Gun shy/skittish Huntaways

[Kentishfarmer]

Does anyone else find Huntaways to be very scared of load bangs or just a bit wary?
My Huntaway is a good worker and a great looking big dog but she is really scared of bangs, and visual things like hot air balloons and is generally a bit skittish so I've decided her temperament rules her out for breeding as I think it will be passed on to the pups.
However I keep hearing stories of other huntaways being like this and one we had years back was very gun shy so I'm starting to wonder if it is a breed characteristic and so shouldn't rule my bitch out for breeding.
What's everyone else's Huntaways like?

 

[sean m]

Does anyone else find Huntaways to be very scared of load bangs or just a bit wary?
My Huntaway is a good worker and a great looking big dog but she is really scared of bangs, and visual things like hot air balloons and is generally a bit skittish so I've decided her temperament rules her out for breeding as I think it will be passed on to the pups.
However I keep hearing stories of other huntaways being like this and one we had years back was very gun shy so I'm starting to wonder if it is a breed characteristic and so shouldn't rule my bitch out for breeding.
What's everyone else's Huntaways like?

mine is a real hard going dog,tough in the pens and on the lorry,but he is'nt a hard dog in himself if he is doing something out of order a growl is enough to stop him,as a breed i have found them fairly sensitive

 

[Bill dog]

My last 2 hated the sounds of guns, but were great workers.
I wouldn’t dismiss her for a sensitive temperament, I would say it’s a breed thing. Why do you need her to be gun safe? Buy a Labrador for shooting, a huntaway for stock work!

 

[Kentishfarmer]

My last 2 hated the sounds of guns, but were great workers.
I wouldn’t dismiss her for a sensitive temperament, I would say it’s a breed thing. Why do you need her to be gun safe? Buy a Labrador for shooting, a huntaway for stock work!

It has sometimes got in the way of work, when there have been pigeon shooters in the next field or we have a block where you have to drive past MOD live firing ranges to get to and sometimes in those instances I can't get her out the truck or to out run more than 20m from me.
She's part time security too due her doberman like features but will bolt for the kennel if spooked so not that effective
Interesting to hear that yourself and others think the fear of bangs could be a breed thing

 

[Kentishfarmer]

mine is a real hard going dog,tough in the pens and on the lorry,but he is'nt a hard dog in himself if he is doing something out of order a growl is enough to stop him,as a breed i have found them fairly sensitive

That's interesting to read, I dont think I've heard of a huntaway that was a hard bolshy dog now I think about it

 

[tr250]

I thought they were originally bred from Labrador and some sort of hound neither should be timid

 

[ianlucasshearing]

Mine don't like guns either.

 

[nb844]

I’ve got a 3/4 huntaway. Fearless with stock but cannot stand the noise of a post rammer. If I so much as back the tractor up to hook it on she’s gone.

 

[Dry Rot]

I know nothing about huntaways but I have trained a fair few working gundogs down the years. The best to train are bred this way so they can be easily handled but they are as easily spoilt by someone who doesn't know what they are doing. My solution is to make a point of clattering feed dishes, banging doors, even clapping hands, etc. when they are pups so they associate loud noises with something good about to happen. Loud noises associated with something unpleasant is going to result in a nervous dog.

 

[JD-Kid]

huntaways mostly bomb proof. heading dogs tend to be alot more higher strung and gun shy