Cool, you need to want to get him to chase. Reason being is it is scared of the gun, which has overlayed into the bird. We need to get conf. back into bird. So if you can get access to pigeons, take a pigeon, and extend wing out, pull couple hand fulls of feathers out of wing. You don't want this bird to fly well. Start at the body, work towards tip of wing. Do you know how to dizzy a bird? I want you to dizzy this bird then go to truck and get the dog.I would try and put this in light cover, i don't care if dog sees the bird laying there. work the pup into on down wind side, if it points great, if it don't great. Ok? Let the dog go in and bump, or you go in and flush. Let dog do what it wants. NO SHOT!! We are gonna get to that later. If the dog does not go after, its alright, walk off with dog, come back into bird from nother direction. Then see the response. It will take a few times of assoc this way to get it started on over the fear. Now i'm serious, if it goes and catches, let it catch!! Eat it if it wants, this will correct later. It has to regain dominance over bird. Iwont tell you what to do next because i want more workouts!! I'd say couple times a day a.m. then in p.m. This will work out. Wish we were closer and work together, i could explain what and why while we are working and you'd see it in the dog. Does this make sense?? Ask me ques??!! Gonna be cool, don't know how long but it sounds like boogers are not to bad!! Mean that!! Jonesy

Thanks Jonesy. Because of work schedule, it will be hard to do a couple of times a day but I will get the dog out there at least once a week. I will work him on several birds that day. I do know how to dizzy a bird and will do that. I will try and get out there as much as possible. I understand where you are going with this. Let the dog see that it has dominance over the bird. I appreciate your time and patience in helping me with this. Is there a way to stay in touch with you over time?

What you can do is work 1 bird couple times, even if you do this just 1 a week, its ok gives dog time to think. You don't have to cram, dogs will get sour on that also. But this WILL work back into gun, and then into steadying of the dog, no offense, but your trainer for that kinda money should have had more done. Just leave gun at home, or DON'T LOAD!! hahahaha patience. This is one of the most common faults that i fix. This is the easiest way that i have figured out to do. It stays black and white to the dog. Yeah, if you want to stay in touch outside of here, My name is Dave Jones " Jonesy's Gun Dogs " 136 Red Lick Rd. Berea, Kentucky 40403. 859-985-2918 Any time!! We'll getcha through. Just remember PATIENCE!! Cya Jonesy

Alrighty then! I am going to sign off for now. I will let you know how first session goes this week via phone con or by posting thread. I sincerely appreciate the advice. Thanks, Ed

if you use a e-collar you can force fetch train your dog easily with some dead birds throw the birds and use very very low stimulation on constant till the dog retrieves you may start by throwing the bird if he runs right to it but dosnt fetch it start the stimulation walk to the bird and hopefully hell pick it up if he dosnt dont stop the stim. but shake the bird till hegrabs it when he does stop the stimulation command him to stay walk away command him to come if he drops the bird start the stim. untill he pics it up while comanding him to fetch theres more involved depending on how fast your dog pics it up but als remember always reward your dog when it does good and when training new things limit to 5-15min. a day this will help your dog from getting bored

Thats not problem, dog is gun shy, goin behind or next to hand when birds flush. Getting bird asoc. confidence to re intro gun later. Jonesy

i thought you got that under control must of misread sorry
ithought he got his conf. back but wouldnt retrieve i posted that thinking there was only one page iwrote it then seen page 2
that was great advice you gave
i posted somthing about hawk screamers atthe upland hunting page i would appriciate your advice

Who's method is that?



.

theres more involved but its a effective training i dont know whos method it is but it was taught to me through a champ dog owner he trains his own dogs with no pro help and has 1st place NARA titles sounds unorthodox but its effective

My friend had the same issue when he received his GSP. He didn’t buy him from a trainer but he was from good stock. We went out with him at about the same age to test his abilities. His natural instincts were working well but he was not ready for the gun. When the bird got up I shot the bird and his birddog ran like a shot to the other side of the field and coward at the site or sound of the gun. Obviously my fiend was devastated. But breezing through your posts I believe that the main problem here is curing his Shyness to the Gun. After some research what my friend did was introduce the gun back to the dog in a positive way. Each time he fed the dog he would have his gun in hand. He would also lay the gun by the bowl while the dog ate and in his pen while he slept (old gun is advised) giving the dog a constant reminder that that gun will not hurt him or scare him when it is around. He then started to shoot the gun randomly during non hunting situations from a distance working his way back to the dog when he shot. You can even start with a low caliber such as a .22 and work your way up to the 12 gauge. This allowed the dog to understand that this loud boom is not just associated to the dog pointing and hunting birds but can happen at any time even during play time. His work paid off. By the following season the dog was a little older and more mature. With the anxiety of the gun behind him this dog is now a pheasant hunting machine. It sounds like you have a pretty good dog their, if you work him back in properly I think that he will be OK. Just take it slow. If he is from good genes his instincts and will to hunt will eventually take over. But first you must make him understand that the gun will not harm or hurt him in any way. Good luck I’m sure he will be fine.