# Exposing Ranger to Gunfire



## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Ranger is my 13+ week old pup. I exposed him to gunfire today and it worked out pretty good. He aint skeered. :wink2:


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Glad he did well. Mine do fine with guns, fireworks, thunder and the like. I think mine have fed off of my enjoyment of those things and view them as something positive.


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Nigel said:


> Glad he did well. Mine do fine with guns, fireworks, thunder and the like. I think mine have fed off of my enjoyment of those things and view them as something positive.


 I used to take my previous Shepherd to the rifle range and he would just sit in the back of the truck with what I swear was a smile on his face. He looked like he was right where he was supposed to be.

I would have been a little dissapointed if Ranger had freaked or was frightened because I, like you love it. :grin2:


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Sound puppy!!!

Sound sensitivities can develop at any time. A friend has a national level IPO dog who developed fears of any loud noise after a bad storm. Career Over. My girl used to sit on the porch with me and watch storms. She shakes, runs and hides at a hiccup now.


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Jax08 said:


> Sound puppy!!!
> 
> Sound sensitivities can develop at any time. A friend has a national level IPO dog who developed fears of any loud noise after a bad storm. Career Over. My girl used to sit on the porch with me and watch storms. She shakes, runs and hides at a hiccup now.


Yeah, I know. We had a Dane years ago who would tremble at thunder storms and the kids throwing fire crakers. :frown2:


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

It's horrible. Nothing you can do to comfort them. I even tried drugging her on July 4th so she would snooze thru the fireworks but the timing has to be stellar for the drugs to take effect.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

Your boy done good. 
Rosko does fine with gun shots. Hates fire works. It's game over if he hears even one fire work. 
Athena and Apollo do fine with gun shots and fireworks. So far. I try and shoot with them frequently just to keep them accustomed. 
I have kept the two younger ones just on 22's and 45 caliber pistols. I should advance to rifles this weekend. But some of the bigger rifles have a lot deeper percussion than the pistols. Better do them all individually. Don't want Rosko to possibly freak out and get the others skittish.


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## alexg (Mar 22, 2013)

Jax08 said:


> Sound puppy!!!
> 
> Sound sensitivities *can develop at any time*. A friend has a national level IPO dog who developed fears of any loud noise after a bad storm. Career Over. My girl used to sit on the porch with me and watch storms. She shakes, runs and hides at a hiccup now.


Interesting what can trigger that? How to prevent it?
Fortunately I've never had to deal with these issues, but I can imagine how frustrating and difficult to deal with them.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

This is not something that I would do a lot of. As Jax08 correctly mentioned issues can occur down the road from doing too much of this stuff. Once the novelty of stimulus wears off you may wind up with an issue.

The biggest things that I see and need to be worked on are a proper grip and better trigger control.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Totally agree with the others. It is definitely possible to overload a dog with live fire. And your dog is just a pup.

A dog can, literally, become shell shocked.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Interesting...my girl was as steady as a rock when she was young and then suddenly in her old age can't tolerate storms or fireworks anymore.

Lucky for us my laundry room is in the basement with no outside windows and you really can't hear much down there. That is where her kennel is, I call it the bunker. She will even go to the basement door and ask to be let down because she feels safe down there.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

I don't know if one can over do it. Look at the different varieties of hunting dogs. My father has always had some kind of hunting dog. ****, squirrel, rabbit. All of these dogs were and are subjected to gunfire almost daily. Dogs never became noise sensitive. Maybe the difference is that when you shoot a ****, or squirrel out of a tree the dogs get to retrieve and possibly fight with the animal. Rabbit dogs get to chase the rabbit. So maybe instead of just shooting with the dogs near we should be involving the dog in some kind of stimuli involved with shooting. Get them to equate gunshots with something fun. And not just a loud noise they get to endure while we shoot.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

alexg said:


> Interesting what can trigger that? How to prevent it?
> Fortunately I've never had to deal with these issues, but I can imagine how frustrating and difficult to deal with them.



As far as my girl, nobody knows. I've talked to a couple of vets and they both have said the same thing. It just happens with some dogs as they age. Jax is the first dog I've had it happen with.

