# How does this happen



## KennyC (Apr 28, 2010)

So my Golden Ret. just turned 1 and he was doing OK with bumpers and loud shots. I wouldn't call him huntable but... Now that the 4th is over he is scared of all sounds and doesn't want anything to do with bird, bumpers wings ect. He has been in the house since he was 10 weeks old. what causes this and is he ruined? He still likes the water but seems to be getting very timmed and not as confident as he used to be.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I have a seasoned 8-year-old Lab that hunts through what sounds like Armageddon sometimes. He's terrified of fireworks. Birds cure everything. Get your dog on birds without any gunfire by throwing pigeons, etc. When you are confident that the dog is bird crazy, have someone snap a cap pistol at a distance as you toss the bird. If the dog goes after the bird and ignores the snap, you can move on from there. If the dog shies away from the bird at the sound of a cap pistol, you have a problem.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Kenny, lets get out and shoot some pigeons and let our dogs retrieve them. Im sure that will cure it


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## Sprig Kennels (Jan 13, 2009)

if he is gunshy then you want to proceed slowly as it can be a tricky thing to overcome. I have a dog in for training right now that has very similar issues and the number one thing you need to get a dog over this is patience and let the dog work through it at its pace.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

Not too often a dog is fond of firework reports. They are hard on a dogs ears and have a higher frequencies, many that we don't hear. A dog can surely tell the difference between shotguns and firecrackers. Even a dog that is not fearful of firework reports does its best to tolerate it. Dogs can also show the same thing when come to thunder. They can hear the crack of a lightning bolt when all we hear is the low boom.


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## KennyC (Apr 28, 2010)

cool thanks guys and BAX that sounds like a plan. Give me a call.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Last night I was sitting in my back yard lighting fire crackers and my dog loved chasing after them. Funny how some dogs react to situations.

We just need to find someone on KSL that is selling pigeons Kenny. But they are reletively easy to find (although sometimes they arent as easy to find).

Here was Chaser's and my last pigeon adventure


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

If you do a little research, you'll find that Goldens are notorious for being shy about fireworks, thunder/lightning, and even gunfire. As has been mentioned, birds are the cure, and you do need to move slowly. Gotta get the excitement up so the adrenaline overpowers the fear, but if you jump to shots right over him immediately, he will cower. You need to change the association of loud noises=bad to loud noises=birds=fun.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> I have a seasoned 8-year-old Lab that hunts through what sounds like Armageddon sometimes. He's terrified of fireworks. Birds cure everything. Get your dog on birds without any gunfire by throwing pigeons, etc. When you are confident that the dog is bird crazy, have someone snap a cap pistol at a distance as you toss the bird. If the dog goes after the bird and ignores the snap, you can move on from there. If the dog shies away from the bird at the sound of a cap pistol, you have a problem.


+1


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## KennyC (Apr 28, 2010)

Chaser said:


> If you do a little research, you'll find that Goldens are notorious for being shy about fireworks, thunder/lightning, and even gunfire. As has been mentioned, birds are the cure, and you do need to move slowly. Gotta get the excitement up so the adrenaline overpowers the fear, but if you jump to shots right over him immediately, he will cower. You need to change the association of loud noises=bad to loud noises=birds=fun.


So if I am hearing you correctly get the birds and peak the interest. At a later date go to a noise at a distance and still use the bird. Move closer over time ect. Does anyone associate eating with the use of a bird? Like use the bird and build the excitement and then feed them?


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> I have a seasoned 8-year-old Lab that hunts through what sounds like Armageddon sometimes. He's terrified of fireworks. Birds cure everything. Get your dog on birds without any gunfire by throwing pigeons, etc.


Couldn't describe my dog better. We live above a hunt /shooting club- to me those shots below don't sound any different that fire works going off at a distance. He doesn't even act like he notices the gun shots but barks at fire works.


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