Got the hunting dog, shotgun's on it's way

Flush them? Heck, maybe she'll point them.

Cute pup.

You may have a grouse dog in training???

Cute!

What is she?

That's the cutest thing I've ever seen on a gun forum before. I'm dog sitting someone from my churchs' 1 year old hunting lab.. he is crazy hyper, good luck!!

Ya just gotta love them Labs. Mix or purebred. Got me a big ole black lab mix that is my best friend and constant companion. I have him trained pretty well too. He is just about as lazy as I am.

When they're young like that, and you want to rid them of being gun shy, get some blanks and take a good distance away, maybe 100 feet, and fire them off as she's eating.

Over a matter of a couple of weeks get closer as she's eating her dinner and shoot near her and she shouldn't have a problem getting used to loud noises. Also have your lady stand near her while doing all this.

Somebody might have some better advice for how to properly handle this, but that's how I did it with my lab. Shame I never broke him of his hardmouth, and his retrieval skills are sub-par, if he wants to eat the dove or quail before getting it to you. But he does get excited when the guns are out and they're firing!

I had a lab once. Was trying to get a little more serious about waterfowl.
My wife could not take 3 big dogs, so to keep moma happy....:banghead:

Anyway, that lab was one of the smartest dogs I've owned. And wanting to please... He was great. Just couldn't use him with my setters..

Great pic, by the way.

Jeff

.22 Magnum has worked fine in my experience. She shouldn't be startled by the loud noises, that is the important thing.

Once you have your shotgun out and you start shooting, then she should recognize that when the gun comes out, she's going to have fun. If my dog watches when me and my dad are planning a trip down to the ranch, he sees the duffel bags and he sees the guns and he starts raising hell until he's in the truck.

Shouldn't be any different, labs love to hunt and they love to play, shouldn't be difficult to figure that out, what is going to be difficult is to get your lab to not be so stubborn.

I used to bang pots & pans together when they were eating, but ignored them if they were curious. Treat it like a "non event."
Then do the same with exposure to gunfire. Shoot a small gun starters pistol off when they are off in the distance. If they seem concerned, once again, treat it like non event. If they are sensitive, you will know.
I'm on Setter #5. Never have had one gun shy.
Labs seem a little more bold than some of my setters as a whole.
I doubt you will have a problem.

That is a cute little pup!

Well, Grandpa Shooter, I'd say just stick with training the dog for now, training the lady might turn deadly. Training a headstrong dog is one thing, but trying to deal with a headstrong woman is another.

+1 on starting from a distance with the actual firearms. Some dogs just startle easier, so just to be safe ease into it. The pots 'n' pans bit helps, and will show if the dog is easily startled or couldn't care less.

Cute dog! Gotta watch those mixes, a friend got a mix and thought it would retrieve birds for him. Instead it points them out and he has to go get them.


gp911