Dog Training: Introducing Your Dog to Gunfire

Many dogs and puppies are afraid of loud noises, including gunfire. Teaching your dog or puppy that gunfire is not scary can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. Dogs trained to work in search and rescue, as police dogs, as guide dogs, or as hunting dogs need to be confident when they hear the sound of guns. Gun-shy dogs cannot work properly in any of the above-mentioned jobs.

In order to introduce your dog to gunfire you will need the following: a large open area where it is legal to shoot a gun, your dog or puppy, a partner with a gun, several of your dog's favorite retrieve toys (tennis ball, rope toy).

Your dog should be able to retrieve items and bring them to you before beginning this exercise. If your dog retrieves but does not bring the item back to you, be sure to have the dog on a long tie-out so you can bring him back if needed.

Step 1- Choose a baseline. This is where you will stand to toss the retrieve item and where your dog will return to you.

Step 2- Have your partner walk away from you in the opposite direction of where you will be throwing your dogs retrieve item. Your partner should be far enough away that the gunshot will not be very loud where you are standing. While your partner is getting into position, start playing fetch with your dog by tossing the retrieve item and encouraging him to get it and bring it back.

Step 3- Your partner should shoot the gun while the dog is running to retrieve his toy. The first shot should happen when the dog is nearing the toy- you may want to signal your partner when to shoot.

Step 4- If your dog ignores the gunfire and retrieves his toy, repeat Step 3. If your dog stops the retrieve, have your partner go farther back before attempting Step 3 again.

Step 5- Continue throwing the retrieve item for your dog. Your partner can begin walking toward you now, firing the gun as the dog is running toward the retrieve item.

Step 6- Repeat Step 5 until your partner is standing next to you and is shooting the gun from that position (pointed away from you and the dog, of course!).

Note- If at any point your dog or puppy becomes concerned with the noise of the gunfire or stops retrieving, have your partner walk back to the last position where your dog was comfortable.

Remember- This should be a fun activity for your dog!

Once you have completed all six steps, your dog will be comfortable enough with gunfire to ignore the noise- or at least not be frightened by it. I recommend repeating this exercise a few times a month for a few months, then once a month for a few more months in order to keep your dog desensitized to the sound of gunfire.