As far as my friend's dog, we really don't know the trigger. The storm was overnight and one of the worst in years. they found him huddled outside their bedroom door in the morning. Then he trialed that weekend as well. Freaked on the gunshot. And this is not a skittish dog in any way. Super solid.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

cdwoodcox said:


> I don't know if one can over do it. Look at the different varieties of hunting dogs. My father has always had some kind of hunting dog. ****, squirrel, rabbit. All of these dogs were and are subjected to gunfire almost daily. Dogs never became noise sensitive. Maybe the difference is that when you shoot a ****, or squirrel out of a tree the dogs get to retrieve and possibly fight with the animal. Rabbit dogs get to chase the rabbit. So maybe instead of just shooting with the dogs near we should be involving the dog in some kind of stimuli involved with shooting. Get them to equate gunshots with something fun. And not just a loud noise they get to endure while we shoot.


Boom. Yes, I think it helps to associate the noise with a positive. At the field, you never want the gun to go off while you're correcting your dog. Better it be while you're playing.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

cdwoodcox said:


> I don't know if one can over do it. Look at the different varieties of hunting dogs. My father has always had some kind of hunting dog. ****, squirrel, rabbit. All of these dogs were and are subjected to gunfire almost daily. Dogs never became noise sensitive. Maybe the difference is that when you shoot a ****, or squirrel out of a tree the dogs get to retrieve and possibly fight with the animal. Rabbit dogs get to chase the rabbit. So maybe instead of just shooting with the dogs near we should be involving the dog in some kind of stimuli involved with shooting. Get them to equate gunshots with something fun. And not just a loud noise they get to endure while we shoot.


 I think trust is a factor along with the association of fun that makes "noise" a non issue. There are other things that can factor in, but I think those two weigh heavy in how my dogs perceive loud noises. 

It can also work against you to a degree in some instances. Mine will happily invade your personal space while I'm using chainsaws, miter saws, and will chase the snow coming out of the snow blower.

On the point of developing noise sensitivities, my lab did this in her senior years. She had hunted off and on and been around gun fire her entire life. Then one day while shooting targets she circled me and jumped up after the gun. We tried again a couple weeks later with the same result. No ear infection or anything of that sort, she was just done.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

I'd prefer to have a positive association stacked up right away. For the most part whether or not a dog is gun-shy is going to be genetic but if the dog can go either way and is taught to associate that boom with bite/fun/whatever they're way less likely to develop issues.

Crank hears gunshots he's thinking bite or someone somewhere is getting a bite and maybe he's missing out. Pumps him up.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Baillif said:


> I'd prefer to have a positive association stacked up right away. For the most part whether or not a dog is gun-shy is going to be genetic but if the dog can go either way and is taught to associate that boom with bite/fun/whatever they're way less likely to develop issues.
> 
> Crank hears gunshots he's thinking bite or someone somewhere is getting a bite and maybe he's missing out. Pumps him up.


I agree that genetics is at the core of noise sensitivity. With puppies and young dogs, I figure why not go ahead and make it a positive experience? A good TD or whomever will be firing the gun will tell you ahead of time he's going to be doing gunshots so you can set up your dog to be playing with his toy when the gun goes off. I think it's a good idea with pups and green dogs. Can't hurt.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I got a gun a new gun for christmas (husband knows the way to a girl's heart lol). I was going to test my young dog. When we did target shooting last year with a louder handgun both my old female and my old male were fine with it. I don't trust the old girl to set a good example anymore (she is the one getting weird in her old age) so I thought I would just try it with the youngster only.

He has never had any sensitivity or fear for anything else loud, he has been around a fair amount of really big heavy machinery and my husband dumped the air compressor one time when I walked in with him and that was super loud and he didn't care.

I guess I will just take him for a game of tug and have hubby shoot and see what happens.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

I start my pups out with me shooting 22's. Their not loud but they are a different sound then they're used to hearing in the house. Then a 9mm is louder but not as loud as a 45 which is next. Shotgun and rifles come into the equation after I see they're all OK with the quieter calibers. But I'll skip that for now and figure out a way to make gunshots rewarding for them before I move on. I may even be able to try and get Rosko over his fear of fireworks if I take him away from the shotguns and let him do some obedience with ball play while they're shooting in the distance. Worth a shot.


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> I got a gun a new gun for christmas (husband knows the way to a girl's heart lol). I was going to test my young dog. When we did target shooting last year with a louder handgun both my old female and my old male were fine with it. I don't trust the old girl to set a good example anymore (she is the one getting weird in her old age) so I thought I would just try it with the youngster only.
> 
> He has never had any sensitivity or fear for anything else loud, he has been around a fair amount of really big heavy machinery and my husband dumped the air compressor one time when I walked in with him and that was super loud and he didn't care.
> 
> I guess I will just take him for a game of tug and have hubby shoot and see what happens.


