breaking. But i know my trainers dog took a little more to get his pup use to it and they are litter mates.

my potna has a pistol that shoots only blanks he uses...he throws the dummy then shoots

I shot around Tee while he would eat. I was in the yard far away and hed lift his head and look, then back to eating. done this a few times and he got to not caring. While in training fretching bumpers we shot primer shells right next to him and still not a care to the gun. We stepped up to poppers which is as loud as a 12 gauge... All he wants is bird...and not a worry to the gun. It dosent take long. Like many said in less than 1 day you can have your pup not scared of a gun.

I loved the dummy launcher it works on too things with your dog.. They hear the noise and associate that with somthing falling. So it teaches them to watch up in the air and mark birds plus they get use to the noise..

We started taking our pup to the skeet range when we first got her. My wife walked her around the club while people were shooting, throwing bumpers for her, even feeding her. Eventually she walked her right up behind the pads where we were shooting. Now she doesn't pay any attention to it.

Started the dog out the same way in my boat. The EVT exhaust is very loud, so we started her out around the boat idling in the yard and eventually took her for a ride in the boat. Now it's just another day at the office.

Mine was gun shy from the start so I didnt bring her around guns for a while. Before I would feed her or give her a treat I would use a cheap cap gun from wal mart and shoot it and whenever I would throw her a dummy I would shoot it. Now they dont even phase her. She hears a gun shot and gets excited. Hell the other day we were in the yard working and a car back fired and she immediatly sat down and began searching the sky. If you dont want to get the cap gun bang pots and pans together while she eats. Worked for me hopefully itl work for you.

Today I really lucked out. I found out by accident that my new dog is not scared of gun fire. I was riding today and came across a coyote near the edge of the water. Without thinking about my dog being with me, I grabbed my HK 45 and began blasting multiple rounds at the coyote. When I realized what I was doing, I looked at my dog and she was just sitting there and didn't seem to give a damn about the gun.

Still give the dog proper conditioning. 1 gun is different than 3 or 4 12 gauges sounding off over their head. Its a good sign but give your dog a better chance at enjoying it and making the sound a good thing. My dogs get excited when they hear a safety click.

Also for the sake of your dog.... Do not shoot over its head... Imagine how your ears will hurt of someone does it to you! if you hunt a pit blind dont let the dog sit in the blind while multiple guns are goin off because your gonna deafen them.

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Like everyone has been saying start small. Always associate the gun sound with something positive, aka(dummy, ball) whatever it takes to build the confidence. Then just start coming closer and with louder guns. I liked the different loads that you can use with the HT dummy launcher. Worked great and she always got to associate that gun shot with a dummy and then you can move from there.

Whatever u do, don't associate the discipline of training wif gun shots. The dog will very shortly associate gunshots wif discipline, and it's game over. Make sure u keep the 2 separate as long as possible.

Buy the DVD, Gun Dog Basic's by Chris Atkins and have your dog watch it twice.

i remember being concerned about this as well when my dog was 2 months old. the plan was to bring him hunting let my bud shoot and i was gonna hold him and play with him. the first flock of grays came by we forgot bout the dog in excitement and we each shot 3 shells. the dog never moved never flinched and honestly still to this day sometimes i look for an expression and he could care less still.