THE WORKING DOG FORUM
 

Dear Ei,

I am currently in training with my dog, Ch. Rocky, for his BST title for which we hope to trial  in the spring.  How loud are the gunshots in the BST routine and from what distance are they fired?  What is the best way to introduce the gunshots to Rocky’s routine?
Fran Noe

This is an excellent question.    Judges use a starter  pistol during the BST and the prescribed distance from which the shots are fired is 15 paces.   This is equal to approximately 30 to 45 feet.  Starter pistols vary in loudness depending on what caliber of rounds is used.  Most commonly, 22 caliber starter pistols are used.

To introduce gunshots to your dog, go slowly and use the dog’s drive to assist the dog in getting used to the unfamiliar sound.  You will conduct the gunshot training in three phases with the dog first in Very High, then High, then Medium drives.    You must never fire gunshots when your dog is in low drive.  This can create sensitivity to gunshots that may not have previously existed.  Additionally, you must take care never to fire the pistol while the dog is experiencing a negative stimulus (such as a correction) which can also create gun sensitivity.  The higher the drive the dog is in, the easier it will be for the dog to acclimate to the stimulation of the gunshot.

PHASE ONE
You will begin gunshot training with the dog in the Very High state of drive.  This very high state of drive will help your dog recover should a negative reaction occur. You will need a training partner to assist you.  You will start with your partner at a distance of 200 feet away with the starter pistol.  Begin by engaging your dog in an energetic game of tug-of-war.  Be careful not to use a defensive (head on) posture while playing you’re your dog.  He should feel no threat from you at all.  Build your dog’s drive to a good, high level.  When you are confident that your dog is in a very high state of drive, have your partner fire the pistol once.  Check your dog’s reaction.
*If your dog shows a negative reaction, such as shying away; or an inquisitive reaction in which the dog stops playing and looks toward the sound and/or barks, your actions will be the same.  You must immediately regain your dog’s attention and re-engage him in the tug-of-war game.  Play with your dog for a few minutes and put him away.  This should be the only gunshot fired that session.
*If your dog shows no reaction at all, continue the game and have your partner fire once more.  If there is still no reaction to the shot, play for a few more moments and put the dog away.  This is the end of the training session.
You may take the dog out later in the day for another training session.  Conduct no more than two such training sessions per day.

Once your dog accepts two gunshots at the 200-foot distance, with no reaction 100% of the time, for two consecutive days you may decrease the distance from which the shots are fired by 25 feet in the next training session.    Gradually, over the course of the next few weeks, you will decrease the distance, 25 feet at a time, until your partner is firing from the 30-foot range.  It is very important not to decrease the distance from which the shots are fired until your dog shows no reaction 100% of the time, for two consecutive days.  This is your Basic Rule of Thumb that will help you be sure when your dog is ready for the shots to come closer.  Remember, you are in Phase One training which means that your dog must be in a Very High state of drive during every session.

PHASE TWO
Once you have achieved a neutral reaction to the shots with your dog in a Very High state of drive and your partner firing from the 30-foot range; it is time to enter Phase Two training with your dog in a High state of drive.  In dog training each time you change an aspect of your program it is necessary to back track a bit.  Therefore, for each phase of this training, we will start with your training partner back at the 200-foot mark.   Engage your dog in an activity that is still exciting for the dog, but a bit diminished in intensity from the tug-of-war game.  Ideally a game of fetch works very well here.  Work your dog up for the ball.  When he is very excited, throw the ball for the dog.  As the dog is running for the ball, have your partner fire the pistol.  As the dog returns to you with the ball, increase the level of drive for the game by running backward and calling to your dog, “Good Ball!  Good Boy!”  Take out a second ball at this time and draw the dog’s attention to it.  Check your dog’s reaction.
*If your dog showed no reaction to the gunshot, you may throw the ball and fire one more time, repeating the steps above.  Play ball for a few minutes when you are done and put the dog away.
*If your dog showed a negative reaction to the gunshot or if your dog showed an inquisitive reaction to the shot, you must go back and repeat Phase One.
Just as you did in Phase One, you may not train for more than two sessions per day.  Once your dog accepts two gunshots at the 200-foot distance, with no reaction 100% of the time, for two consecutive days you may decrease the distance from which the shots are fired by 25 feet in the next training session.  Gradually, over the course of the next few weeks, you will decrease the distance, 25 feet at a time, until your partner is firing from the 30-foot range.  It is very important not to decrease the distance from which the shots are fired until your dog shows no reaction 100% of the time, for two consecutive days.  Remember, you are in Phase Two training which means that your dog must be in a High state of drive during every session.

