At What age

[Bryn]

Bryn's was accidental at quite a young age, he found a couple of guys zeroing their fox and deer rifles on a walk and was invited up to check they were doing it right, since then learned to stop to shot and sat and watched clay shooting. So as long as its managed carefully I'm not sure there is a particular age to start.

[TG-ZAC]

I always thought dogs ears were not developed fully until they were 12montha old so I don't like introducting the gun until then.

Start with the pistol at range and get closer then move onto the shotgun at range and get closer.

[Bounty hunter]

Thank you for all the advice

[Cass]

I always thought dogs ears were not developed fully until they were 12montha old so I don't like introducting the gun until then.

Start with the pistol at range and get closer then move onto the shotgun at range and get closer.

I think the younger the better. Alot of folks here have their pups introduced to the gun by 10-12 weeks of age

[Bryn]

As far as I can find out a pup's hearing is fully developed by 7-9 weeks, though I stand to be corrected.

[pontbeck]

I always thought dogs ears were not developed fully until they were 12montha old so I don't like introducting the gun until then.

Start with the pistol at range and get closer then move onto the shotgun at range and get closer.

I think the younger the better. Alot of folks here have their pups introduced to the gun by 10-12 weeks of age

!!!

[Callthatagundog]

I always thought dogs ears were not developed fully until they were 12montha old so I don't like introducting the gun until then.

Start with the pistol at range and get closer then move onto the shotgun at range and get closer.

I think the younger the better. Alot of folks here have their pups introduced to the gun by 10-12 weeks of age

I delayed posting because I thought I would def get some flack, and possibly rightly so!

My last pup was introduced to shotgun at 10 weeks at a country fair. Didn't even give it a thought - OH was clay shooting and we wandered over. Pup was too busy chasing bugs, eating grass and being cuddled to worry.

Perhaps we were just lucky!

Sarah xx

[TG-ZAC]

I always thought dogs ears were not developed fully until they were 12montha old so I don't like introducting the gun until then.

Start with the pistol at range and get closer then move onto the shotgun at range and get closer.

I think the younger the better. Alot of folks here have their pups introduced to the gun by 10-12 weeks of age

Why . I can't see any benefits from introducing a dog to it so early, all I can see is damaging effects.

Anyway, each to their own but I'm happy to leave it until they are 12months old and ready for gunwork in their training

[Cass]

Yes but here we don't leave our dogs as long as you do before starting training. The first 20 weeks of a dog's life are the imprinting stage so any good experiences they have in this time period will stay with them for the rest of life (namely - exposure to birds, birds, birds!). I personally think 10-12 weeks is too young as well... my guy was 4-5 months when I introduced him to the gun. That said though I don't think age is what is important - it's the approach that you take to intro the gun. Done poorly it doesn't matter if your dog is 10 weeks or 10 yrs old when it hears it for the first time, it could ruin him if you don't have a solid plan in place and aren't intuitive to your dog's response.

[pontbeck]

You're right Cass the introduction is more important than the age but a pup's a pup and deserves to be so, and training needs to take that into consideration.

Bill