Girl with a gun AND German Shepherds.... me thinks your old man has it going on!!


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Inga was nine months old and we were out for a walk, came around a curve and there were the neighbors about to start some target practice. They were eighty feet away with large caliber pistols. I put her in a sit and she watched and did not even flick an ear at a volley of gunfire . I said hey look shes not even scared and he said Sure she's not, thats a police dog. She has 154 Schutzhunds in her lineage, maybe thats why.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Shooter said:


> Girl with a gun AND German Shepherds.... me thinks your old man has it going on!!


Hah! I can beat that! My darling husband bought me *two* new guns before Christmas and a new pistol case for Christmas!

And my new Czech IPO puppy arrived two days ago.

Am I set or what?

I think Dh just likes buying guns here in E Tennessee after living so long in SoCal. It's so amazing to go to the gun store and be able to leave with your gun.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Nurse Bishop said:


> She has 154 Schutzhunds in her lineage, maybe thats why.



No, that's not why. She simply has solid nerves.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Shooter said:


> Girl with a gun AND German Shepherds.... me thinks your old man has it going on!!


Yeah we are not messing around. Ironically it was the old male mixed GSD who I think would have been the most likely to actually defend me if it came to it. The girl has a real good bluff but I dont think she could follow through. The youngster....he has good ears and a good big bark but that's all I realistically expect out of him. Advanced warning to get the gun.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Block busters are Max's limit. As a pup we were in childrens park over my brothers and some teenage kids lit a few block busters a few feet without any warning we had little kids with us to. max was barking at the clouds. Fireworks he is okay accept the blockbusters I swear the ground shakes- which are neighbors set off weeks before 4th of july. he will bark at block busters thinking he can stop it.if I am engaged or doing something with him at the time he is okay although I don't know when they are going off is the problem. Our dogs are okay with loud noise. we all were banging pots like a bunch of loons last light when the ball dropped around the house and outside and no one raised an eyebrow as if it was the norm-lol! We have a park that we often go to on walks on trails and such. There is a shooting range next door it can get pretty loud ( not as loud as firing a pistol a few away)when we are close to the range - Max and Luna don't bat an eye they are to busy exploring. We are surrounded by woods which during hunting season is legal to hunt in a residential area surprisingly close to houses. Every now and then we will here a gun shot but not often and they are good.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

Just a couple of things to clarify, GSD's are not field hunting dogs. They are not bred for it and making comparisons between a hunting lab or spaniel and GSD is not a good comparison. Doesn't mean that a GSD couldn't do field work, but it is not the breed to consider for serious hunting and retrieving. 

As mentioned, when exposing a dog to gunfire the best thing to do is to put the dog in drive. The "drive" can be for a reward of a toy or a bite. With our K-9's we do not reward with a bite during gunfire very often. I want a gunfire neutral dog, not a dog that wants to bite the first person he sees firing. In my line of work that can have disastrous consequences. For sport it is fine and pretty normal to have a dog be agitated or aggressive to gunfire, much like a whip. 

Different guns, different calibers sound different to dogs and people. A shotgun fired in the distance, especially a 20 gauge while rabbit or squirrel hunting is not going to freak many dogs out. Combined with the dog in drive to hunt, chase the prey and retrieve is going to bring a dog past any negative experience. As mentioned earlier, a very positive experience is associated with the sound of the gun fire. 

Firing a handgun, especially a larger caliber like a 9mm, 40 or 45 close to a dog can cause problems, especially when there is no reward in place. I have seen genetically sound dogs, dogs with no environmental issues become gun shy from exactly this. Dogs that have seemingly had no prior issues with gunfire. Firing rifles around dogs, like an AR can certainly cause problems. Unless you are going hunting with your dog on a regular basis, there is no need to over condition your dogs to gunfire. If you do it once, from a distance, get the reaction that you want then reward and let it go. If you have a good neutral reaction that's great, it won't get better with repeated exposure. It very well might get worse. 

