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Curing a gun shy dog

flybynite

flybynite

FOUNDER
Eagan, Minnesota
I have a friend (honest) whose dog is very sensitive to loud noises, like thunder, A10s, P51s Supercubs and F22 flybys at high speed and low altitude. She would attempt to retreat to beneath the trailer during the airshow at OSH and quiver with fear. She was wearing a thunder shirt/jacket most of the time and it helped some. The valium might have had something to do with that too. It seems some dogs are oblivious to the noise while others, not so.

Thought I would put it out there and see if there might be some suggestions they could try.
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Many years ago my Aunt Della got me a wire haired fox terrier. He was a tough dog and perfect for a young boy. On fourth of July and first day of hunting season he was a wreck. The breeder said his grandfather was a service dog during the blitskrieg in London. I guess my pooch inherited that terror in some way. There was no way to help him except to comfort him on the bad days and run through the woods and have fun on the good days.
 
That is tough to cure. I would talk to a good trainer. I was never able to break my Springer after many attempts at trying different approaches.
 
i'd suggest trying to start off with small noise like a BB gun and work up from there. Shoot the BB gun then give a treat...
 
We just got a Griffon puppy, the breeder suggested random loud noises like clapping 2 2x4's together, or
loud hand claps during everyday events like while hew is eating, or while playing. He's only 15 weeks so don't know if it works yet but he has no issues with fireworks
 
My dog was never noise sensitive until she was in front of my 45-70 when I was plinking off the porch. That fixed her. She's even scared of unloaded guns now.
 
I used blanks shells. Start out with just a primer round in a pistol and throw the dog a treat each time you pop it off. Graduate up until you are doing full loads out of a shotgun. I even loaded a small treat on the wad so the dog would start to chase the shot. He was shy at first turned into a great dog, which is unusual for a Springer. They usually are born brain damaged.
 
I usually start with a toy cap gun fired at a distance while they are eating. After a few times then move a little closer. After a while then fire the cap gun before you feed them so they associate the noise with something good is going to happen. Dogs do remember bad things that happen to them for a long time.
 
Good luck, I had a Brittney that was really shy and I did all the drills over many months started with snapping my fingers when it was stone quiet, clapping, cap gun, up to blank .22' and she was good for thunder so I kept it up and finally then took her hunting and she was ok with just me on quail with light loads but first volley of a pheasant hunt and she was half a mile away and in the truck under the tool box before the bird hit the ground.
 
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Once a dog has been adversely conditioned to avoid something, it's more or less permanent. My aussies have been trained to avoid an electrical fence and you literally cannot drag them through the boundary now, even with the fence turned off. The only way they will leave my property is in a car. There are lots of internet discussions of gun shy dogs and human phobias. Some trainers claim success. Good luck to your neighbor.
 
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