Training a chocolate

[Clark33]

Always good to associate a shooting range is just like hunting ducks. Or, firecrackers and food is like hunting or, banging pots and pans when you eat is like hunting ducks. All that makes them real good hunting dogs..

Always good to have a sarcastic response to a thread without adding any useful information.


I have the .22 blank dummy launcher, I zip tie and duck wing to it so she gets the feel of feathers in her mouth.  I also introduced her to gun fire by standing about 200 yards behind my father who was shooting.  I kept her at heel and we slowly moved closer and closer until we were standing right behind my dad as he was shooting and she didn't even seem to care.  Gave me piece of mind she was not gun shy.

I read the water dog book and bought the DVD as a supplement, I'm a visual learner.  My dog turned out just fine, is she perfect NOPE, does she get the job done YEP, is it fun to watch her continue to learn YOU BET.  Will it test your patience.... ABSOLUTELY.  Have fun with the process, you'll both learn a lot.

[Ridgeratt]

Always good to associate a shooting range is just like hunting ducks. Or, firecrackers and food is like hunting or, banging pots and pans when you eat is like hunting ducks. All that makes them real good hunting dogs..

Perhaps another idea is to visit the local trap range and wander around with the dog on a leash at the far end of the line working closer each time.

I have never been refused on east side just remember to bring a bag with you and police the dog.

[Happy Gilmore]

Dogs need a bird in their mouth when a shot goes off. From the start.

[Clark33]

Dogs need a bird in their mouth when a shot goes off. From the start.

Now that's sound advice.  I always freeze a few birds through out the season for off season training.... the girlfriend hates it 

[Happy Gilmore]

Conditioning a dog to loud sounds is the most wasteful time event in a puppies life. I'm sorry, loud noises with no reference point for the dog is a man made waste of time.

Birds. Dogs need birds to be hunting dogs. Pigeons, ducks, sparrows.... Whatever. A loud noise at a tricking range will achieve NOTHiNG in a hunting dogs life.

[JDHasty]

I just took my 4month old lab to the range today.We stayed in the car and Started way back and moved
closer and closer all while keeping her interested in a toy. finally started rolling the window down.
She could have cared less about the boom booms. We spent an hour doing it.

And there ya' go.  That is how to get over gun shy concerns.  A lab will probably hunt, in time.  The big thing is to get them out with other GOOD dogs who hunt.  Obedience is paramount  though, nobody will tolerate a knot head around their bird dog for long.   

[Happy Gilmore]

I just took my 4month old lab to the range today.We stayed in the car and Started way back and moved
closer and closer all while keeping her interested in a toy. finally started rolling the window down.
She could have cared less about the boom booms. We spent an hour doing it.

And there ya' go.  That is how to get over gun shy concerns.  A lab will probably hunt, in time.  The big thing is to get them out with other GOOD dogs who hunt.  Obedience is paramount  though, nobody will tolerate a knot head around their bird dog for long.

The way folks describe how to get them around guns is probably why dogs are gunshy in the first place.