One thing that I have seen is that a dog may have a stable reaction when exposed to gunfire as in the OP's video, the first time. The dog doesn't know what to expect and what is going on. Once the dog has time to think about it, or if the next exposure is not done properly, then you may have serious problems. I've seen this with strong adult GSD's on a bite where the decoy erroneously fires over the dog's head. The dog works through it and the next time may have an aversion to the gunfire. Then the "trying to fix the problem" begins. A problem that was created by poor exposure and a mistake in training creating a "training scar."

One last thing, if I am shooting and wearing ear pro then my dog has cotton stiffed in his ears as well. If it is too loud for me to be in an area with out ear pro, it is too loud for my dog. 

Just my 2 cents, FWIW.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

The IPO club I was a member of for 5 years during late ninetiesto early two thousand was located at Deleware County fire and police training center. Our dogs of all ages were continually exposed to live fire both in and outdoors and concrete buildings set on fire for training purposes. None of our dogs (10-15 dogs in club) had issue with either as time progressed. And most dogs in club were GSL.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

cliffson1 said:


> The IPO club I was a member of for 5 years during late ninetiesto early two thousand was located at Deleware County fire and police training center. Our dogs of all ages were continually exposed to live fire both in and outdoors and concrete buildings set on fire for training purposes. None of our dogs (10-15 dogs in club) had issue with either as time progressed. And most dogs in club were GSL.


How close were the dogs to the gunfire on a regular basis? Drive and Proximity make a difference.

As you know, there were some excellent WGSL's in the late 90's. Some that would have made excellent patrol dogs. I had one and would love to have him gain as a pup to raise, knowing what I know now.


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

zetti said:


> Hah! I can beat that! My darling husband bought me *two* new guns before Christmas and a new pistol case for Christmas!
> 
> And my new Czech IPO puppy arrived two days ago.
> 
> ...


Yes ma'am, you are set. Beautiful country in East Tennessee to boot. I understand your husbands enjoyment in his 1st freedom. I've never known those type restrictions that you guys had. Bought my 1st hg on my 21st birthday (34 years ago).
Congrats on your new pup! 
Everything I've read about them is awesome.


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> Yeah we are not messing around. Ironically it was the old male mixed GSD who I think would have been the most likely to actually defend me if it came to it. The girl has a real good bluff but I dont think she could follow through. The youngster....he has good ears and a good big bark but that's all I realistically expect out of him. Advanced warning to get the gun.



No you aren't messing around.... 3 GSDs and an armed woman. Anybody w half a brain should know better than to cross you guys!


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Slamdunc said:


> How close were the dogs to the gunfire on a regular basis? Drive and Proximity make a difference.
> 
> As you know, there were some excellent WGSL's in the late 90's. Some that would have made excellent patrol dogs. I had one and would love to have him gain as a pup to raise, knowing what I know now.


The dogs were within fifty yards of the indoor range and 75 yards of the three story building that they would set on fire. In winter training nights ( Wednesdays) we actually got some heat from the buildings ( at least psychologically...lol) and was happy for those nights.
Btw, we did obedience and bitework in this area, so drive was a factor.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

cliffson1 said:


> The dogs were within fifty yards of the indoor range and 75 yards of the three story building that they would set on fire. In winter training nights ( Wednesdays) we actually got some heat from the buildings ( at least psychologically...lol) and was happy for those nights.
> Btw, we did obedience and bitework in this area, so drive was a factor.


50 yards is a good, safe distance to work around gunfire, especially if it is from an indoor range. What I was discussing is firing with in a close proximity to the dog. Next to the dog, or within a few yards of the dog can cause problems when done repeatedly, IMHO. I really do not think there is any need to over expose a dog to close gunfire. That is a far different thing than training dogs 50 yds from gunfire, especially when the dogs are in drive. Our K-9 obstacle course is next to our firearms range. While 25 yds of the range are covered the rest is open and we train about 50 - 75 yds away or closer. This does not affect the dogs at all or even excite them. We train our SWAT dogs with flash bangs or DD's and when in drive this is not an issue. 

My post was about firing close to dogs with no reward system in place and thinking that it is necessary, mandatory or something that needs to be done all the time. Obviously, far different than what you were doing. :smile2:


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## Julian G (Apr 4, 2016)

Great job, and nice Jeep. I'm thinking of getting one but have a really tight driveway (8 feet wide).


