Excitable Lab near gunfire

Y

Yeomans

Well-Known Member
HI All,

Looking for some advice about getting my 2 1/2 year red lab to calm down more when around gunfire and my shotgun.

There are times when rough shooting when i just have to mount the gun on my shoulder and aim upwards and he gets visibly excitable and at times even barks with excitement - which is obviously less than ideal! Also, i've been at low key clay shoots we've held in the fields and he gets so excitable that he wants to go and retrieve the shot clays he is very hard to calm down and more importantly doesnt listen when i try to get him back!

He is mainly a house pet, but would love to use him more on shoots if i can get him to calm down. He is a good retriever and very keen to please.

Any tips welcome!
 
I had a similar bitch. He's excited because it's something he doesn't get to do enough. Try running him ragged for 2 hrs before you start to get the excess energy out, and try to give him as much retrieving as possible. It's a dog's favourite activity, of course it's exciting - especially if you're not out doing it 3+ times a week.
Harder retrieves of dead birds in dense cover...e.g. After a shoot has ended.
 
More exposure to gunfire/shooting scene will help. As a professional keeper,mine tend to be the other way about. I have a black bitch that curls up and goes to sleep when roost shooting! On the peg,she lays down to observe proceedings but at least stays awake.
Think familiarity breeds contempt, more experience the better behaved. Best of luck for the future.
 
My lab bitch was similar, getting over excited at the sound of shooting. Also because of my not so brilliant training she thought every retrieve was hers. Last two weeks I have been sitting her up, getting her excited firing blanks from a starting pistol and throwing loads of dummies about, then going and picking everything up. Her steadiness has improved hugely in a short time. Also when she does get a retrieve she is ten times as enthusiastic and focussed. Might be worth trying something similar.
 
Gudgeon said:
My lab bitch was similar, getting over excited at the sound of shooting. Also because of my not so brilliant training she thought every retrieve was hers. Last two weeks I have been sitting her up, getting her excited firing blanks from a starting pistol and throwing loads of dummies about, then going and picking everything up. Her steadiness has improved hugely in a short time. Also when she does get a retrieve she is ten times as enthusiastic and focussed. Might be worth trying something similar.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. He definitely also thinks that everything that is available is his!!

What are the rules on blanks? Can anyone just buy them in a shop?
 
Gudgeon said:
My lab bitch was similar, getting over excited at the sound of shooting. Also because of my not so brilliant training she thought every retrieve was hers. Last two weeks I have been sitting her up, getting her excited firing blanks from a starting pistol and throwing loads of dummies about, then going and picking everything up. Her steadiness has improved hugely in a short time. Also when she does get a retrieve she is ten times as enthusiastic and focussed. Might be worth trying something similar.
Click to expand...
100% correct matey.
The dog needs less retrieves.
The dog is getting amp'd because he's had too much retrieve work and not enough steady work. Hence I'd say in the dog head he thinks everything is his to fetch.
Do as above, sit the dog and chuck out a load of retrieves then make the dog sit an watch you pick them do this two or three times "so maybe close to twenty times the dogs watched you then an only if the dog is calm send the dog for ONE!!!! then pick the rest yourself again while the dog sit there.
Do this time after time an you should see an improvement after a while.
Jimmy.
 
It sounds like the dog has linked the shot with an exciting retrieve. You probably need to break down this association.
I walk the dog round our field and periodically fire the 22 safely into the ground. No retrieve, nothing exciting just a boring old walk with the odd pop going off. You could also try playing audio tracks of gunfire/fireworks to desensitise whilst doing the steadiness training as above. If you live more rurally you could try making a wooden clapper to take with you to make an impulse sound… not ideal but better than nothing.
 
Good advice here about limiting the dog's retrieves. That's the exact mistake that I made with my first dog. She thought that every shot signalled a retrieve for her.

As you suggested she would even get excited if I raised my gun; it didn't even need to go pop. Bloody inconvenient when I was sitting in a high seat trying to get a clear shot on a muntie.

I did what Jimmy and Gudgeon have suggested and it worked for me.
 
I think I would take things back a step further. As others have said limit the retrieves, but I think that unless you get him absolutely steady you will be in trouble . Leave the guns in the cabinet , then in a confined space get him sitting on or off the lead depending on how steady he is already, throw a dummy or a tennis ball, he must maintain sit.
If he can’t, put him on a lead and get someone else to do the throwing and picking . Your job is to keep is ass on the floor, if he budges put him back in exactly the same spot. Always repeat the sit command with hand signal.
He sounds like a hot head so just gentle calm praise to avoid boiling him over.

Try throwing ten retrieves around him, If he’s doing what you ask give him one, if he’s not DON’T . You must keep him guessing, remember it’s your dummy or ball and never let him have these as toys, always put them away.
Then as he improves remove the lead and gradually open the space, but you must always be able to maintain control . Don’t rush this bit . A couple of minutes a day and he will get the message.

You can lengthen the distance of the retrieves and the amount of time he sits 10secs - 5 minutes ( always keep him guessing).
When he improves if you have a friend with a retriever bring him out with the other dog, but keep them apart. Keep your dog on the lead have someone throw a few dummy’s or balls and allow the other dog to pick some and others by hand. Then you can give your dog a retrieve but don’t let them compete.

If I were you I would just work on this for the rest of the season . Avoid the clay shoots, there’s nothing there for him. When the time comes take him along to a small shoot or a beaters day for an hour or two and keep him in the background. Don’t allow yourself to get involved in the action, work on keeping him steady despite the madness. Maybe at the end ask someone to set up a retrieve for him at an opportune time when there aren’t other dogs to compete.

I wouldn’t be worried about him, just think he has had too much exposure before he was ready for it.

Remember , When you say “Sit“ his ass hits the deck and never call him off ‘Sit’, you always go and collect him up.
If you are having a bad day , don’t loose the head . Park it for the day and try again tomorrow.
 
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