Well my dog is 1.5 yr old white lab been a damn good dog love to retrieve and had zero problems with guns until the first of the year she seen fireworks now she was terrified. . I took her out hunting the other day was fine until we started shooting she jumped out of the boat blind and was hiding in the grass I pulled her back in the boat she continued to cower and run while we shot I ended up chasing her down walking across the marsh to the truck how can I fix this

I had a dog that did this also. I thought that's the end of hunting that dog. Well I just gave up for that year of hunting. I worked with him the following spring and summer, late summer I started shooting while retrieving and he started coming around. By hunting season he was still a little shy but would retrieve with some coaching. Now he looks at you like, well did you hit it and can I go get it. I think it was that he was young and was overwhelmed with all the boom. But he grew out of it. Don't discipline him if he covers up when shooting, tie a leash on him and pet encourage him while the shooting is going on then after the shots send him for the retrieve. Good luck.


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Fireworks have ruined alot of dogs. Start over with conditioning your dog to noise and gunfire (starter pistol at a distance, shotgun a little closer while the dog is making a retrieve, etc.) I WOULD NOT continue to shoot over the dog until the problem is fixed. Forcing the dog to sit there while you shoot is not the way I would try to cure the problem, it may make it worse. Give the dog a little time off and do some yard work with fun drills you know the dog enjoys. Slowly incorporate sounds at a distance and read your dog. It takes time.

Thanks I'll give it a shot I plan on starting just walking with her on a leash while I'm holding a pellet gun not shooting just till she gets comfortable again with just looking at a gun then I'll move to the 22 with a blank and so on but I was just wondering if I was thinking correctly

From day one , started shooting a cap gun away from my pup as she was eating , gradually getting closer over weeks and months, till you could shoot right over their head as she was eating.

My daughter then would shoot while I was retriever training in yard. Worked for me. . Never gun shy.

H Finn

You may be able to break of being gun shy but it takes a lot of patience and lots of pratice

Start with something that your dog likes and is really excited about. If its retrieving, throw the mark & have someone well away from the dog shoot a small gun. I would throw several bumpers to get the dog worked up first. 1 shot maybe a 2nd after a few more retrieves. After doing this for a few days have the shooter move closer. Watch your dog at every shot. You will know when to shoot a bigger gun and then when to move closer.
Good rule of thumb, if you think it's time to move forward then wait another day or 2. Good luck.

I would start the whole re-introduction to gunfire as others have said--right at the moment she's excited about something else. Put her food down and have someone fire a blank pistol very far away (like 70 yards) the moment the food gets to the ground (if she loves eating). Do that for a week, then get 10 yards closer, do that for a week. etc. Don't move closer if she seems nervous--instead get further away

When she's retrieving (if she's crazy about retrieving), throw a dummy and when it's at it's peak, have someone 20-30 yards behind you shoot a blank pistol. Again, gradually get closer.

Finally, dummy launchers are a great help. They combine the noise and the excitement of the retrieve.

Skip actual gunfire for a long time

Real bacon bits worked really well for my aunts dog. Fireworks and thunder with lightening is what triggered it originally. Not gun-shy anymore. It's about using the smell of the bits and focus on your hand as a distraction, though. Not about getting a reward. Don't give a bit just because. Make her earn it with obedience. It takes the focus away from the sound. Dont have to use this until shes comfy with shotgun 3 feet away. Just to prove sharp cracks and small booms arent something to pay attention to. Once the shot doesn't cause a jump, startle, etc, then move back to training with the shots getting closer as behavior permits like these guys are saying.

Thanks fellas