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Thanks JulianG, I wish I had never made the post. Dogs and guns, kids and guns and guns in church and people freak. I knew better. Only thing I dont like about this forum is when you see your thread going bad you can't delete it. I do love the Jeep though 1998 TJ. 19 years old!! It is perfect for a GSD. Pulled back seat out and put plywood floor down to shield dog from exhaust heat.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Slamdunc said:


> 50 yards is a good, safe distance to work around gunfire, especially if it is from an indoor range. What I was discussing is firing with in a close proximity to the dog. Next to the dog, or within a few yards of the dog can cause problems when done repeatedly, IMHO. I really do not think there is any need to over expose a dog to close gunfire. That is a far different thing than training dogs 50 yds from gunfire, especially when the dogs are in drive. Our K-9 obstacle course is next to our firearms range. While 25 yds of the range are covered the rest is open and we train about 50 - 75 yds away or closer. This does not affect the dogs at all or even excite them. We train our SWAT dogs with flash bangs or DD's and when in drive this is not an issue.
> 
> My post was about firing close to dogs with no reward system in place and thinking that it is necessary, mandatory or something that needs to be done all the time. Obviously, far different than what you were doing. :smile2:


I agree 100% that repeated fire too close is a recipe for issues especially with young pup.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Shooter said:


> Thanks JulianG, I wish I had never made the post. Dogs and guns, kids and guns and guns in church and people freak. I knew better. Only thing I dont like about this forum is when you see your thread going bad you can't delete it. I do love the Jeep though 1998 TJ. 19 years old!! It is perfect for a GSD. Pulled back seat out and put plywood floor down to shield dog from exhaust heat.


Not a bad thread. There are some different schools of thought coming from different perspectives, that's gonna happen. All in all there's always something to take away from it. 

As far as over exposing dogs to gunfire, bullets are expensive so that alone will keep me from over exposing any of mine.


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## Shooter (Nov 19, 2016)

Nigel said:


> .....................
> As far as over exposing dogs to gunfire, bullets are expensive so that alone will keep me from over exposing any of mine.


That is the truth brother. I got 'em but I can't afford to just burn 'em up.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Difference in opinion is fine (beneficial to some).
If a thread truly goes "bad", mods/admin can edit/delete -- so there's that 

Also, if you choose to unfollow a thread, there's that option too.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Slamdunc said:


> 50 yards is a good, safe distance to work around gunfire, especially if it is from an indoor range. What I was discussing is firing with in a close proximity to the dog. Next to the dog, or within a few yards of the dog can cause problems when done repeatedly, IMHO. I really do not think there is any need to over expose a dog to close gunfire. That is a far different thing than training dogs 50 yds from gunfire, especially when the dogs are in drive. Our K-9 obstacle course is next to our firearms range. While 25 yds of the range are covered the rest is open and we train about 50 - 75 yds away or closer. This does not affect the dogs at all or even excite them. We train our SWAT dogs with flash bangs or DD's and when in drive this is not an issue.
> 
> My post was about firing close to dogs with no reward system in place and thinking that it is necessary, mandatory or something that needs to be done all the time. Obviously, far different than what you were doing. :smile2:


I think when we're talking about K-9s, we're--ideally --talking about dogs with extraordinary nerve strength and hardness that we aren't likely to find in sport dogs or pets.

My expectation of a K-9 is that he can handle the stress of a loud noise or flash bang more easily than most dogs primarily because of his genetics. Exposure is important, but, I suspect less so than for many sport or pet dogs.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

zetti said:


> I think when we're talking about K-9s, we're--ideally --talking about dogs with extraordinary nerve strength and hardness that we aren't likely to find in sport dogs or pets.
> 
> My expectation of a K-9 is that he can handle the stress of a loud noise or flash bang more easily than most dogs primarily because of his genetics. Exposure is important, but, I suspect less so than for many sport or pet dogs.


Well, we would hope that our K-9's have extraordinary nerve strength and hardness. There are plenty of sport dogs and pets that have nerve strength and hardness as well, some not so much. 

As I mentioned, gun sureness and nerve strength are the first tests we do when evaluating potential LE prospects. If the dog shows a poor reaction to gunfire, there is no need to test any further. It is also really important for me to test this when the dog is not in drive. It's funny, but many vendors are quick to offer a ball or kong when we go out to test. I politely decline the offer and advise that toys are not necessary for my test. I'm also not interested in seeing a dog chase a tennis ball when testing, I bring other things for the dog to retrieve, when testing hunt and prey drive. 

