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Thread: Starter Pistol or Launcher

  1. #1
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    Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Hi all.

    I want to start conditioning my pup to gunfire as well as working the association with gunfire into training. I have been walking her in the local marsh while hunters are at it and the sound of shotguns at about 150 yards doesn't bother her in the least. She is now 7 months old. Do you guys like starter pistols and hand thrown bumpers or the launchers that use shotgun primers?

    I am doing almost all my training alone at this point
    Last edited by Ron.C; 12-18-2018 at 01:58 PM.

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  3. #2
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Starter pistol, actually a shotgun primer pistol and training birds and/or bumpers is my choice. Has your pup already been gun broke, if not you need to start at square 1 I do this at feeding time as soon as they are eating on their own(about 4 weeks). Good luck enjoy the ride.
    "BORN TO HUNT"
    Foxton's Cuervo Gold "KEELA" Oct. 2004-June 2017. Always in my blind and my heart.

  4. #3
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    not really sure what gun broke even means, I assume it means some conditioning to the sound of gunfire in a slow mannner, and that's what I want to start on.

    She has been exposed to some shooting "shotguns at about 150 yards, .22 at 75 yards" She is either indifferent to the shots going off or seems real interested in where the noise comes from but shows absolutely no indication of fear or being stressed by it. The last thing I want to do is give her a negative experience.

    I was leaning toward a pistol because I could throw real birds and not just a canvas bumper

  5. #4
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Gun broke is conditioning a pup preferably at an early age to associate gunfire with good things. As I stated I start pups at about 4 weeks in a mannor I have described in a number of posts here. My pups when ready for their new homes are fully gunbroke to a blank/primer pistol so the new owners can start taking from there with training.
    "BORN TO HUNT"
    Foxton's Cuervo Gold "KEELA" Oct. 2004-June 2017. Always in my blind and my heart.

  6. #5
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron.C View Post
    Hi all.

    I want to start conditioning my pup to gunfire as well as working the association with gunfire into training. I have been walking her in the local marsh while hunters are at it and the sound of shotguns at about 150 yards doesn't bother her in the least. She is now 7 months old. Do you guys like starter pistols and hand thrown bumpers or the launchers that use shotgun primers?

    I am doing almost all my training alone at this point

    Can you get the wife out to throw some birds/bumpers? definitely get a starter pistol and like all things don't cheap out. Those <$100 starter pistols are junk.

    get an alpha or the pro 209.

    Pro 209 can be purchased at Dakota retrievers. Alphas you can get from running count. Both are in Ontario.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bear Brawler View Post
    Just lob a couple loaded mouse traps at em like you're playing horse shoes. More humane than bouncing darts off them.

  7. #6
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    X2 on Foxton.. ensure positive associations...Happy things like feeding... Make some noise in background from adjacent room to start, gradually louder and closer until right next to pup. Start with dropping and clanking a pot or pan on floor, and transition to firing a toy cap gun . Do this over a week or more every time you feed for a bit gradually moving closer and keeping the tail wagging at all times.... any sign of nervousness, back up and reassure the dog before gradually working closer again.

    Next step would be transition to the field using the same toy cap gun to start with bumpers and eventually starter pistol but fired from out in the field ideally by a helper throwing or with dog in remote sit (if steady) while you are in field throwing... would not shoot from young dog's side until gunfire out in field with marks is well engrained and pup is loving the game. introducing from dog's side would start back with the toy cap gun again for a while before firing anything louder which again would ideally be a helper moving closer gradually.

    Although could be fine to just wing it, better to be safe then sorry and risk causing an issue which could haunt you

  8. #7
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Quote Originally Posted by lorneparker1 View Post
    Can you get the wife out to throw some birds/bumpers? definitely get a starter pistol and like all things don't cheap out. Those <$100 starter pistols are junk.

    get an alpha or the pro 209.

    Pro 209 can be purchased at Dakota retrievers. Alphas you can get from running count. Both are in Ontario.
    x2 on Pro209 from Dakota... buy once cry once

  9. #8
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Thanks guys, I'll look at the Pro 209. And yes I do have help throwing birds. When I mentioned I was training alone I should have clarified that I wasn't part of a training group but my wife or friend can act as a bird boy when I ask.

    I have been following the hillman puppy program and he doesn't really go into introducing the dog to Guns as a stand alone topic, but does talk about exposing the did to all sorts of things that might spook a pup. So I have been taking it slow. And I'm not to the point where he is with his pup where he wants to move onto the Fetch dvd" hold". But at the end of his puppy trg DVD he does touch on basic marks with a couple bird boys with a stater pistol. He also doesn't use the traditional FF. Still having lots of issues with her starting the hold as Hillman does to the point where I would say she " knows the command". So I wanted to start introducing her to gunfire before I'm ready to really start training with it.
    Last edited by Ron.C; 12-19-2018 at 08:13 AM.

  10. #9
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Make sure you introduce gunfire (noise) in high excitement situations. Start with the noise far away and gradually move it closer. And ALWAYS when she's ramped up and/or chasing something.

    The noise (gunfire)!should ALWAYS be associated with positive experiences/fun.

    Some dogs don't need this careful approach to gunfire but some do. It depends on a dogs individual temperament and prey drive.

    You'll need to watch her and her reactions and advance as it's appropriate for the dog you're training.

    Its much easier to introduce gunfire properly than try to fix a gun shy dog later.
    "Guns kill people like spoons made Rosie O'Donel fat"

  11. #10
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    Re: Starter Pistol or Launcher

    Couldn't agree more Labguy, that's the plan. From what I've seen so far, she's not afraid of it. I just want to make sure moving forward she has no negative experience with it, I do it right and associate it with her knowing something fun is about to happen
    Last edited by Ron.C; 12-19-2018 at 08:48 AM.

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