What is the perfect age for you Golden retriever to learn not to be gun shy?

Question

and what is the best ways to teach him?

Answer 1

as soon as possible

Answer 2

Does he have a strong drive to retrieve?
You need two people to get him past being gunshy - start by having him get very busy with some fun retrieves. Then when you throw the bumper - have the second person faced away from the dog and off to the side with a cap gun or starter's pistol - they shoot just as you throw the bumper. Repeat a couple times - hopefully the dog is excited enough about the retrieve he soon ignores the shot. Several sessions later you can have your accomplice move up to a 22 pistol - again they should stand facing away and off to the side so the gunshot is away from the dog. It is important to time the shot to the release of the bumper.
Keep working at it - make the retrieves FUN and don't get frustrated. When the dog is ok with the 22 pistol you can start slowly moving to larger gauges and have the shooting take place in a more realistic location for an actual hunting situation.

Answer 3

How old is yours? Ideally you would start as soon as you bring the pup home, by getting him used to loud noises. Nothing right in his face, of course, but noisy cars outside, loud parks, loud music, clapping hands, dropping things, etc. In other words a typical busy household! When you first introduce the pup to guns, and I confess I don't know if there is a certain age that is best for this, start with whatever gun you have that is quietest (relatively) and fire it at a distance from the pup. Ideally, you have the pup outside and play with him, while someone out in the back 40 fires a couple of shots. If the pup doesn't react or seems interested, great. Just continue by having the shots come closer and closer over time, depending on the pup's reaction. However you introduce birds (wing, scent, live bird whatever), if the pup associates the bird with the shot then the shot will equal fun. If at any time the pup freaks out, back up and go more slowly. If the pup has a good reaction be sure to praise him. If he doesn't, don't punish him, just ignore him. With time he will improve.
If the pup is older or is an adult, you can do pretty much the same thing, but you might have to go more slowly. If the pup/dog already is gun shy, start very slowly with noises that slowly get louder over time depending on the animal's reaction. Don't introduce guns until the dog shows little to no reaction with other loud noises, and make sure the first shots are at a great distance.
gundogsonline.com has some interesting articles although of course I can't vouch for their accuracy. NRA's magazine American Hunter has a great monthly article about hunting dogs, unfortunately you can't read them online. (If you hunt, I very strongly recommend that you join the NRA to defend our rights!)
Good luck!

Answer 4

When I trained my three labs. I started them out at about 12 weeks. After they mastered the sit and stay command. I started with an unloaded gun allow the dog to look at it smell and lick it. Let the dog come to the gun at there pace don't push it. Then work to the field have a friend fire a gun while you and the dog stand a 100 yards away the move in little by little then next you fire the gun with the dog holding the stay command near you. don't ever push the dog to fast. That is my experience

Answer 5

if your golden is gun shy, most the time they don't come out of it , but if you a insist you could maybe try taking her out at home an in the normal act of playing try clapping to 2 short 2x4 together,behind your back softly at first , then alittle louder until she can handle the sound of the full impact, then show her were the sound is coming from, It helps to have the gun you use to hunt with just laying near were your playing. good luck, if this doesn't work just enjoy her as she is

Answer 6

once you get all your basic commands down come, woah, sit, stay, give. And by the time they are about 4 months old they should be able to be mature enough to handle gun shots. take your dog out to the trap range and tie him up kind of away from your shooting so he doesnt get so startled from the gunfire. he should get used to it pretty quick. but do realize the golden retriever isn't really a bird dog anymore...

Answer 7

Puppies are born with a hunting instinct. Usually they are taken out at 4-6 months (after all shots have been given and flea, tick and heartworm prevention has been applied) to hunting competitions. Just being around the sounds and smells tells experienced hunters which ones will succeed.
Desensitize your pup to loud noise. Radio, TV, banged pots will all teach your pup to ignore noise and distraction.
Look up a hunt club in your area. Usually they don't hunt, but have trials that are sort of a hunting substitute.
Good luck

Answer 8

even though your dog may be a golden retriever, he may just not like loud noises like those of guns being fired, as it scares him too much, you should respect that and not try to force him to do something that he is just not capable of doing.

Answer 9

the perfect age is 2. the best way is when you shoot he'll get scared the first tries but if you tell him stay ever time you shoot he will get used to it.

Answer 10

as soon as possible, and you start by clapping to sticks together and get the dog use to the loud clap sound

Answer 11

any age