Introduce Your Labrador to Gunfire - Hunting Dog Training

If you've been around dog training and duck hunting long enough, you've heard of a "gunshy" dog. With the proper introduction, it can be prevented. See how to properly introduce your Labrador in this week's retriever training video.
For more information on Brookstone Kennels Performance Gundogs - bit.ly/2M2LOTY
***More Retriever Training Videos***
►Circle Memory Drill Pt. 1 - bit.ly/2NVS6ps
►Circle Memory Drill Pt. 2 - bit.ly/2LB4TvS
►Retriever Training in Water - bit.ly/2M6vJkd

[@KurNorock]

When i was a kid, my mom's boyfriend would take me dove hunting. He had a yellow lab that he claimed was half wolf (it obviously wasn't, but 5 year old me sure believed it) that would retrieve the dove that we shot. That dog loved retrieving dove so much that if you missed, the dog would stare at you and growl as if he was grumbling obscenities under his breath. If you had the nerve to miss twice in a row, he would bark at you and throw a tantrum. Spinning around, pawing at the ground, knocking things over, etc. If you missed a third time he would just lay down and close his eyes as if to say "I've got the time to take a nap before you'll get another dove". To this day that was the best trained dog I've ever met. And also the most proud.

[@garrettdaeges7382]

Hey Josh. You have some of the best videos available. Biggest difference is you show dogs break on you and not like some show a perfect dog every time. Thank you for your instructions. Hope 2020 is a good year for you.

[@Prince-gu8or]

Thank you. I love the fact you show a dog not fully trained and show how to correct him to many video showing a fully obedient dog doing everthing right.

[@HuntFactory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@wiltshirewoodman5929]

Great video yet again. Thank you for all your tutorials. I had my lady stand with the dog 12mth old. Associating the dummy with the starter pistol then shotgun worked well. Used a moderated .410 to start with and he’s steady. Using a moderated 12g next and then once steady shooting by him move onto the 12g. Thank from across the pond.

[@HuntFactory]

Thanks for watching!

[@thomasd9237]

I just rescued a 14month old Malinois that's been severely abused. She's a bit of a spook about a lot of things, but when it comes to gunfire or even my neighbors nail gun she looses it. Thanks for posting this, it's given me some ideas. 👍🐾🐾👍

[@fauxrowsdower7610]

hey it's 7 months later, how is she doing?

[@mantirig4139]

Good Job! Thanks for the info.

[@thecaptain6994]

Outstanding, man!

[@GetErRabbit]

Excellent video thanks! Im a solo trainer and needed a common sense method that didnt require a thrower.

[@stevenlaubach7222]

I want to train my lab pup to flush and retrieve pheasants for upland hunting only. Is there anything different in the training introducing to gunfire than what you just demonstrated in this video. I dont want him to sit and me tell him to fetch i want him to automatically fetch upon flush. Love your videos thank you!!

[@kevrs73]

Very informational video. Wondering if a place board is something I could use to help my dog understand where the starting point is? Or should he become used to having a different place to do this drill without a place board?

[@katehobbs5327]

Excellent! Ty!

[@xtremerv3574]

This is great! Thank you. How do you keep ticks off your pooch in the brush? Any pro tips

[@meadowmade]

Thank you. Any advice to breeders how to connect with the hunting community? I have a few hunting puppies that would be so happy to be trained to hunt and be adopted by a hunting family.

[@gor764]

Great tutorial--what camera do yo use for recording?

[@mattm8415]

Great video, well made thank you. I would like link to gun and leash please

[@Uliohjk876]

Top class teaching hi from ireland

[@springadore]

But more importantly, hi from Cork 😂

[@maximilianaugustinekilloug5364]

Hey, what caliber is your starter pistol?

[@glenangelos6025]

After a few repetitions can I let the dog fetch the dummy as a reward?

[@user-lp5jq4kr6x]

My dog has a terrible experience with people firing guns around her and now she's terrified and runs for her life . What do I do or can do for her to calm her when hears shots I don't hear?

[@ryanmalone2681]

You might have better luck if instead of just correcting and re-eating the demand, you give a termination or dominating marker and some reward. Gotta add the positive reinforcement in there too to drive motivation.

[@thecaptain6994]

Where is the best place to buy a starter pistol? I struck out on Amazon.

[@SoraOfTheDarkness]

Does your dogs care about thunder storms?

[@stevenlaubach7222]

Would this introduction to gunfire work for my lab for upland pheasant hunting? My only concern is I want my lab to flush the pheasant and immediately retrieve it upon shooting the bird, I dont want to have to give a command to retrieve it like duck hunting from a blind. My lab is 15 weeks old and I am starting the training on obedience I just dont want to screw him up.

[@noahhull]

Let him work birds and chase them and introduce to him to gunfire while he's excited in the field. Eventually work up to planting birds and shooting on the flush. You want him to have the idea that a flushed bird means there's a gunshot followed by a retrieve (Hopefully), which is the reward.

[@gordypaske773]

My only comment would be to make sure your dog sits on flush. It's much easier for them to mark the bird and safer for your dog. Then send them for the bird

[@outdooradventures92]

How do you recommend I train my 9 month old lab to be gentle with the bird. She gets excited and shakes her head ones she gets the bird. She is relaxed around gun fire.

[@dg7708]

Eh, she's just tenderizing it for you

[@tagexclusivetech7858]

Great lesson, thanks. What would be the right age to introduce the dog to gunshot?

[@purifiedcomet4224]

When the dog can properly hold his gun.

[@Barbariann9]

@@purifiedcomet4224 LOL

[@dannee3731]

Does this training help with fireworks anxiety as well?

[@HuntFactory]

Yes it does

[@dannee3731]

@@HuntFactory thank you.

