How to introduce your gundog to the sound of shot

If you are thinking about beating, picking up or rough shooting with your retriever, spaniel or HPR, want to compete in working tests or trials, or are looking to progress your gundog hobby with advanced training days, you will need to introduce your gundog to the sound of shot.

Some gundogs will not bat an eyelid at the sound of a shotgun, starter pistol or dummy launcher. But others will be more cautious. And unless you want to risk causing irreparable damage and “ruining” your dog, an introduction to shot is not a process to be rushed.

In this blog, we will cover the basic training theory you need to understand before getting started, when you should introduce the sound of gunshot to your puppy, the equipment you will need, and how to introduce the sound and pair it with something fun.

When attempting the step-by-step recipe at the end of the blog, it is essential that you keep a close eye on your puppy or dog and that you stop the training session immediately if you see any signs of avoidance, flight, or distress.

There is plenty of potential for the introduction to gunshot to go awry, so we highly recommend that you seek a gundog professional's help.

Can you fix a gun-shy dog?

Before we look at fixing a gun-shy dog, we need to understand a bit of training theory.

Unless you live next to a clay shooting ground, where your dog can gradually become “habituated” to the sounds of gunfire so that it is background noise and irrelevant, you will need to proactively introduce them to the noise.

When introducing our dogs to the sound of shot, we are trying to “condition” them so that they know that the sound is relevant and will make a positive association with it when they hear it in the future.

Eventually, we want them to know that shot means “look towards the sound” as there might be a dummy or bird landing which needs to be marked in preparation for retrieving. It may also mean “stop hunting and stand still” until the handler cues the continuation of hunting or to retrieve.

When this introduction is done wrong, it is possible to accidentally “sensitise” the dog to the sound of shot which means they become reactive to the noise and it results in an emotional state of anxiety, fear, or phobia.

Behaviour modification called “de-sensitisation” can be used if the dog is already “gun shy” or “gun nervous”, e.g. anxious and fearful of the sound.

This involves gradually increasing the level of exposure to the sound over a great deal of time and is usually used in tandem with “counter-conditioning” another behaviour modification which aims to gradually change the dog’s emotional response to the stimulus of the shot.

It is possible in some cases to fix a gun-shy or gun-nervous dog. Still, it requires a considerable amount of commitment and work, along with the intervention of a very experienced trainer or behaviourist. As you can now see, getting the initial introduction to shot right the first time is much better.

When should you introduce the sound of gunshot?

This is a difficult question to answer because all our gundogs are different,
and your home and training locations will vary enormously.

Helen typically takes her young puppies out with her older dogs, and when the puppy is happy and relaxed in the environment, her husband Chris fires his gun or a starter pistol in the neighbouring field.

The pup will look to the older dogs for how to react. As they are all happy with the sound, somewhat even excited about it, the puppy learns that this noise is nothing to be concerned about.

If you got your puppy from an experienced gundog breeder, it is very likely that they will have started the process for you and already introduced the sound of shot to the litter before you bring your puppy home.

Many breeders will have begun exposing puppies to loud noises, like clanging food bowls, and bangs at a distance, while the pups were happy feeding or playing.

At that young age, the noise will be meaningless, and the puppies should have a positive emotional response to the sound because they are doing something enjoyable at the time.

Other dogs around at the time, litter mates, and their mother would not have reacted adversely, so they would not have had cause for concern.

Once you get your puppy home, you will have a few weeks available to introduce them to the world and life in general.

As part of that socialisation period, you can take the opportunity to gradually expose your puppy to the sound of shot and loud bangs. This is about habituation at this stage, not conditioning, so the sound should happen at a distance and start at a very low volume while the puppy is eating or engaged in play.

When your puppy reaches approximately sixteen weeks (around the time they lose their puppy teeth) and on through the early part of adolescence (approximately a year but this is very much dictated by individual dogs), you are advised not to introduce shot at all.

There are many other biological, physiological, and psychological processes taking place in your dog during this time, and there is a far greater risk of an unpleasant emotional response occurring in connection to shot.

If this is your first gundog, you might not have known to introduce them to the sound of shot when they were a puppy. Equally, if they came from a non-working, pet gundog breeder, they might not have been introduced to loud noises and bangs when they were very young puppies either.

Provided they’re not in that delicate adolescent stage, the process for introducing older dogs to shot is the same. To replicate the safe feeling puppies have when they are with their litter, you might also consider enlisting help from friends with dogs who are happy around the sound of shot when introducing the sound.

