Thread: Over excited Cocker

My girl is about 18mths, she’s more of a companion than a trained dog. She does the basics and doesn’t wander or get to far ahead while hunting …… but ….. the moment the rifle comes out and I start to setup she’s uncontrollable.
She cry’s, yaps, quivers, runs around and the moment I shoot she’s off, generally in the wrong direction.
I was hoping the more often she was exposed to shooting she’d calm down but that hasn’t been the case.
I do put her on the lead while at the range but it doesn’t change her behaviour, it just stops her from being shot.
Will maturity change her behaviour or is the only option a training programme.

Oh dear....you are in for a battle and have already taken a couple of bullets .... Break it down and work on the bits individually. Your sit isn't solid to begin with. So get that sorted yesterday....and by solid I MEAN solid. The vocalisation is the pain in my arse.... I have fought it for years and unfortunately her indoors is often on the other team....oh she is just talking...etc etc etc. zero barking or whining is my goal. Plurry hard to achieve it. Bark only when bailing something and shut up when told is as close to solution I have got. I miss our cockers terribly.

Yeah her sit is good while I’m paying attention to her and she’ll wait under the same conditions but as soon as I’m occupied on something else she takes advantage.
It’s been suggested to use a bark collar but that seems a bit harsh. I wouldn’t want her to associate the rifle with being shocked.
I’ll see if there are any local trainers that may be able to help.

Yeah it's a bit of a journey ahead.
The only spaniel I've dealt with finally responded to getting tough with her after trying all sorts of easier gentler approaches.
Not smacking her or anything, more a tight lead and some hard growls to sit and stay on a day to day basis, with some trips where she thought we were hunting but really it was just a training walk.

Plus I left her behind a couple times I went hunting which she hated

It's taken a while but she's got the message now that hunting a serious business that requires best behavior.
Now when I growl 'sit' her bum just about bounces she sits so quick.

as others have said work on that stop - now try this take her to range- have a short lead handy when she starts her performing firmly take her for a brisk walk completely in opposite direction - the objective is removal from the stimulus and distraction - will need repeating - she may try to pull and turn to go back - to stop a dog pulling takes time but the method is short lead and walk as soon as dog starts pulling then turn and walk in opposite direction - takes time but they do learn to watch you because hey this silly bugger keeps changing direction I better watch him - you may need a helper to provide the stimulous -

Seems like a sensible technique. I’ll give it a try.
The biggest problem is me I’m picking. The old adage of do the same thing expecting a different result.

one thing to remember with dogs the most valuable thing I learnt when we got a professional in to work with our goat cullers and dogs for 4-5 days a year - dogs learn hand commands and body signals way better than verbal commands - verbal commands only need 3 come -- leave it -- and either sit or stay thats it - sit and stay to often are the same thing so just use one - none of this badgirl get in behind fuck ya come here dont do that sit stay heel you moron dog all of it means nothing to the dog apart from man he is pissed of I wonder what its about

Sit and stay ARE the same thing.its a handbrake with transmission in park...not foot brake that comes off when slow down...and just like a park brake...and this is vital.it has to be taken off. Getting this through thick heads of family and visitors is hard work.sit means sit,and stay sitting. I do not have a bark or shock collar but my dogs both wear light check chains 24/7 unless hunting. They are walked on them and tied up on them. Learn from very first time,they can't be wriggled out of and hurt if fight them.so they don't.i start back at work tomorrow but live in same town if you want to get in touch I'm sure we can improve on current situation. Cockers are special....or maybe that should be spethal.... They have a switch that often means nose on= ears off... That rock solid sit/stop/stay can and will save a shit load of grief.

Yeah mate, you will struggle to make her steady once at this stage on a sit with gun fire. She will be too aware and will not sit because she knows gun will go off soon and will do anything to avoid it.

You need to take a few steps back dial it back abit. Make it fun for her. Teach her to play fetch and while she is playing fetch, get someone to fire the gun 20-50 metres away. While she is distracted.

You need to change her assioation with the gun been negative and been fun. Fetch works really well as a distraction. Do this for a few weeks building up her tollerance. After she is not shy then begin to get controll back around gun fire.

good luck plenty of stuff on youtube about gun fire with dogs that are been sensitive .

