Show Prevention is Answer to Hunting Dog Gun Shyness s By y TED RESTING NESTING Prevention not cure is the of answer to gun shyness one the greatest tragedies that can befall a potentially good hunting hunting hunting hunt hunt- ing dog Regularity in feeding time Ume can be turned easily into a valuable training asset in inmany inmany inmany Henry P P. many ways says Davis Sporting Dogs Editor of oC Sports Afield Magazine PARTICULARLY is this true when introducing the young dog to the gun The system system tem is simply this approach the kennel with the dogs dog's food at the same time each morning morn ing and night Tho The youngster will come to anticipate these visits and his own in built-in alarm clock will alert him to your expected arrival Let plenty of noise accompany accompany pany your feeding trip This can be done clone by pounding on a aboard aboard aboard board banging on tin pans and the like The puppy will come to associate these unusual unusual unusual unus unus- ual noises with his regular I meals and will soon overcome any any fear he might have had hadI I of oC them at first I AFTER liE HE has become accustomed ac ac- to these noises the trainer should substitute the blast from a cap pistol or even evena a caliber pistol or rifle for forthe forthe forthe the usual noise At first the gun should be he fired some 40 to 50 yards away from the 1110 kennel kennel kennel ken ken- nel then the distance should be gradually reduced When the puppy has become accustomed accustomed tomed toured to such gunfire a blast from a a. a gauge shotgun should be used as a signal again the first firing being quite some distance from the kennel Finally graduate to a 20 gauge shotgun and if iC the pup pup- puppy puppy py shows no fear of oC this and he shouldn't you ma may feel fecI fairly confident that he will not show signs of gun shyness shyness shy shy- shyness ness when his education in the field begins But care should still be exercised until the young dog comes to associate the gun with the killing of oC game birds ONE SHOULD not under any circumstances fire a 12 gauge gun over a puppy's first point To any experienced sportsman such a thing is unthinkable un un- thinkable but it happe happens n s many many times every season season season sea sea- son and results in the ruination ruination ruination ruina ruina- tion of many a promising pros pros- There are other careless tactics which can cause a dog to become gun shy and the system outlined above is no guarantee against them But it is a pretty good insurance policy And heres here's an important thing to remember if you arc are buying a young dog that tha t is fairly mature dont don't close the tilt deal until you have seen for yourself that ho is not gun shy I |