What equipment will I need to introduce my gundog to shot?

One of the best ways to begin introducing your dog to the sound of shot requires no equipment at all.

If you train in a group you might have already noticed that the dummy thrower will make a noise, or clap their hands together loudly, before throwing out a retrieve.

You can do this at home on your own too and it will prepare your dog that a noise will come before the article falls, which may result in a retrieve.

When it comes to the sound of “shot”, most gundog trainers in the UK use a starter pistol or blank firer with .22 short blanks.

Anyone can purchase one from a good gundog supplier and as they are not considered to be firearms you don’t need a licence. However, they should only be used in locations where you have permission, and you need to be aware that use in public spaces comes with the possibility that you could fall foul of the authorities.

It’s also vital to consider health and safety for yourself and others, ensuring that you have learned how to use this equipment safely and have any recommended ear and eye protection.

In reality, very few gundog handlers have suitable ground on which they can safely fire shots, and it is unlikely that those who do need to invest in their own starter pistol, especially if they are going to in-person classes with a good gundog trainer.

When introducing shot for the first time you may instead consider using a
child’s cap gun. Another benefit is that they have a slightly softer sound than a starter pistol, and using something that is not so loud is an excellent first step. These are widely available online at stores such as Amazon.

An equally valuable and easy-to-come-by intermediary step is a party popper. Again, these are softer in sound and not as loud as the starter pistol. They are also cheap to buy and can be carried in your pocket easily. Just remember to remove all the stuffing before use!

Please consider the health and safety warnings when using any equipment mentioned. Gundog Trainers Academy accepts no liability.

How to introduce the sound of shot to your dog

The following recipe can be used for cap guns, party poppers and a starting pistol.

We suggest you progress in that order as the sounds get progressively louder. You might also want to check that the wind is initially carrying the noise away from the dog by ensuring it is behind you.

For this exercise you will need a helper so that you can give your dog your undivided attention.

Step one:

Have your dog sit or stand by your side looking forward, and make sure you have your reward ready. If you are using food, it can be fed directly to them, scattered on the ground, or thrown about. If you are using a game with a toy that involves throwing, make sure you throw behind you, not towards the noise.

Step two:

Choose a distance that you can hear the shot at, but it is not so loud as to cause you to startle. The dog needs to be aware of it and orientate to it, but not ‘startle’ at it. About 50 metres is a rough guide but this is not set in stone, it is better to err on the side of caution and use a greater distance if you are concerned. You can always decrease the distance if everything is fine.

Step three:

Fire the shot, and engage the dog in the chosen reward process. Repeat three times, and if there is no reaction and everything is fine move to the next step. Otherwise, stop here for this session.

Step four:

Fire the shot, take a pause to allow the dog to absorb the information and then engage in the chosen reward process. You are looking for the dog to orientate and be alert to the shot in anticipation of what is coming from you. Repeat three times. If there is no reaction and everything is fine move to the next step. Otherwise, stop for this session.

Step five:

You can move on to party poppers and repeat the process from step four. If there is no reaction and everything is fine, move to the next step. Otherwise, stop for this session.

Step six:

At this point introduce the starter pistol and repeat the process from step four. If there is no reaction and everything is fine move to the next step otherwise stop for this session.

Step seven:

You can now begin to decrease the distance between you and the shot. Do this by leaving the shooter in position and with you and your dog moving towards the noise. Just move up to 10 metres on this occasion. Repeat step four. If there is no reaction and everything is fine move to the next step. Otherwise, stop for this session.

Step eight:

Now introduce a formal retrieve to the process. Set your dog up for a marked retrieve. Get your helper to fire the shot, throw an article, pause, send your dog, and have a party on their return. Finish there.

Next time, begin from this point, remembering the distance and wind direction, making adjustments so that eventually, the dog is downwind of the shot. The distance of the shot needs to be no less than 20 yards.

Remember: When attempting the step-by-step recipe, it is essential that you keep a close eye on your puppy or dog and that you stop the training session immediately if you see any signs of avoidance, flight, or distress. There is plenty of potential for the introduction to gunshot to go awry, so we highly recommend that you seek a gundog professional's help.

If you have found this introduction to shot guide useful, we have over 30 tutorials with step-by-step instructions (which we like to call recipes), games, and video demonstrations to help you train your gundog. For more information head to https://gundogtrainersacademy.co.uk/pages/membership

 

 

 

📸 Photograph 2 credit Alice Loder Photography