How soon to shoot around a puppy?

[txheartshot]

As y'all might have seen, I just got a new GSP puppy for my future huntin' buddy. We're going to the lease over Labor Day weekend to slaughter some white wing, and I have to take Millie (pup) with me. I'm not going to be shooting directly over her or next to her, and figured I'd leave her in the camper. I'm just nervous about all the shots being fired close by. The dove "hunting" is really tough there, since we just sit around the camp and slaughter the doves as they land at the water troughs, thus causing a lot of shooting close by. What are some of your opinions? I don't want to damper her future as a hunting dog.

[Smart]

I was shooting a cap gun WHILE she ate a week after I brought her home.. She didn't even flinch when the real guns started going off at 4-5 months.

Conditioning is the key.

[TallTexan]

I was shooting a cap gun WHILE she ate a week after I brought her home.. She didn't even flinch when the real guns started going off at 4-5 months.

Conditioning is the key.

This

Also, you can bring the dog outside to play, and have some one off in the distance shooting the cap gun. Have them gradually work closer to you and the pup.

[DTala]

I was shooting a cap gun WHILE she ate a week after I brought her home.. She didn't even flinch when the real guns started going off at 4-5 months.

Conditioning is the key.

this^^^^^^almost any loud noise will do

[txheartshot]

My problem is that she will only be 12 weeks old by that weekend, so I have limited time to expose her. I've been clapping loudly while she eats, and taking her on long walks/runs every evening and exposing her to traffic noise, other dogs, etc. She's not as spooky as she was last week.

[DPerez905]

Sounds like you need to get on the ball about getting a cap gun firing. That or leave her home for that weekend if you don't think she's gonna be comfortable/scared.

[Shake N' Bake]

I've been wondering the same thing I have a 11 week old lab. Good info!

[Codie]

I was shooting a cap gun WHILE she ate a week after I brought her home.. She didn't even flinch when the real guns started going off at 4-5 months.

Conditioning is the key.

this - go buy a toy capgun and bang it off around him/her every chance you get until September rolls around

[txheartshot]

this - go buy a toy capgun and bang it off around him/her every chance you get until September rolls around

I'm heading to Wally World in a few to pick up a cap gun and caps. Not going to waste any time.

[Bowhunter1994]

Do loud noises scare her??
My JRT never did flinch since day one..
Started with a .17 and no reaction them blew a .45 over him and still no reaction...


Some pups don't care about the "bang"

Another dog of mine gets scared with a slammed door..( hate that ) culling her soon lol

[ducks-and-bucks]

Take it dove hunting and put it on a leash 50 yards from you and have a fun hunt... next hunt tie it up a little closer and do ur hunt again... continue until the dogs by your side... the just hunt as much as you can this year with the dog by your side... worked for me great... I had my lab fetching stuff at 10 to 15 yards at 12 weeks too... she learned early...

[txheartshot]

Thanks for the info.

[LWC]

I think it is better safe than sorry on this one. Once you get a dog gun shy, it is very difficult if not impossible to correct. I wait until they are really having fun retrieving. Then I get a buddy to go about 150 yards away and shoot a 20 guage when I throw the bird. We gradually work our way closer during that session. Has worked good for me.

[ken]

I was shooting a cap gun WHILE she ate a week after I brought her home.. She didn't even flinch when the real guns started going off at 4-5 months.

Conditioning is the key.

This, plus you can step it up to a .22 blank after the cap gun.

[Hold My Beer]

I started rough housin' and playin' with mine on weekends off the main road to the gun range (300yds down) when she was just 8 weeks old. As she got older, we'd just move closer to the shooters. By the time she was 5 months old, I could shoot a 12 ga next to her and she wouldn't flinch.