My experience with many bird dogs over 40 year period is that the ideal situation to introduce gunfire is when a pup (ideally over six months of age) is really excited about birds and is into them, whether pointing them or flushing them. This has worked for me on even timid dogs.
While some may not be around wild birds to do this, just as good or better is planting a number of pen raised birds. I don’t pressure a pup, preferring him or her to figure it out. Associating the gun with finding a bird is a positive experience.
I would avoid at all cost just tying up a dog at a shooting range to acclimate him to shooting. Good way to ruin a good dog.
I am also sure other positive stimulus could be used to introduce the gun, but I really like birds. If the dog has the instinct, I’ve found even very “soft” dogs take to the gun just fine.
Every time I hear some idiot say to take your dog to a trap range and let them get used to the gunfire I could choke them!!
