Dog training for shed hunting

[Missing]

Does anyone use dogs for shed hunting? If so do you have any tips for training?

[wastickslinger]

This will be a great discussion if we can get one going. I would love to train a dog for shed hunting. I heard that labs work the best. I have been talking to a few buddies and they have it figured out. I will keep you posted if I hear any good tips. One thing he said is that you have to wear a rubber glove when handling the shed, you dont want your scent on it.

[bone head]

yep i have 3 dogs one is a cow dog and she's been picking up sheds for 5years now. my other two are labs the male is a year and a half and he is all about the sheds now on the other had im training the female and shes not even a year yet. you don't want any other dogs around when training them thats a given fact.

[billythekidrock]

I don't know if scent on the shed would matter.

When I was younger we found a wandering lab at a ball park. The dog would chase balls. When we through one in the woods it came out with a different one. We continued to "throw" rocks/sticks/etc. and the dog would search until he found a ball. Throughout the park we found enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket with baseballs. We sold them to a coach for a quarter each. My point is, some of those balls were very old and none of them had the same scent as the first one.

[youngchristof]

my german wirehair pointer finds sheds.   I replaced his favorite fetch toy with a deer antler shed.   we practiced blind retrieves until he could find it every time.  then started hiding multiple sheds at once.   when he brought one back I would tell him  "FIND MORE!" and he would continue finding them till he got them all.   Do not let your dog have a shed all the time.  he will chew it down and then loose interest.  treat a shed antler as a reward for the dog to play fetch with!!  last year he found me a matching bull elk set 6x6!!   its lots of fun.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I have a couple Magazines with articles on Shed hunting dogs.  I will have to find them.

[rasbo]

no tips but I ran into a young man and his dog found them,thats what he used him for

[longstevo]

You guys think an English Pointer could be trained?

[runamuk]

Cool topic.  I never considered using a dog, BUT our neighbors dog used to wander and often would leave toys in our driveway.  One winter she dropped sheds in our driveway  it was pretty funny never knowing what we would find in the mornings.  She stays home now so no new stuff.

[huntnphool]

I could sure use one right now!!!

[mossback91]

I live close to a canyon where deer winter and my dog brought a shed home once along wiht many other animal parts......veyr gross dog that insisted on eating her own kills and roadkill she would find......

[lewy]

A buddie and I were out looking for the sheds of a few local bt bucks near home, we found a small spike that was fresh. When we got home I threw it in a big pile of sheds in the corner of the room, later when I let my lab come inside her nose hit the flore and she ran to the pile of sheds and pulled out that fresh spike shed. From then on I was a believer and take her every time I go!

[skybusterbo]

Oh boy, can't wait to see the look on my wife's face when I tell her I'm taking HER bassethound out shed hunting.

[klickriverchromer]

You guys want a dog that will go all day and then some?

[klickriverchromer]

 Australian Shepard's.  those dogs will go all day.  and are very smart/trainable.  or Blue Healers