# First time on the range plus questions



## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Well, my friend and I brought decided it was time to bring out W to the range. It so happens that we both want to bring the best out of him and wanted to expose him to the gunshots/sound so we brought him to the local gun club. The nice experienced members kindly showed us how to begin with him by placing us by a hill and slowly walk him towards the howling guns. Whistler never flinched. He was very interested in watching those clay pigeons whiz by. Proud papa was I!   

So had a bit of a discussion with the guys after and explained to them that he reacts differently with rabbits than with birds. Rabbits he'll chase down, birds he'll point then chase. Obviously I need to bring him to someone with experience to train him well for the field and hunt but I was curious to hear from the more experienced crowd as to know if this is normal for him at this stage, or should I correct him from doing what he does...


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

....also one of the members had him sniff an empty shell for him to get used to the gun powder. Really nice of him to do that! He told me of a dog that once came to the range and would just eat the cartridges.... Was impressed at how these guys were really helpful with the pup and us! They raved on seeing a nice hunting pup!


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Oh and if you could suggest some nice reads I'd be interested! I'm starting to get real hooked into this! I can't imagine how it's going to be when I start running with him! Just about the only thing he won't do with me is caddy at golf!!


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

I don't know if you're religious, but I'll get on my knees tonight and thank God for watching over your dog and keeping him from being made gunshy today. I can't believe people still do this...

Ken

http://willowyndranch.blogspot.com/2012/05/intro-to-gunfire-will-this-myth-never.html


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

...three guys in the range. One shooting at a time. Very small place and controlled atmosphere. One 410 gauge and one 12 gauge gun. The guys at the range took us in there hand and told us exactly what to do for the pup. I seem to have thought it went great and was really thankful to them for guiding me through it.


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

.....after incrementally moving forward towards the shooters, ie: moving in a few meters every couple of rounds, we went to a position about 20 yards from them and watched them go through for about 10 minutes. He was never by the gun at full blast.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Please heed Kens advice.
It doesn't take but one time to make a pup gunshy, and by then its to late. Not all gunshy dogs are fixable.
If your pup is okay, you are a very lucky person.


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Well, one of the experienced members from the gun range offered to expose Whistler and the three shooters all met the pup and they told us exactly what to do. They guided us through it! Perhaps I was too vivid in my earlier description about ''the howling guns'' as there was only one gun shooting at the clay pigeons at a time in the whole range and the two other experienced members looking on and guiding us. Whistler reacted as a normal pup who was in an normal place looking on... as I am a the juniorest of juniors here I will definitely listen to what you can offer me as corrections or input on this as I only want to do the best for him short and long term. I apologize if I did something wrong (as I know how we are all religious about our pups and their well-being and gun training) but I thought I was doing the right thing by following the experienced range members' advice who had exposed dogs to guns previously...


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Ken and Tex are very correct 

there are 20 things that have could of gone very wrong.

Few that would go great 

Your Irish? ;D


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Rudy, hahah, not Irish .... But I have a bit of red in my beard, still trying to figure out where it came from! The air might be thinner at 6'4'' inches, that might be it! Bunch of greys in the hair, but that I can't do much for it..

Well, thankfully, happy to know that my pup/hunting dog isn't ruined. I'm sure you experienced guys can help me out here or direct me to some threads, blogs or books that will have great info for me at my level.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

6ft 5 all blonde : and now the chops

sport some gray

she said ;D

your heart was awesome 

his time was not yet ready to roar with massive shots and bangs 

take him alone remote treat him reward him

and start slow with a cap gun over him or her

week 11.5

I shoot a loud pellet gun over Willow

she loves it

To find a end

there must be a greater start of education

they love you


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## Rufus Tiberius (Dec 18, 2012)

Rudy said:


> Ken and Tex are very correct
> there are 20 things that have could of gone very wrong.
> Few that would go great


AT, Please heed Ken, Rudy, and Tex's advise. Never, ever, take your dog to the gun range to gun break him. Though your intentions were good, it, in my opinion, was the worst possible thing you could have done to him. There are far better and more productive ways to introduce your hunter to gun fire than at a rifle/shotgun range.

You probably got away with it this time with only one gun going off at a time. But think what it would have been like for him with a dozen guys banging away at the clays at one time.

Just my opinion, but I think your lucky you didn't go home with a very gun shy dog.

RT


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/06/jack-sharkey-my-dog-world-inspiration.html

Find the book "Winning Ways" by Jack Sharkey 

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/06/letter-from-jack-sharkey.html

Turned my first Vizsla into a gun shy dog back in 2008 when she was 4 months old.

She never recovered. :'(

RBD


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks for the tips guys, will get right on it! Always wanting to learn here  8)


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## v-john (Jan 27, 2013)

WillowyndRanch said:


> I don't know if you're religious, but I'll get on my knees tonight and thank God for watching over your dog and keeping him from being made gunshy today. I can't believe people still do this...
> 
> Ken
> 
> http://willowyndranch.blogspot.com/2012/05/intro-to-gunfire-will-this-myth-never.html


x2. I had thought most folks had stopped this, but I guess I was wrong.

The picture on the blog was funny though!


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

AT yes you were lucky - there are great books and DVD's ouy there - for me it is always break to bird then to gun - the majority of trainers do it this way - if it was me I would start over - break to birds - this is just an introduction - pup can do no wrong - most V's this just takes 6 - 10 birds - when they are adjusted start the reintroduction to gun with your pup on birds - this is VERY simplifed on how to do it - research and find a training style that fits you and the pup - GOOD LUCK !!! but it does take more than that !!!!!!!!


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks again for all the input, I rather have it straight up and slapped on the fingers from you guys than to mess it up with him. The gf fires up popcorn all the time and I'm thinking that it probably helped him out a bit. He was very young (12 weeks) when he first heard the pops of the home made popcorn. At first he was a bit uncertain but after a while, he got to learn that the popcorn sounds were associated with perhaps getting a kernel here and there if we dropped some while watching a movie... an inadvertent training method!??? Thanks again for the info! ;D

AT


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

AT - PIKE & I thank you 4 this POST - those of us that hunt our pups R so protective !!!!!!! just a reflex !!! - what I did miss on this POINT is the willingness to learn and the PRIDE we all take in our V ( not U LOL ) - I have never trained or bred pups - just a lifetime of shooting over my grandfather's pups & mine ! - Let this forum know how your pup progresses so VVe can all learn !!! HONESTY is becoming a lost ART !!!!


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