# Formally training the gun shots?



## cledford (Apr 5, 2005)

My girl has been exposed to the gun shots occasionally - but we haven't "formally" trained them. Any advice on a program? Should we start out with play while gunshots are going on, or her in a down? My close or usual distance away? Correct or not for breaking down?

Thanks for input,

-Calvin


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

What was her reaction during the occasionally exposure to gun shots?


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I've never had need to formally train a dog for the gunshots. My dogs have always just naturally ignored them and the occasional exposure in training is all they've gotten. But I have seen it done by others a couple of times.

They started just by having random gunshots go off during play and at other times in order to desensitize the dog to the sound before moving on to more formal exercises.

During the heeling, a common way is to reward with food or toy immediately after the gunshots. This way the dog learns the sound means to focus even more on the handler, because a reward will be forthcomming. 

For the down, handler walk's back to the dog and give a food reward, then walk away again, right after the gunshots. Again, idea being the dog learns to look to the handler on the shots, expecting handler to come deliver a reward. Same technique often used to extend down-stays by rewarding the stay with intermittent reward (but not release) during the stay, just in this case associated with the gunshots.

Correcting the dog for reacting isn't the way to go. That is likely to backfire as the dog will associate the gunshot with a negative stimulus, making the dog more disturbed by the gunshots. I've seen correction used effectively in the long down, though there it's for the dog breaking the down, not just reacting to the gunshots. But would definitely try to avoid correction as it can enhance the dog's negative reaction.

And less use of the whip in protection helps too... They're often overused by helpers in general, but I've seen several dogs who were not naturally sound sensitive and completely ignored gunshots early on, taught over time to react to gunshots because they sound much like the whip. So the sharp clack noise sends the dog into a flurry of drive and energy, looking around for a helper.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

This wasn't for SchH per se, but it was done with our TD. I wanted to try gun shots with my female for the TT. You're not supposed to practice for the TT but I wanted to make sure this was not going to totally shut her down. We went outside and started quite a distance away, like 100 feet I think. He shot the gun and I immediately marked and rewarded her for looking to the source of the sound and then back to me but not spooking. We did this twice just to make sure she wasn't going to flip out. She seemed fine so then we just did some basic heeling around the field while the gun shooters came in closer and switched to a louder bullet or whatever it's called. The heeling sort of distracted her, and everytime the gun fired I immediately rewarded (for her I used food) to make a positive association. We didn't correct anything. If she seemed more nervous we just moved a little farther away and I increased my praise and rewards after the shot. 

For the TT, the shooter was in a blind, our backs were to the blind and we were about 7 feet from the blind. I remember worrying because it was SO close and while my family all hunts, I personally hadn't been exposed to gun shots besides or one practice. I think I jumped at the first shot but she just perked up a little so we passed.

When I was at NASS, I had Nikon along and there were gun shots all day long as they fired, 5-6 dogs at a time in each of the youth and adult classes. I don't know whether that was better for ME not spooking or for Nikon's future, lol.


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## cledford (Apr 5, 2005)

Lynn, The last time she was exposed (when out on the field, not in the truck) was at the old field. Showed some "what was that?" on a couple, ignored others - but we were playing. The issue is no one ever thinks to do them until the weekend before the trial (at least in the clubs I've been in) and I've never done anything "official" about them myself. I'd prefer to expose her in a more controlled fashion and plan to start soon so there aren't any issues rushing it in at the end. I like the play idea and it was actually why I posted. To me, that seems liek the right way to go. Someone told me that you shouldn't play with them however, although I can't remember why. I think play is the right way to go to start. 

Also, re. the whip - entirely correct. My former dog would freakout in a "where the **** is the helper!?!?" when he heard the gunshots from all the whip cracking someone had done. 

-Calvin


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Since our neighbors have a pistol range in their back yard AND the local hunter safety training is conducted in the field accross the street from us I don't have to "train" for the gun shot!









But still, I do plan to take Mauser over to the local gun club when the weather permits and follow DH around while he does a round of sporting clays.


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

We were shooting off gun shots this past weekend. It seems like it's always an after thought.. "**** we should have fired the gun". I think it should be done more frequently. I know Dante's reactive, because he's looking around for the helper when the gun is fired (the too much whip, IMO). I really have to de-sensitize him before trials. I plan on exposing Laos ALOT to the gun shots.


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