OK so we have this yellow lab she is a greaat dog we really want to hunt with her but she is completly terrified of guns our nei

[Doe_wild]

OK so we have this yellow lab she is a greaat dog we really want to hunt with her but she is completly terrified of guns our neighbor boy whom is a complete idiot was shoot a bb gun at her and she got hit she has a bb in her fore head but if we so much as bring one of the guns out she runs for it

[ryanwest]

show her how fun it is to shoot at the neibor kid

[pineywoods]

Good luck. I've never heard of having much success with breaking a dog of gun-shyness. Sounds like you would have an especially tough row to hoe. It would likely take a long period of gradually getting her to associate guns with things that aren't negative, such as letting her see a gun when you feed her. I'm sure there are some experts out there with good suggestions.

[jcarlin]

I'd brought home a shelter beagle a few years ago who was horribly gunshy. I started off taking him to a nearby gamelands where there was always some hunting happening and plenty of rabbits. Kept him on lead and far away from any sources of fire at first and he would flinch. Over a couple of weeks that went and then I'd let him run rabbits. For a while he'd still react if shots were fired in a neighboring field but eventually it was associated with being able to run and he got over it. On "Graduation Day" I carried a shotgun (prior to that I didn't want to be tempted to shoot near him if he brought a rabbit by) waited until he was busy nosing some brush about 20 yards away and fired into an embankment away from him. He never even looked at me. As a parallel, I wonder if leaving a gun out, say a rifle with the bolt removed for safety's sake, in your living area or her sleeping area and just picking it up and handling it from time to time around your dog without any negative consequences would get your dog acclimated. Have it around for play and training time and it'll become as exciting to see as a leash as you walk to the front door. On the upside, a bb gun shouldn't have made her shy of reports. Good Luck. I'm happy with my rescue rabbit dog.

[dcernick]

I agree with jcarlin. I think a good start would be to leave a gun out and let her walk up to it and check it out on her terms. Take it slow, and hopefully she'll come around.

[Brian Lynn]

You've got some good advice here Doe_wild. You have to disassociate the negative aspect of firearms and reassociate it with positive things. Slow, slow, slow. Start with just getting her used to it. As was said, leave it around in a corner of the house or room the dog uses (make sure it's safe, etc) and let the dog get used to it on her own. Then try handling and carrying it. Don't rush the situation. Take weeks if you have to. And don't que the dog that you're doing something; keep your daily routine and mannerisms the same...the gun is no big deal. So often dogs feed off their owners insecurities which perpetuates the problem. After the dog gets used to the gun and being around it, start associating it with things it loves to do (chase birds, eat, play, run, etc). When you do begin firing a gun around her, start with the smallest gun you have and do it from a distance (100 yards or more) and slowly work in while letting her do something she really loves (retrieving birds would be nice!). If she shows any fear or hesitation, back up in distance. Once you can shoot near her with no problems, back out to a great distance again and try with a larger gun until you can use your hunting firearm near her. You didn't mention how old your dog was, if it had any hunting experience, had been around guns before, whether it has a strong prey drive (love of birds), etc. Those are all important to consider. Just take it slow, slow, slow!

[yungdeerslayer]

i have never herd of braking a dog of gun shyness but it also depends on wut hunting ur doing like bird hunting that would be sord of hard becuaes all the loud bangs.

[Crockett024]

I would try to keep her on a leash and try shooting the gun and try to keep her in one spot. And keep shooting for a couple of rounds and eventually she will get used to it.