Danny Glista
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Berlin Center,Oh
Posts: 2424 |
Finally got some free time!
Been busy at the shop and taking care of momma and the pups. For those that asked.I'll explain how I gun break pups before they are 9 weeks old. One thing,I don't starve puppies to get my point across to them. As most know that follow what I do here at the kennel or if one has forgot it,I've always stated that as a litter,pups are always bolder when they have the numbers factor on thier side. Therefor,boldness in numbers and thru hunger drive,pups can be gunbroke with very little time spent by the breeder if they choose to do so which of course I prefer to do. It's very simple and it all starts when one starts to feed them mush. I start mine at 3 weeks old and the only thing that is required at first is simply listening to the pups. By this time,momma is spending more and more time away from the pups and she needs that time to herself. I help her out by putting a board across the house opening so the pups can't get out and bother her. When she wants to be with them,it's done on her time and when she wants to feed them. With momma tied up inside the whelpin kenneel so I can feed the pups it's the perfect time to get started.I use 2 large baking pans to feed the mush in. The first couple days,I do nothing more than get the pups attention by talking to them. Because momma's spending less time with them,thier all hungry. With a pleasant voice I call to them and they get wound up. At this time I simply put the mush in the pans on the floor on the inside of whelpin kennel floor and set the pups done to get them to start eating the mush. At three weeks,they eat it pretty well but in 2 or 3 days of being fed mush,they are really going at it. When that time comes,I simply get thier attention by calling to them and start to bang the pans together as they carry on knowing thier food is here. I talk to them and bang both together lightly to start but always listening to the pups inside the whelping box. The pups tell me what to do and how much! Just listen and learn. Soon you find the pups relating to the banging of the pans without having to call and talk to them first.The pans loud bangs tells them it's feeding time,at this time you are real close to having them gun broke but I keep on till they get older.Once I get them out to the big puppy pen at 5 weeks old,I'll continue to feed soaked up food and along with that dry food in the self feeders. Keep listening to the pups and start banging them pans before I get to the pup pen. The sound brings them to the fence and I'll go in and feed them.I've made my feeders that hold 50 lbs. of dry feed so I can close them off at any time for my likings. I have 2 of them in the pup pen. By being able to close them off helps alot with what I do with them when I start to haul them at a young age, keeps pups from getting sick in the box and aids in gun breaking. At 7 weeks,I use the self feeders to get the rest done. Simply closing them of and limiting thier time to eat.Now it's simply a blank gun with low powered caps to start with and the pans are gone. I night I'll close of the feeders and open them back up later in the day and yes they'll be hungry so as the see me coming I start talking to them and now,the calling and blank gun shots come into play. Thier hungry,you're calling them,the shots go off and thru hunger drive you finish getting them gun broke. Biggest asset you have is boldness thru thier numbers at this time. Fact! Soon,just the gun shot itself brings them running but you always have to listen to the pups and reply to what they are telling you. At times,it could take a bit longer but listen and learn from them. At nine weeks,the pups are use to the shots being fired and doing great with it. This is a numbers game I use and never tried it with a single pup so take it from there. Some may think gun breaking pups isn't needed at a young age,I do and till this day,never got a phone call from someone that got a pup from me saying it was gun shy. This also does great with the bonding to humans and they gain trust in you real fast! To each thier own,Danny G.
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Danny G
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