# My pup got spooked!



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

I am not real serious about making this dog a great hunter. A good family dog that will acompany me camping, fishing, and a little bird hunting. He's a golden retriever about 4 1/2 months. When I chose him from the litter he was very outgoing and not spooked from loud noises. Got him home and all has been good. Until a couple days ago when he started acting more and more spooked around loud noises. Choping wood, vacum, even shoveling snow. WTH I cant think of an event that would have freaked him out. But Im concerned he may get gun shy. Anybody delt with this before? Any suggestions on what to do? Is it just a phase? Or am I just stuck with a puss.  :roll: :lol:


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Iron Bear said:


> I am not real serious about making this dog a great hunter. A good family dog that will acompany me camping, fishing, and a little bird hunting. He's a golden retriever about 4 1/2 months. When I chose him from the litter he was very outgoing and not spooked from loud noises. Got him home and all has been good. Until a couple days ago when he started acting more and more spooked around loud noises. Choping wood, vacum, even shoveling snow. WTH I cant think of an event that would have freaked him out. But Im concerned he may get gun shy. Anybody delt with this before? Any suggestions on what to do? Is it just a phase? Or am I just stuck with a puss.  :roll: :lol:


He might be a puss.... :wink:

I have a friend who has a big bold GWP male who's afraid of nothing, well, now that he's two... When he was a pup he was afraid of his own shadow for quite some time. Being patient with he dog and exposing him to a variety of distractions and challenges brought him right out of it. socialization is very important right now as he's getting to know his new world. That includes new experiences with people, dogs, sounds, sights, everything. When it comes time to introduce him to guns just make sure he's already seen about a million birds before the gun actually goes bang when he's around one. He'll be so wound up about the bird he won't even hear the gun go off.

Just remember this, EVERYTHING is fun to a puppy.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

> Just remember this, EVERYTHING is fun to a puppy.


Boy....isn't that the truth !! :lol:

Iron Bear....is it possible your pup may have an ear infection of sorts? Not so much that he is afraid of those noise's but irritated at hearing them?

I know I don't have an ear infection but all of those sounds bother me too !! :|


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

An ear infection is a possibility, but if the shyness continues for more than a few days it's not the ears. Make every attempt to turn noises into a positive. Vacuum with treats to give away and socks to throw. Treat him on every pass of the shovel. Chopping wood? Chop some meat while you're at it. Goldens are notoriously soft. This dog needs help to realize that noise makers are not out to get him.


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## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try them. Is there anything I should notice in his ears in terms of an infection?


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## Ryfly (Sep 13, 2007)

My YLF isn't bothered by anything except the vacuum. She hates it and will go to the door if you even look like to might be using it but when a gun goes off she acts like a kid on Christmas morning.


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## one hunting fool (Sep 17, 2007)

Iron bear,
I have never raised a gun shy dog. Even the pups I sale do not shy away from loud noises. One of the ways I do this is from the point to where there ears are open I clap and make noise every time I come into the room. The other is as they are eating I clap and make loud noises. The last thing I do is as they are whining I come into feed them or give them something to eat and I clap to call them or bang the pans together. This gets them use to load noises and makes it just part of their surroundings. I can take my labs to the parade and when the fire trucks go by blowing there horns they don’t even flinch. They love loud noises and I am sure if you do some of these things you will find your dog not gun shy either.


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## cootshooter2 (Sep 29, 2008)

Do what One Hunting Fool did with his dog make loud noises when he is eating!! Another thing that you can do is build his confidence so these things don't happen. One thing I would do it is make it always fun for him to do everything, but put him on the other side of a baseball diamond backstop and have him come to you. Make him do it himself!!! You might have to coach him a little but in the end he will get it and his confidence will increase. My pups mom is very timid and he started be to submissive when correcting him during training so I did this and it helped him get over it. Let me know if you try this out and the success. One last thing he is still a pup don't expect a master hunter right now.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

One more item to add- don't baby them around loud noises. My parent's have a golden that was stuck out in the backyard during a bad thunderstorm when she was a puppy. When the fam got home to "rescue" her, she was soaking wet and shaking from fright. If the dog thinks there is a reason to be afraid of the noises, the bad habits will form. Like the others said, positive associations with the noises, and positive reinforcement for proper reaction to the noises. Good luck! My parent's golden is like Tex said, a PUSS. She's a great pet, but a worthless hunter.


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