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View Full Version : Gunshy hunting lab!


Emily94
Sep 30, 2007, 03:24 PM
My lab never used to be afraid of gun shots till this hunting season we went chicken hunting and fired some shells of at targets, we thought nothing of the dog(oh she is probably just gone swimming or somehting) and when I went to finmd her I found her shaking under a bush! I called her out nad she wouldn't leave my side so I held her collar and my dad fired off more shells and she shook the hole time even when we fired the .22! It makes no bang what so ever! Nothing has happened were she had a bad expierence(she isn't scared of quads, doors slamming, and kids screaming). PLEASE HELP I Don't WANT ME HUNTING DOG SCARED OF A GUN!!

labman
Sep 30, 2007, 03:43 PM
Don't make a fuss over her when she shows fear. She will see it as rewarding her for her fear. Remain matter of fact. If she is afraid of the gun itself, make a show of enjoying handling it. Make the same sort of fuss over it, you don't want to do with her. ''What a good gun!''

Try starting back a ways from somewhere there is some shooting, maybe a range. Keep up a happy chatter as you approach it. Again, don't coddle her, but don't force her. Perhaps drop back to where she is comfortable and work on obedience or even fetch.