[@dannee3731]

@@HuntFactory Thank you.

[@springadore]

My fella reacts to fireworks like,,, come on boy someone's hunting without us 😂

[@dannee3731]

@@springadore That is pretty cool to hear. However, My pup hurt his leg real bad from jumping up to quickly from Fireworks and he was never the same. He was a Chocolate Lab but didn't do well with fireworks.

[@eddiegutierrez7786]

How old is the dog

[@zer0coolninja887]

Do they have doggy ear safety? If not why cant I do that i just bleed from my ears

[@zer0coolninja887]

But all aside great video never thought about all the hard work that goes into this

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

That's the type of lab I like.

[@blackeagle2294]

Bonnie Hundley Exactly I’m tired of seeing fat labs on the street

[@mysticdemon6339]

@@blackeagle2294 yes! I haven't seen a healthy lab anywhere but on KZbin! Sometimes I still see fat labs here.

[@julianr1742]

Thats gonna be one fine dog

[@mauriciosotorubio5389]

confused about the value of having them sit and stay while you shoot the gun. Isn't the point for the dog not to be afraid of the noise?

[@HuntFactory]

In a hunting situation, the dog needs to sit and stay when hunters are shooting. The dog should wait to be commanded to make the retrieve requiring them to sit/stay when introducing them to gunfire is laying the ground work for that scenario.

[@diggingeverydaydean8080]

How old is Matty? I have a Wired Haired Griffon puppy (5 months). What age is a good age to begin this process? I have access to property where I can do this with my wife. Also can you simulate doing a retrieve with this same approach using the distance shot and moving closer?

[@diggingeverydaydean8080]

@@seanmee2147 Thanks Sean Mee..... Our breeder has another dog in my area and he has a lot of experience with Griffs so I'm in good hands. Thank you for the reply back.

[@surfycube284]

Could i do this with a 22 or will that be to much

[@kennyhill2678]

What I used

[@zakattack467]

SPEEK UP LYBRUL!!

[@kawasakiman613]

Where can I purchase that vest

[@3kbman]

His coat was so shiny I couldn’t even tell he had one on haha!

[@michaelharris9994]

Might wanna check on the pool boy bro.....

[@k9leadstheway531]

If you wouldn't mind explaining why you say sit to your dog continuously when he is already sitting. Just as a reminder. Would it be more sufficient to use markers to mark the desired behavior? Thank you

[@beegirl84]

He is reminding his dog when he tries to lift his butt off the ground.

[@MikeHawkbaby]

Merissa Lucas Yeah i was told not to repeat commands to my dog, but I think I may have to try “repeating” commands like he does. Not just telling my dog to sit 3x and he hasn’t sat once, but my 17 week old golden will sit on command every time, BUT immediately gets up everytime.

[@jeppepedersen7006]

does this work with female dogs?

[@HuntFactory]

For sure!

[@sw8053]

Good video but may wanna think about actually rewarding behavior. You correct him but where is the rewards. Would probably help with him not breaking the sit command

[@TheStudiolight]

Sit or I’ll shoot you! Lol thank you for the good training video.

[@HuntFactory]

Thanks for watching!

[@rodrigopedrosa1958]

This is just superb, I've been looking for "how to train a dog to listen" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Biyiden Yonsabella Review - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my friend got great success with it.

[@fataloath]

wtf is this comment?

[@HunterLo25]

I noticed you dont use e-collar. Is there a reason why?

[@HuntFactory]

No e-collar is a part of Josh's style of training. Extra importance is placed on obedience.

[@leanneingersoll5895]

if there's a deer running at you really missed some shots and you have no more the dog would come and protect you but if he learns to just sit there then well

[@daisymay6505]

This isn’t for deer hunting this is training to tolerate the sound of gunshots so that the dog can flush and or retrieve fowl and birds

[@michaelharris9994]

My springer chases and eats firewoks..js

[@Mega6470]

How do I do if I need to train him to not react to gun shot sound and he’s been traumatized with dumb guys throwing fireworks at him ?

[@mattystewart8]

Shan MG start by having them stop throwing fireworks at him

[@Mega6470]

mattystewart8 ohh my god thank youuuu soo so much, you are the most enlightened person on the internet, I could not have figured that out without you !! You saved my life, I figured I’d just ask them to keep throwing fireworks at him and could NOT understand WHY in God’s name didn’t he just stop being scared at some point. Wow really you should write comments to EVERYBODY cuz I want them all to see how smart and helpful you are to people asking questions in the comments. Bye !

[@michaelmaher7255]

Exactly the same way as described here

[@migratorygame7400]

it's hard to get a dog out of being gun shy. I would start with their feed bowl u can bang it on the floor or dog box then feed them and just ignore the dog. If it works they will just stand there waiting on the food. I hope this helps

[@brendancornish2362]

mattystewart8 😂😂😂

[@yackson4804]

Take him to the ranger

[@dylanchiesa602]

Can a hound dog hunt duck?

[@Boatflipit]

Can a retriever rabbit hunt?

[@znegrito172]

Brett Barr can a chihuahua boar hunt?

[@dylanchiesa602]

Brett Barr probably. But seriously could you train a hound to hunt duck?

[@kolarzz7864]

Dylan Chiesa yes

[@justagirlandherdogs615]

@@dylanchiesa602 yup

[@thendofspace]

Lost art

[@thendofspace]

Subscribe

[@stevenlaubach7222]

I want to train my lab pup to flush and retrieve pheasants for upland hunting only. Is there anything different in the training introducing to gunfire than what you just demonstrated in this video. I dont want him to sit and me tell him to fetch i want him to automatically fetch upon flush. Love your videos thank you!!