Gun shy rescue GSP

[Cicada]

Well my 2 1/2 year old rescue GSP has turned out to be gunshy. He seemed okay when I shot a grouse out of a tree when he was a bout 50 yards away he came over and pointed the dead bird and retrieved it. But as I shot more birds over points he got more scared. He does not panic just shuts down and stops hunting sometimes he returns to the truck.

He has been very slow to learn everything swimming, loading into the truck but once he gets it he does well. My plan is to get him on some pigeons and use the cap gun and starting pistol.

Has any one had any success using CD's or recorded sound to acclimate a gun shy dog.

Thanks

Grant

[TEX-X]

If he's shutting down don't start popping a cap gun around him....just make it worse. Take a step back and start from the beginning of reintroducing the dog to gunfire. Go slow and use a method or you will make things worse. Hopefully you can get him over it

[Cicada]

My plan is to only fire the cap gun when he has a bird on his mind.

Another thing is he comes to me when I fire a shot from a distance is that usual for a gun shy dog I always thought that gun shy dogs ran from guns and gunfire.

Grant

[ezzy333]

My plan is to only fire the cap gun when he has a bird on his mind.

Another thing is he comes to me when I fire a shot from a distance is that usual for a gun shy dog I always thought that gun shy dogs ran from guns and gunfire.

Grant

It may be a good idea after several weeks and several birds but not now. Go slow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ezzy

[birddogger]

My plan is to only fire the cap gun when he has a bird on his mind.

Another thing is he comes to me when I fire a shot from a distance is that usual for a gun shy dog I always thought that gun shy dogs ran from guns and gunfire.

Grant

It may be a good idea after several weeks and several birds but not now. Go slow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ezzy

Absolutely correct! It doesn't sound like he is full fledged gunshy, but will be if you are not very careful. Definately sounds like a sensitive dog.

Charlie

[RoostersMom]

Use the Perfect Start methods - it will take weeks to get him in a positive mode with the gun. Don't hunt with a gun until you've fully gun conditioned the dog. Again - probably will take weeks. Our gunshy chessie took 6 weeks using the Perfect Start to get over the situation - and I still need to be careful when multiple shooters are around.

[bonasa]

My plan is to only fire the cap gun when he has a bird on his mind.

Get him very birdy for quite sometime. Then follow the gun intro plan, and don't fire on every bird then. You are done this season hunting wise until you get this together. Take it slow and stick to a proven gun intro method. Seeing if he figures it out on the go is not a method..

[Cicada]

Thanks folks I will do my best over the winter with the perfect start method.

Grant

[msrkennels]

Force break to retriever him that should take care of the problem he doesnt know what you want does not sound like a him Syu dog.

[Cicada]

Force break to retriever him that should take care of the problem he doesnt know what you want does not sound like a him Syu dog.

He retrieves to hand about 80% of the time. If I grab him by the scruff of the neck he screams like a Banshee, I have never FF a dog so I think I would get a Pro. Could you expand on why FF would help with this problem.

Thanks

Grant

[jhoughton]

Why not just keep him as a pet...most rescues are rescues because of an issue they will not overcome. Most times the time and money spent on a dog like that is way more than just getting another hunting dog. Ain't nothing wrong with him being just a pet...you did a great thing by rescuing him. The fact you say if you grab him he screams like a banshee would indicate to me he has some deep rooted issues he will never get over.

[Cicada]

Yes I could just keep him as a pet but he may just die of a broken heart when I leave him at home and take the old girl out and a yet to get new pup.

Grant
Soon to be looking for new GSP pup.

[RoostersMom]

Give him some time Grant. As a foster for the local animal shelter and two breed-specific rescues (and owners of two rescue hunting dogs), I will tell you that he might just need proper intro to the gun and hunting. We had a gunshy chessie that we now hunt with every day we can of duck season. He was dumped at a shelter in Utah when he was 10 months old. I've taken several foster dogs and turned them into hunting dogs - most dogs aren't dumped because of a dog issue, most are dumped because of a people issue (money, divorce, moving, etc.). We have whole litters of purebred pointers dumped at our local shelter all the time - and I don't think a 6 week old puppy has many issues that can be a reason for dumping them. Be patient and treat the dog like a baby pup. Take it slow. Make it positive.

[Cicada]

Will do RM
The hunting gods must be on Bow's side; I just let him out for his AM romp when he did not come in with Arrow I looked out in the window and he was sitting over a grey lump under the big pines. When he barked at it I figured I better throw on some boots and see what is up. I walked up to him and he came running with a very fresh grouse in his mouth and he dropped it in my hand!

I think I will keep him

Grant

[marcum]

Your dog's are "Bow" and "Arrow"? Haha I love it