Clay Pigeon Shooting

[pipdawg]

I live on a farm in a remote area and every day my non-working, 6 year old
border collie has 3 x one and a half mile walks off the lead in our fields and woodland. She was a fit, healthy, happy dog. In the last couple of months a commercial clay pigeon shoot has been set up on another farmer's land, half a mile or more away from my house. The shooting goes on 7 days a week during all daylight hours. To be honest, the noise doesn't actually bother me personally. I can't hear it from inside my house and when I'm outside it's very distant. However, it's transformed my (over intelligent and over sensitive) dog's life for the worse. She can hear it from inside the house and now refuses to go outside if there's any 'banging going on', as we put it. I can take her on a walk if we go out very early, but if the shooting starts while we're out, she bolts for home. If I force her outside while the shooting is going on, she cowers behind the dustbins and refuses to budge. She used to spend many hours with my father in the woods while he tended to the trees, but again she heads for home as soon as the firing starts. She put on weight. It's all such a shame. Is there a legal position on this?

[Octavius]

Did you know it was being set up? Did you see planning notice etc etc ?

I don't hold up much hope really, if your dog lived in a city or town it would likely face similar noise issues, even worse on bonfire night.

Maybe this link may help.

http://www.cieh.org/uploadedFiles/Core/Policy/Environmental_protection/Noise/ClayShootingCoP.pdf

[chrissa1]

I don't think you can do anything about the noise. What about cotton wool for your dog's ears. That might help.

[pipdawg]

Thanks for your answers, Octavius and Chrissa. I didn't know this set-up was going ahead, in advance. I've just looked on the map and the site is 5 miles away by road and 2 miles away as the crow flies (I'd completely misjudged the distance). The noise to locals must be a horrendous. I've just Googled the club's website - it's extremely professional. It's obviously a big concern with 'Private Practice, Regular Competitions, Individual or Group Lessons, Corporate Entertainment, Stag/Hen Parties etc' and I'm sure that correct planning permission was sort - I'll check. I am beginning to agree that there's not much I can do about it except maybe address my dog's issues. I don't think cotton wool would stay in her ears for very long though, Chrissa (ho ho). Thanks for the link, Octavious, which I've perused and found very interesting.

[Eve]

Poor dog, I imagine she can maybe feel something of the shots as well as hear them if she is close.

Could you see if you could find some good dog trainers who could gently try and train her so she is less distressed, rather than forcing her out if she gets distressed?

I know they do a calming system for cats (Feliway), I wonder if there is something similar for dogs which could help her.

What are the hours of the shoots? Is it possible for her to get all of her walks outside during that time?

Would she hear them and be afraid outside your house or would it just be further away and closer to the shooting? If the former, could you be outside with the door open, see if she will brave herself to come out and join you and have some fun in her own time, maybe bit by bit until she realises it's not such a threat.

Another thought is how loud is it, dogs' hearing being very sensitive.

You may get some more ideas in the Animals & Nature section, a lot of people with dogs in there, some with good experience of training.

[Eve]

A local vet might have some ideas too, they may also know if the shooting is causing a wider issue distressing other pets too, especially those closer to the site.

[pipdawg]

Thanks for taking the time to answer, Eve. The ironic thing is, if she can see the source of the noise, for example my Dad's loud tractor or a chain saw, she's fine. If she can hear a noise but can't see where it's coming from, for example thunder, a hot air balloon burner (we have a lot of hot air balloons over the farm) and now gunshot, she's terrified. We've tried leaving the door open with her inside and spending time in the garden but to no avail. We've even left the door open and gone on a walk hoping she would catch up but again, this hasn't worked. Unfortunately the shooting can come at any time during daylight hours. We have started taking her for a walk early in the morning before the noise starts, but this is a fraction of the exercise she normally gets. And as for the loudness, it's not that bad to the human ear but as you quite rightly say, dogs' ears are a lot more sensitive. I've definitely going to look into training/calming. Thanks

[pipdawg]

She's actually due her annual check up and injections this month, so I will have a good chat to the vet about this, as you suggest. Thank you

[woofgang]

melatonin might be worth a try, its used a lot in the US for noise related anxiety. You need to get it from the US, its available via the net.

[Eve]

No worries, it's such a shame for the poor thing and must be very upsetting for you as owners.

I can only think of taking her out further afield for a walk in the meantime during shooting hours, somewhere she can't hear the shots like going off in the car somewhere though training may lead to some kind of outlet for some additional exercise for her if she enjoys it.

Could you get into some kind of discussion with the club owners, see if they can make available times when shooting will and will not be going on during the day so you have more notice as to shot free times you could take her out?

[Octavius]

I don't know whether the dog will need medical intrusion really, it needs conditioning and acceptance of its environment through training and exposure to achieve a long term pill free solution. Sometimes pampering them with humanised solutions just delays or ignores the problem. See here.

http://www.dogworld.co.uk/product.php/76341

[woofgang]

Octavius "pampering"?????? Yes of course a non drug permanent solution would be preferable but
1, it may not be possible.
2, while this is being achieved why would you leave the dog in terror?
3, if you can mitigate the fear medically, it will help with the desensitisation.

Your comment IMO in the same league IMO as the old belief that babies did not experience pain in the same way as adults, so no post op pain relief was given.

[Octavius]

Not at all. Dogs need confidence and direction from the pack leader, this is conditioning. If this was bonfire night I would say get it somewhere indoors so that it can hide and feel safe, but this is its outdoor environment - the quicker it overcomes this, the better for its long term happiness and health.

I suppose it sounds a bit non-fluffy, but I am a dog owner and dog lover and I would avoid trying to 'treat' this through pills insofar as possible. That said, I do recognise that pipdawg is visting the vet soon, and they may have other ideas after a check up.

[woofgang]

conditioning has nothing to do with pack leadership. Can I suggest that you update your dog training knowledge?

[Eve]

This is dealing with a dog in a distressed state though, not trying to train to make a dog compliant in normal circumstances like crate training or obedience training.

The dog needs to trust it's owner and putting it in situations where it is receiving tough love commands while distressed won't help. The dog won't understand the rationale of what you are trying to do. A calm, controlled environment would be better to assist them gradually.

If you had a child terrified of the dark, would you just lock them in a dark room?

[woofgang]

thank you Eve, glad its not just me who is "fluffy" and "pampering"

[Eve]

No, I am definitely fluffy and pampering. I couldn't put a pet, which to me are loved members of the family, in distress when it could be avoided.

[DTCwordfan]

You might want to have a word with the shoot; bet they work other forms of shoot and they may have some ideas such as introducing her to the noise on site and making her comfortable with it, pipdawg.

[woofgang]

good idea DTC but i would be wanting to know what methods they use.

[DTCwordfan]

that's called asking questions, me thinks.

[Octavius]

pipdawg, I hope you appreciate that I am not advocating any further distress or harm on your poor doggy, just that the sooner she realises that this is normal and nothing to be scared of, the better. You know her better than anyone else so I hope you work through it with her, and take the veterinary advice you will be getting on your next visit.

Your initial OP was about the law, and I hope in some way I have helped with that.

Good luck, and do come back and let us know how you get on.