Shooting with your dog

[MDMadrid]

About two months ago I got a German shepherd puppy, and now he is about 5 months old. Well, the other day I went out shooting some hand guns of mine on my own place. I didn't think much of it...I shot a couple mags out of my .45 and he sat next to me the whole time. Then I got to thinking about the noise and his ears...Will this hurt his hearing? Do any of you take your dogs out shooting? Thoughts?

 

[coloradokevin]

I am also concerned about that. I know people hunt with their dogs, but the number of rounds expended on a hunting trip is usually very small.

My thought is that it is probably best to leave the dog at home, which is what I do. But, of course, I'm no vet.

 

[H088]

You could get these http://travelingpetproducts.com/pro963376.html

 

[gym]

I would think that there should be some kind of ear protection for dogs. If not we could have stumbled into something.

 

[Horsemany]

Most hunting dogs have ears that hang down covering the ears. German shephard's with the ears up MAY get a little too much sound. It may or may not make a difference, I don't know.

 

[markmc753]

I go shooting with my Min. Dachshund all of the time.. He does pretty well, but it is a real hoot when I can trick him into shooting my Scandium J frame with full house 357 loads! It sends the poor little guy rolling! He hates it though and will usually pee in my car somewhere on the way home to get even

 

[Thernlund]

It will absolutely hurt his hearing. Get him ear protection ASAP. Or leave him at home, but that's a less desirable option, eh?

In addition to what H088 posted...
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/...t_mike&page=sd_col_Stewart_hearing_protection

http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/catalog/item/2822027/2311479.htm (I think this is the same product as above)


-T.

 

[MT GUNNY]

Wyatte comes with..

He usualy stands a ways behind me till I get up and walk around then he walks to the target with me, or he goes and does his own thing.

 

[Eric F]

Sadly I ruined my dog by shooting with her. She became deaf and just couldnt function in life I gave her to a farmer at 2 years old and he ended up on a vets advice putting her down. One of the worst things I have done with a gun.

 

[MDMadrid]

Thanks for the comments! Good article too. I think from now on I will leave him inside.

 

[La Pistoletta]

What's there to guarantee the dog will accept those things? Can you train it to keep the ear pads on and not try to scratch them off? They seem pretty nifty in any case. Sounds like a good idea to use.

 

[.cheese.]

I can't. My dog is terrified of anything that even looks like a gun. I don't know why as to my knowledge he shouldn't know what it does.

 

[TallPine]

I wonder about those mounted shooting competitions ???

 

[jedwi]

I have shot over my dogs, Weimaraners, for dove. I think there was never any problem with db levels at the ranges that the dogs were from me when firing. If you might be firing at a closer range, you might check into this....Just can't imagine my dogs tolerating ear plugs.......

 

[EHCRain10]

my dog always goes to the other side of a large object when she sees the guns come out, didnt train her that way so i guess im lucky?

 

[Nate C.]

Think about the impact of loud noises on your own ears. Why would it be any different for a dog?

<What did you say? For some reason, I can't hear a damn thing anymore.>

 

[Geronimo45]

Do any of you take your dogs out shooting?

No. They have a bad habit of fumbling reloads.

 

[SageMonkey]

My German Shepherd Dog will sort of fold his ears back, and he stays away and watches from 20 feet or so. Not in the least gun shy, and its not seemed to have any negative effect on his hearing, but I don't think I'd take him regularly.

 

[Zak Smith]

I know someone who had molded earplugs made for his dog. Seems to work for them.

 

[Cosmoline]

Yes it does hurt their hearing, but they tend to go deaf anyway and they don't live long. Limiting exposure to training or hunting is probably a good idea. When I went hunting with the hund I'd try to take a long barreled rifle or a .22 to limit noise. What will really hurt are magnum handguns and any of those #$@#$ muzzle brakes that greenhorn idjits put on their barrels these days.

I remember one dog, a GSD, who would actually chase the bullets. We had to put her up whenever we shot because she'd hear the gunfire and come bolting out. She could actually hear where the bullet landed and would try to "fetch" it!

 

[brighamr]

1 word = suppressor

It's the only reason I'm buying one for my AR, is to keep my two dogs from getting hearing damage.

22LRs, i wouldn't be as concerned.

 

[ArmedBear]

Dog bred for shooting over:


Dog bred for herding:


German shepherds have the equivalent of dish microphones on their heads. Hunting breeds are born with the equivalent of holding your hands over your ears. Ever use a dish mic?

We have two dogs, one with disk-mic ears and one with floppy ears. The disk-mic dog is VERY sensitive to loud noises, the other one thinks gunfire is a very cool thing (he's a bird dog).

Also, bird hunting usually involves a shotgun with the muzzle well forward of the dog's ears. Pistol shooting next to the dog is quite different. I wouldn't do it, not with a GSD.

 

[Dravur]

I leave her home

Mine is an Australian Cattle Dog.. or red Heeler. I leave her home as she is not a hunting dog, does not need me destroying her hearing.

I leave her home while I shoot as I don't want to harm her.

Plus, she is a louasy shot anyway... tends to start chasing the Prairie Poodles rather than shooting them.

 

[machinisttx]

My big male labrador goes absolutely crazy if I even mention the word hunting. Rack the slide on a pump shotgun and you had better take him with you...otherwise he's an unhappy dog.

 

[learn2shoot]

I used to put the foam plugs into my dogs ear... It took a while to get her used to it, but after a while she kinda accepted them at the range.