# Mental health assessment



## marwin (Jan 6, 2015)

I'm looking at the mental health assessments of the parents to a litter I am considering getting a puppy from. One of the tests looks at the dogs response to hearing a gunshot. The mother of the litter responded strongly to the sound. My question is if this is a result of socialisation or genetics? I ask because if I get a puppy I may train it in tracking for work purposes in which case it would be exposed to the sound of gunshot occasionally. Should I rule this litter out because one parent responded strongly to that test?


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

One of the tests looks at the dogs response to hearing a gunshot. The mother of the litter responded strongly to the sound. 

but how did she respond? 

there is much more to know about the test, the testers, the situation.

sometimes dogs trained in sport get excited and bark because they look forward to the bite work that is to follow

did she try to escape, become panicked -- ?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

The recovery is more important than the reaction.


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## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

Finn was our 1st pup that we bought from a breeder. 

We have a camp in Maine and it’s not unusual to hear loud gun shots...even when it’s not hunting season. 
So I asked the breeder if a pup would be traumatized by loud blasts. 
Her husband took a gun, pointed it at the group of puppies and fired three shot, not one of the pups reacted to the noise.
It was a very loud air gun. It sounded like a real gun. 

That particular breeder sells k9s so they probably condition the pups early.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

As Carm said, not enough information. 

If the mother reacted strongly with fear, that would be plenty to send me running in the other direction. I have had dogs that reacted badly to thunder, fireworks, etc., and that is an absolute deal breaker for me, never again.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

When I test a litter of puppies for the reaction to a loud sound I will accept two reactions. The pup that doesn't even notice and then the pup that startles but swings around to check out the noisy object. Anything else is not acceptable for working. That is just me. I also would not take a pup for breeding that reacted more strongly or from a litter where many of the puppies reacted strongly. 

Sound sensitivity is genetic. I would want to see the puppies themselves tested for sound sureness and not in a group. The group provides security.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

Findlay said:


> Finn was our 1st pup that we bought from a breeder.
> 
> We have a camp in Maine and it’s not unusual to hear loud gun shots...even when it’s not hunting season.
> So I asked the breeder if a pup would be traumatized by loud blasts.
> ...


AT the puppies?? Ewww even if it is an unloaded air gun that would put me off. What kind of air gun sounds like a real gun? I'm honestly asking because I am an instructor and have never encountered anything that sounded as loud as real gun fire.


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## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

CometDog said:


> AT the puppies?? Ewww even if it is an unloaded air gun that would put me off. What kind of air gun sounds like a real gun? I'm honestly asking because I am an instructor and have never encountered anything that sounded as loud as real gun fire.


HI cometDog. I was standing right next to the guy and in my opinion, it was loud.
And the air that came out of the gun disturbed the dirt around where the puppies were playing. 

I just did a quick google search on how loud an air gun can be and it seems a lot depends on the particular gun...some can be as loud as a 22.

Over the years I've officiated countless swim meets and have used a starters pistol (I still have mine, now it's an antique)lol

I'd consider the air gun much louder than a starters pistol.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

I look at the reaction and the recovery, both are important to me.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

This all reminds me of another topic I wanted to start. I am a firearms instructor and an avid competitor. I shoot IDPA matches (International Defensive Pistol). People bring their GSDs and other dogs around all the time. Some I see with Mutt Muffs on, others no protection. I want to get Mutt Muffs for my dogs but would like to hear success and failure stories. I'll start a new thread though. To stay on topic, my GSD that I lost a few months ago was FINE with the noise...though he wanted to fetch the bullets lol. So...yeah, he stayed crated under a nice shady tree far away enough to not have his ears damaged. If weather allowed he stayed in the truck.My little pit Ruger, he does not mind the gun fire at all. I limit exposure though due to hearing concerns. Now, those 2 dogs are/were rescues so who knows what played into that..I did intoduce them both early and slowly. I use to take them to an indoor range but stay in the lobby, naturally. The sounds were loud enough to slightly disrupt normal convo, but not a direct loud crack. 

The new pup who is not a rescue, I have not brought him yet, want to see about hearing protection first.


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