Was this the right correction.

[NorCalGSP]

After a long off season the CA. dove season opened up sep. 1. I took my two year old gsp out to bag a few birds. Most of our hunting has been quail and phez hunts with him on point or flushing upon command. Gunshyness has never been the slightest of an issue. However on our dove hunt I had him sit and wait next to me and when the first set flew in we took a few shots and I noticed my dog get scared and try to get up and leave. I set down my gun letting my little brother take the rest of the shots while I handled my dog by not letting him run off and trying toshow him the falling birds. He recovered a few downed birds and quit trying to run off but he still had a scared posture anytime my brother raised his gun. Did I handle this correctly or should I have taken another route.

[Tooling]

I wouldn't shoot around him at all and head straight to a professional gun dog trainer...not something to be messing around with if you want to keep your gun dog.

Your reacting to his reaction could be a very very bad thing...way over my head and I wouldn't even try to work it out...see a pro for guidance as in don't elicit help online outside of mere suggestion but rather take it to somebody that can physically see your dog. This is one of those things that could be very difficult to un-do.

[birddog1968]

My pointers don't like to sit around and listen to guns going off for, what to them, seems like no reason.

I've got 1000's (literally) birds shot over them but they will look confused and scared if made to just sit and listen to guns going off.

[Sharon]

Exactly. Dove shooting - "few shots" - is not good for my setters either. This Fall is the first season for dove shooting in ON. I won' be going. Labs seem fine sitting in a blind having multiple shooters firing at ducks. Not sure why there is a difference.

I think you handled it as well as you could have. Only other option was to take him back to the truck and that may have not been good for him either. NO way you caould have known this would happen:"Gunshyness has never been the slightest of an issue." quote

[gonehuntin']

Just to be clear, you don't "correct" a dog for gun shyness, you condition him to it and very carefully at that.

[NorCalGSP]

Im glad to hear my pointer is not the only one. I like taking him anytime im in the field but I might let him s leep in untill quail season opens up. He really hates standing still unless there is a covey involved. He didnt seem to excited about the dove feathers in his mouth anyway. I spent alot of time conditioning him to gunfire just never in a blind. I would let him explore as a puppy while I shot randomly he never reacted at all. As he got older he would be excited in anticipation of a dead bird.

[Tooling]

My pointers don't like to sit around and listen to guns going off for, what to them, seems like no reason.

I've got 1000's (literally) birds shot over them but they will look confused and scared if made to just sit and listen to guns going off.

Ditto..I can shoot a .22 a .45 whatever and pup just wants to run and find what's down..I think it'd confuse my dog to stand there although I'll make him stand at heel while shooting the .22 ,(while he chomps at the bit), and then release him for the search hoping to "put" that into him for Dove season in a couple years once he is well trained in the field. He hates finding a can with "maybe" one little hole in it

Although it may be common...I seriously would want a pro to physically see my dog..if you stand there staring at pup and make a big production out if it he's going to react and probably not in a good way. I know I hate it when the spotlights on me like that.

(And no...I do not shoot a .45 w/pup by my side but once he hears it..he comes running and ends the shooting gallery as he'll be on the hunt)

[birddog1968]

Some birddogs just aren't preprogrammed to be none slip retrievers, bout as simple as that......Some shorthairs are perfectly happy to sit in a hide and wait for retrieves some aren't. Not that they won't, but their going to be nervous wrecks while they wait.

Never going to make mine gunshy making them sit but its also not what they are wired to do.....

[4dabirds]

Im glad to hear my pointer is not the only one. I like taking him anytime im in the field but I might let him s leep in untill quail season opens up. He really hates standing still unless there is a covey involved. He didnt seem to excited about the dove feathers in his mouth anyway. I spent alot of time conditioning him to gunfire just never in a blind. I would let him explore as a puppy while I shot randomly he never reacted at all. As he got older he would be excited in anticipation of a dead bird.

This is a perfect example of why dogs need to be introduced to gunfire in a proper way. Dogs do not get conditioned to anything. Dogs learn by association. Since this dogs early intro to guns was not coupled with an association with birds it has tolerated the gun when it was not so loud and near. This could turn into gun shyness in the field. Take the advice of seeing a pro. Make sure the pro is not going to further condition the dog but help it make the association. Since the early training was improper this may be difficult. If the dog in the future becomes afraid when near a bird it could then make the negative association with birds and guns and turn off to birds altogether.