PHASE THREE
Phase Three training is conducted with your dog in a Medium state of drive.  Begin with your training partner back at the 200-foot distance.  Your dog’s medium drive can be found in training sessions where you are working your dog in obedience for a reward that the dog enjoys.  This reward can be the ball or the tug.  It is imperative that your dog knows that the reward will be attained for correct obedience.  These training sessions are conducted using  positive motivation techniques only.  When training for gunshot neutrality, it is important that the dog not receive any corrections.  A correction inadvertently given at the same moment as a shot is fired can create a gun-shy reaction.    With you ball or tug in your pocket, heel off with your dog.  Your partner will fire the pistol.  A few steps after the shot, free your dog and work him up for his reward.  Check your dog’s reaction.
*If your dog shows a negative or inquisitive reaction, you must go back to Phase One training.  Go through Phase One at a slower pace this time.  Expect success for an entire week before decreasing the distance from which the shots are fired.  When you are done with Phase One, repeat Phase Two.  Only after you are 100% successful with both phases can you try Phase Three again.
*If your dog’s reaction is neutral, continue the session working obedience with no further shots fired.  Be sure to reward your dog often when he is correct in his obedience.
After two or three sessions with one shot fired and a neutral reaction, you may conduct your next session with two shots fired.  You are still at the 200-foot distance from the gunshots.  Once your dog accepts two gunshots at the 200-foot distance, with no reaction 100% of the time, for two consecutive days you may decrease the distance from which the shots are fired by 25 feet in the next training session.   Each time you decrease the distance from which the shots are fired, you must also decrease the number of shots fired to one.  Repeat all the Phase Three steps each time you decrease the distance.  Remember, during Phase Three, your dog must be in a medium state of drive while the shots are fired and a high state of drive immediately after when the reward is given.

CAUTION:
1) A working dog should never be trained in any capacity in a lower state of drive than medium.  A handler that works their dog in any lower state of drive will have a dog that is “blah” on trial day.  This is the dog that may do all it is supposed to do, but looks as though it hates every minute of it!  Dogs that are trained in low states of drive often develop negative reactions to gunshots.  These dogs will be pushed harder by the judges and will not receive the high scores of the happy working dog.  If your dog is accustomed to training in a medium to high drive he will have an energetic, upbeat demeanor on trial day and a correct routine to boot!

2) Never use bite work as your Very High Drive inducer in Phase One.  This will create a dog that looks for a bite helper every time a shot is fired.

3) Don’t over train for gunshots.  Once you are certain that you have a dog that is gun neutral, only fire shots periodically.  There is no need to fire shots during every training session.  As you are going through the three phase training program, it is important that you also train without using shots.  Training your usual obedience or bite work and playing with your dog without shots is important.  You do not want your dog to expect or anticipate the gunshots.

4)  This training can take months to complete.  You must not rush the process.  It is better to err on the side of caution.  Impatience is likely to be punished with a dog that takes exception to gunshots.  While  Judges will not penalize the dog for an inquisitive reaction to shots, they will be far more impressed with a completely neutral reaction and a dog that remains under control at all times.  For many dogs with borderline routines, this can make the difference between a pass or fail score.
 

When reading this article, keep in mind that many dogs are genetically predisposed to be gun neutral.  If your dog is gun neutral, this training program will prove it rapidly.  Unfortunately, many dogs are genetically predisposed for sound sensitivity.  This is the fault that is being tested for with the gunshots during the BST.  A dog that is truly sound sensitive should not be bred.  You cannot mask this fault through training.  Each dog is different.  When you are done with this program, you will find that a genetically sound dog can complete the entire BST obedience routine with no reaction to gunshots.  Good Luck to all the dogs currently in training for BSTs.  It is wonderful to see American Bulldog breeders serious about proving the breed suitability of their dogs; and in the process, proving what tremendous working dogs American Bulldogs truly are!

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