Originally Posted by hunter36

Yeah mate, you will struggle to make her steady once at this stage on a sit with gun fire. She will be too aware and will not sit because she knows gun will go off soon and will do anything to avoid it.

You need to take a few steps back dial it back abit. Make it fun for her. Teach her to play fetch and while she is playing fetch, get someone to fire the gun 20-50 metres away. While she is distracted.

You need to change her assioation with the gun been negative and been fun. Fetch works really well as a distraction. Do this for a few weeks building up her tollerance. After she is not shy then begin to get controll back around gun fire.

good luck plenty of stuff on youtube about gun fire with dogs that are been sensitive .

If I read the OP correctly, the issue is the dog being over excited and breaking on the shot to go and find whatever has been shot. Not being gun shy and running in fear.

Agree SS,I read it same way. But answer is still the same. Just cause dad has bangstick doesn't mean no sitty sitty and dad will get shitty.sit means sit...and stay there until you told otherwise...if you break,you will be taken back and firmly put back where you were...over n over again till it sinks in.

Just been doing some training with my old girl teaching her hand signals and working on improving her sit stays. Bloody hell she is a clever cookie and is learning fast. While not really expecting her to become an indicating dog, the training seems to be good for the both of us.

While doing some research, I came across a couple of Paul Michael's videos that may be useful to you. I'm sure he has tonnes more, these are just two I've watched. Hope they are helpful.

https://youtu.be/IRY5cNgj510?si=1jcrEjmtHvLj8mHK - How to teach a solid stop

https://youtu.be/Kap3q5TItr4?si=SSqruxCj3xcw8HZa - How to train dog to stay close (where he shows the change of direction thing mentioned above)

from what I read - this is not a gun shy dog- so dont treat her as such - basic controls - and lots of TLC and training

Originally Posted by Noswal

My girl is about 18mths, she’s more of a companion than a trained dog. She does the basics and doesn’t wander or get to far ahead while hunting …… but ….. the moment the rifle comes out and I start to setup she’s uncontrollable.
She cry’s, yaps, quivers, runs around and the moment I shoot she’s off, generally in the wrong direction.
I was hoping the more often she was exposed to shooting she’d calm down but that hasn’t been the case.
I do put her on the lead while at the range but it doesn’t change her behaviour, it just stops her from being shot.
Will maturity change her behaviour or is the only option a training programme.

Maturity wont fix the behavior, only training. The first rule for me is control, always have control. If you don't have control off lead then the dog doesn't come off the lead in a setting where you cant regain control. I would say you have a fair bit of consistent training ahead of you if you want control off the lead.

My younger lab is full on with high drive. I've instilled control training in him consistently for his full four years of life thus far and I still have to be on my game and on top of him every time we hunt to maintain control because he is so keen. Control can be broken purely into two commands I think. Sit and recall. Sit means put your bum down and don't bloody move until you are released. Recall is self explanatory. With both of those commands locked you can manage a ton of situations. If they are not locked then dog needs to be physically controlled, IE on a lead or line. Control can get more detailed for day to day life such as manners with eating, not jumping in/out of the truck or kennel until I say so etc etc but that stuff is nitty gritty and over to you.. I hate a dog barreling through a door or out the back of my ute without permission and some manners... but thats just me.

This isnt really the place to learn how to train these things IMO as you get multiple opinions and methods and there's not enough depth from forum comments to really provide a valuable plan from start state to end state. Dog training is a journey of learning and how much time and effort you are willing to give. I would seek some training help or sign up to something like a Paul Michaels Dog Training Vimeo Video Series to give you something tangible to start with.

Find the nearest gun club and next shoot day park up 1km away and walk her on a lead (choke chain preferably) towards the gun club talking to her in a calm reassuring voice, sitting her often . If she starts to get excited as she hears the banging you can sit her for a minute or 2 and see if she calms down or turn and walk away with her and then walk back towards the gun club. Keep doing that for a few weeks and see if you are making progress.. only when you are confident you have good control would you take her into the gun club grounds.