OT: Training my Goldy to hunt...

Hoping there are some hunters here. We have a Golden Retriever. I have trained with her since she was a pup so she is more than obedient. She has no needed a leash in years, shits on command, etc. Mostly just the family pet but she also has hunting instinct. This was proved last year when we took her in the field. Problem is she is gun shy. She flips out and ran back to the farm house last year and was of no help once she heard that first shot. She is afraid of thunder, black cats, guns, you name it.

I was just working with her and realized she was flipping out with me even clapping real loud.... I have a ways to go!! I realize treats and noise is a good tactic but wondering if anyone has successfully trained this shyness out of a dog? I have been told if they flip out with noise, they WILL NOT hunt. I don't know. I can get her to do about anything else but this one could take some work.

I've had lots of dogs and shot lots of guns. My experiance has been if a dog is truly gun shy it's ingrained for life. Perhaps a really good trainer could help but I don't think she will ever enjoy gun shots as a good hunter should. BUT, she sounds like a real friend and companion. Enjoy her for that. It's worth more than hunting.............Bob

A friend had this exact same issue. Ended up taking said dog to work - any were noisy. After about 4 months the dog more or less was ok around loud noises, guns - very loud bangs that are sudden was still a issue though.

^^^ LOL!

If you can tag Quail with those, you da man! Honestly, I am not a big hunter, thus my reason for not training her early. Not really regretting it but it sure sucks trying to find birds some times...

You've got time to hunt?


My Golden was gun shy too.

However - she was a SUPER hunter! .... of woodchucks.... They didn't stand a chance!

Dog koodn't kill a posum to save her life tho. I would always hafta go fetch a gun while the dumb thing was playing dead for the umpteenth time.

But thunder - now there's a story!

When young I would sic her on the thunder gods. Dog would run out into the night and storms to go get that thunder and chase it away. Poor dog would stand out in the field carrying on for half the night at times, then come back drenched to the bone. Oh well - I guess she got a good bath?


Didn't seem to doo her no harm. She made it to 14yo.

When we got a new pup a few yrs ago, Mamma instructed me to NOT teach this dog to doo that!







So this one stays and guards the shop. ...



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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

A great companion - would not know what to do with a Duck if landed on his head.

Gunshy dogs

Yep, you got a problem. You might have to resign yourself to the fact you have a great pet, and a poor retriever.

However, you might try one thing. Get your waders on, find a .22 blank pistol, and a shallow beach or pond.

Put a leash on the dog, and wade out to where it is deep enough that the dog has to swim. Then when it is swimming along side you, fire a shot with the blank pistol. The first time out, shoot a MAXIMUM of three shots.

Repeat the next day, and keep it up until the dog does not pay attention too much to the shots. It is too busy swimming.

This is a long process, and will not happen overnight. There are no quick fixes to your problem......it will take a lot of time, and it is not guaranteed to work.

You might also take the dog to a local gun club, or trap and skeet club where there is a lot of shooting going on. Park your vehicle near the firing line, AND STAY INSIDE WITH THE DOG FOR A WHILE. If the dog sees that you are not concerned with the shooting, it should calm down a bit.

I do this with a promising pup, and they get to look forward to going after a while. They start associating the truck ride and noise to fun.

However, at this stage, with an older dog, you are fighting an uphill battle. As mentioned, it is already ingrained into your dog, and probably will not be able to be cured all together.

Goldens are great dogs, but if you want a hunting dog, get a Labrador.
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Thing that gets me about this dog is the "soft jaws" that are so hard to train in. She can carry an egg without breaking it. We did try to get her excited about real birds when we shot them but she was already in the "scared" zone and did not care. I got my scented bumper out the other day and she did very well. So I tried to simply clap to help with her gun problem. I was astounded that clapping was enough to flip her out. Where are the doggy ear plugs????