Once the dog passes and I know the dog is strong, we rarely expose our dogs to gunfire. Once or twice a year we got to the range and do live fire exercises. During the K-9 school I teach the dogs to be neutral and remain in a down stay while the handler fires. After that, we do gunfire every 6 months or so, 4 rounds total for certification purposes. 

For a pet, I do not see any need to do this more than once or twice in it's life, if that much. In IPO the rounds are fired at a distance, not usually within 7-10 yards of the dog. It is an important thing to test for sure, it shows temperament and genetics and can expose a weakness. 

I've just seen some good dogs, strong genetically and with good nerves and certainly hard, develop issues due to over and incorrect exposure. I've had to work a couple of excellent dual purpose GSD's through these issues over the years.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

I completely agree that it is possible to overload even a strong dog with too much live fire.

The difference between a genetically stronger dog and a pet or sport dog, IMO, would be the threshold.

And when I say sport dog, I'm not suggesting that all sport dogs are genetically weak specimens. My own pup's sire was a working K-9 in the Czech Republic. When I say "sport dog" I'm really using the term as shorthand for not a K-9 and not a pet. There is enormous heterogeneity in that group. There are spook dogs in IPO who have no business being titled via Santa Claus and on the other end of the range there are outstanding dogs who can rival any K-9 in courage, hardness and fighting instinct.


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## cootersotg (Dec 22, 2016)

Exposed Lexi to gunfire this weekend and I think it went really well. I hadn't planned on doing this previously (I really hope never to be in a gun fight to be honest) but a few people mentioned that if she is exposed to the sudden popping of gunfire it may help her be less afraid of fireworks, and other loud, sudden noises.

So this weekend I was going to the range with a friend and brought her along.

Driving in we drove by a fair number of ranges with shooters, popping off with everything from small caliber handguns to large caliber rifles and shotguns. On the drive in she didn't care one bit, she didn't even flinch or look up. Halfway through the range I lowered one of the windows just a little, and again no difference.

So when we got to our range and set up I told one of my friends to go first. I had parked my truck at the back of the firing pit we were using (about 15 yards behind my friend who was shooting). I had the doors on the far side of the truck completely open and I sat in the truck and watched Lexi when my friend started firing (.45 acp handgun). It was loud enough that I expected her to flinch or something, but she did not care one bit. Finally he swapped to a full magazine and rapid fired, that got her attention, ever so slightly (she looked behind her that time to see if she could tell what it was, she couldn't and just went back to her bone). We left the door open through about 4 or 5 more sets of shooting by us (with other shots from nearby ranges ringing out constantly). It wasn't loud enough that I was worried about her hearing, but was I super happy that she never cared about the suddenness of the gunshots.

I'd like to take her again some time, maybe with some cotton in her years, and have her outside the truck (in a safe scenario of course) but for a first go around I was very pleased.


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## Dalko43 (Mar 30, 2015)

An old trick many hunters still use is that they'll get an old pelt or piece of fur from a harvested animal, rub it in something the dog finds tasty (or put a treat inside the pelt itself). They take the dog to where the pelt is, fire off a shot (either using a real firearm or starter pistol) and then release the dog to go investigate it. Very quickly the dogs begin to associate gunshots with finding and/or retrieving an animal and the whole thing becomes normal to them.

Obviously this is tailored towards hunting dogs, but you could do a similar drill using some sort of treat or reward-based system. I agree that exposing a young pup to too much gunfire can lead to potential problems. But certainly there is nothing wrong with gradually exposing them to such sounds, especially if loud noises are going to be a normal occurrence for their training and work.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Shooter just watched Ranger in the video. He did great. I kind of thought he would do fine. Way to go Mr. Ranger.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Enya's never had a gun shot off 'near' her, but has had a train blow it's whistle 15 feet behind her, thanks conductor. She just turned her head to look. But my neighbors regularly target shoot and fire off fireworks. We occasionally do target practice. I live near an army post and am near one of the ranges. My house can sound like I'm just outside a war zone, some of the 'big ones' will literally make my house shake from the explosions. None of my current dogs are gun or noise shy not even the toy dogs. I think that helps when I bring in a puppy, they see no reaction from the other dogs. My last Dobe was extremely noise sensitive and gun shy and would try to break through the steel door to get inside. (I never know ahead of time when guns will be fired, fireworks set off or the range will start up.) Thank God my Dobe never thought to use the bay window to get in that was right next to the steel door!


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