A friend has a 9 month old setter pup that was noise sensitive, he has made a lot of progress but I wanted to get some opinions to make sure the dog is where we think it needs to be.
History as I know it.
Intro to gunfire with clipped wing pigeon several times went perfect, the dog could care less about the noise all it cared about was the bird.
Everything was going fine, on a normal training outing he said he fired the 209 cap pistol a little too close and scared the pup, fired another primer at distance and the pup was terrified.
They took a break for a couple weeks.
Took the pup out to point a pigeon fired the cap gun and the pup was still scared.
They took another break
Then he tossed a clip wing chukar out and let the pup chase it around and get excited then he fired the cap pistol and the pup is now scared of birds AND loud noises!
He decided to take a break and just work him on birds with no gun, now the dog is scared of the launcher!
FFWD to present.
He has been coming over to my place to work the dog around all my dogs who are bird crazy and not afraid of guns.
The pup is at the point where he LOVES retrieving dummies from the dummy launcher - the launcher uses 22 blanks and the pup goes bananas for it.
He is highly interested in birds again
He will ignore the cap gun when the other dogs are around and I throw pigeons for them to chase
He is a just little flinchy - but very interested - in the launcher when I put it out in plain sight and its loaded with a training dummy... because of my friend's schedule he usually trains alone and really needs the launcher at times... I suspect he will have to scrap the launcher with this dog.
he is by and large unconcerned with any loud unexpected noises and when I watched him on the fourth of July he could care less about the fire works.
Im just wondering if it would be safe at this point to put all the pieces together and try planting some birds for him, and get him ready enough to shoot some birds for him to retrieve?
or should we just keep taking it slow and keep working on what we have been working on.
proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
Re: proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
Im no expert, i just happened to watch this section of perfect start perfect finish today... err on the side of caution and slow is what i think they would say. There is alot of other stuff here that I will let more experienced trainers chime in on.
Re: proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
Hmmm . Well, I'd just go with the launcher and birds for now - no gun - as you say he is excited again about the launcher/ birds. I'd hold off on the gun for another 2 months . I wouldn't be planning on hunting this dog with a gun near this fall hunting season.
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kninebirddog
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Re: proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
I would let that pup chase birds until it is bird crazy and then when the pup is balistic for birds then and only then would I get a light round aimed the other direction shoot one round one round only and only when the pup is in full chase.
I would let that stew for a day or so and then repeat if pup is catching the birds all the better at this point.
As the saying goes you can't steer a parked car.
If the pup has any reaction do not say anything or acknowledge the pup. Act as if everything is normal as coddling the dog will only encourage the scared behavior
As the pup can handle one shot off in the distance while it is in full chase then work the way closer
I would let that stew for a day or so and then repeat if pup is catching the birds all the better at this point.
As the saying goes you can't steer a parked car.
If the pup has any reaction do not say anything or acknowledge the pup. Act as if everything is normal as coddling the dog will only encourage the scared behavior
As the pup can handle one shot off in the distance while it is in full chase then work the way closer
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"When I hear somebody talk about a horse or cow being stupid, I figure its a sure sign that the animal has outfoxed them." Tom Dorrance
If you feel like you are banging your head against the wall, try using the door.
Re: proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
Kninebirddog, roger that.
Thanks sharon.
I should probably clarify my original post... he is skittish around the bird laucher, but goes crazy for the dummy launcher which uses 22 blanks.
Thanks sharon.
I should probably clarify my original post... he is skittish around the bird laucher, but goes crazy for the dummy launcher which uses 22 blanks.
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BellaSpinone
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Re: proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
Keep working with dummy launcher. Got a tip from a pro, gunner is never behind a young dog. Look at perfect start gunner is always out in front. I prefer perfect start but if I have a dog bothered by launcher I will use Hickox scent bird.
I worked thu this problem by having the dog whoa broke to tossed birds. Took dog to field. Training partner held check cord. Tossed couple of birds. Tossed freshly killed bird fired shot gun held breath sent dog. Was 30 yards in front of dog. Notice I said bird dog would blink launchers and pigeons.. Broke dog using quail without launchers. Luckily I had quail recalling at the time.
Dog is now a NAVHDA VC and AKC MH
I created the problem by firing at a pigeon out of a launcher standing right over the dog..
I worked thu this problem by having the dog whoa broke to tossed birds. Took dog to field. Training partner held check cord. Tossed couple of birds. Tossed freshly killed bird fired shot gun held breath sent dog. Was 30 yards in front of dog. Notice I said bird dog would blink launchers and pigeons.. Broke dog using quail without launchers. Luckily I had quail recalling at the time.
Dog is now a NAVHDA VC and AKC MH
I created the problem by firing at a pigeon out of a launcher standing right over the dog..
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cstokes/southeast,ks
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Re: proceeding with a noise sensitive pup
I would get some quail. Set up with a chucker or pigeon in the launcher. Let the dog point the bird, throw a quail with trimmed wings. Let the pup have a blast with that bird flapping around. It will help speed up his bird craziness. Before long he will be so excited about getting to that bird he wont hear the noise. A pup like your describing will get bored watching birds fly off leaving no desire to chase. Get that bird drive back in him and it will make the reconditioning of gun fire easier for both of you. With his strong desire to retrieve it leaves me to believe he will greatly benefit from getting his mouth on some birds.
Cory Stokes
Cory Stokes