[NorCalGSP]

Im glad to hear my pointer is not the only one. I like taking him anytime im in the field but I might let him s leep in untill quail season opens up. He really hates standing still unless there is a covey involved. He didnt seem to excited about the dove feathers in his mouth anyway. I spent alot of time conditioning him to gunfire just never in a blind. I would let him explore as a puppy while I shot randomly he never reacted at all. As he got older he would be excited in anticipation of a dead bird.

This is a perfect example of why dogs need to be introduced to gunfire in a proper way. Dogs do not get conditioned to anything. Dogs learn by association. Since this dogs early intro to guns was not coupled with an association with birds it has tolerated the gun when it was not so loud and near. This could turn into gun shyness in the field. Take the advice of seeing a pro. Make sure the pro is not going to further condition the dog but help it make the association. Since the early training was improper this may be difficult. If the dog in the future becomes afraid when near a bird it could then make the negative association with birds and guns and turn off to birds altogether.

I am pretty sure he has made that association as he goes in search of a downed bird anytime he hears a gun go off.

[Neil]

Understand gunfire hurts the ears of the dog, some more than others, all more than humans.

[jimbo&rooster]

My pointers don't like to sit around and listen to guns going off for, what to them, seems like no reason.

I've got 1000's (literally) birds shot over them but they will look confused and scared if made to just sit and listen to guns going off.

^^^^yes^^^^.

I have a GSP who has had hundreds of birds shot over him, and he knows what the game is. He knows when i start grabbing my stuff and we head to the field "its on". But if im in the back yard banging away at paper or shooting clays or whatever he will freak out, and forget about a thunder storm. By holding your dog there and making him sit through it you MAY have done more harm than good.

Jim

[Tooling]

As eluded to..my pup has zero issue w/gunfire to date..as was learned this past 4th of July...he really does not care for fireworks. At an earlier age thunder startled him...we just didn't react at all and went about our business making pup feel like it was his problem..thunder is a non-issue today.
In contrast wifey is a bit on the panicky side..we had a dog that had no issue w/storms but after a twister went through our area it really shook wifey up and put her on edge anytime a storm came through..the dog was a wreck during a storm following this. Wifey and I had a long sit-down before getting this pup

[ezzy333]

Im glad to hear my pointer is not the only one. I like taking him anytime im in the field but I might let him s leep in untill quail season opens up. He really hates standing still unless there is a covey involved. He didnt seem to excited about the dove feathers in his mouth anyway. I spent alot of time conditioning him to gunfire just never in a blind. I would let him explore as a puppy while I shot randomly he never reacted at all. As he got older he would be excited in anticipation of a dead bird.

This is a perfect example of why dogs need to be introduced to gunfire in a proper way. Dogs do not get conditioned to anything. Dogs learn by association. Since this dogs early intro to guns was not coupled with an association with birds it has tolerated the gun when it was not so loud and near. This could turn into gun shyness in the field. Take the advice of seeing a pro. Make sure the pro is not going to further condition the dog but help it make the association. Since the early training was improper this may be difficult. If the dog in the future becomes afraid when near a bird it could then make the negative association with birds and guns and turn off to birds altogether.

If it is the perfect example then I have seen many perfect examples of gun shyness. Many dogs that have had birds shot over them will not tolerate a gun very well when in a blind or not actively on a bird. And dogs are conditioned to noices just like they are to many other things. I don't know why in todays world we continue to tell people the way dogs were trained for years won't work or are all wrong. There are more than one way to skin the cat and we ought to be able to understand that. And after training several dogs it should be easy to see that each may need their own method of getting the job done.

Ezzy

[Tooling]

I've heard breeders say they will make loud noises etc while pups are eating and things of that nature in order to start them off having exposure to loud and sudden noises....pots/pans and such. Then onto blanks while pups are out and about playing and having fun as well as when eating.

I'm sticking to taking pup to a pro that knows exactly what they are seeing...the consequences of getting this wrong are pretty big and speaking for myself I'd rather pay a few bucks if that's what it takes for my own pc of mind. Most breeders I have come across are very kind and are not the nickel & diming sort..although, if pup legit needs some work and you have a good trainer that really knows his/her stuff...treat them like gold.