Shed dog in training

[Lowedog]

My lab has always been my shed hunting partner but she has yet to retrieve an antler for me in the woods.  I can get her to at home but not in the woods.  I have never been serious about training her but I am going to start.  She has a killer nose and can sniff anything out.  I took her out to the woods and worked with her and she was doing great.  I started out having her retrieve them and gave her a treat each time.  Then I tied her up and took antlers out and chucked them around in the trees and brush and then would walk along with her in the general area like I would if shed hunting.  I would tell her to hunt em up and she would be nose to the ground in search of them and I was amazed at how fast she could find them and bring them to me.  She got a treat with each one she brought to me. 

I am kind of afraid that since I have handled these she is finding them because of my sent but the interesting thing is she wouldn't even give a second sniff to white antlers.  She just left them there. 

I am going to keep on like this and hopefully she will start finding them for real. 

[Bigtine96]

I have been doing the same with my lab and think the same thing, I think they can get to smelling themselves on the shed and or myself.

[Antlerking]

Sweet deal, that treat thing will work you just watch. My dog has been kinda rusty this year he has found a few but is getting stubborn. He retrieved a set when You and I went out but I had to tell him to go get it. last year he would just bring em back, maybe 20 -30 more hours in the feild and he will back to his old self.  I think getting your scent off of the antler is a big thing and using treats as a reward will work wonders.

[ladyelkslayer]

from my experience, the biggest trick to get them not smells your scent is wash the antlers off (it gets em good and stinky) and wear a set of laytex/rubber gloves. that way they can't smell your scent, and the majority of the dog slobber is off.  also be sure to throw them, and now walk and plant them, otherwise they will follow your trail to the antler.

I've also found that getting extremly over excited every time along with the treat helps.  My dogs go nuts when I get super excited and continously shout "find the bone" and "good boy" when they do. I fall to the ground and roll around with them.

Also get her out as much as possible, the more "wild" ones she can find, the better she will get at it.  I've also learned that my dogs smell old horns WAY better than fresh horns.  I've seen them trip over a fresh antler, but wind an old one from a ways away....

But as you said, just keep practicing, and she will get it!!!

[Lowedog]

Thanks for the advice!  Much appreciated!   

[Elkslayer]

Let them set out for a few days it helps get the sent off. Also helps if ya get a good rain to wash the sent off.

[ladyelkslayer]

my boyfriend also just heard of this idea today:

when you find a "wild" antler, don't let the dog pick it up.  You pick it up with a rubber glove, and have your dog sit next to you.  Launch it out of sight so the dog has to search for it by smell, not sight. Get really excited and shout the command for her to search.  This will teach the dog to smell for the natural scent of the antler, not your smell or hers.  This may help her realize that you are always hunting when you are out.  She may think that the only time she is supposed to fin the antler is after she is tied up.  Once she starts finding the thrown antlers consistenly, then try not picking one up, and walking her on the down wind side of it to see if she will key in on the smell.

I hope this will help!!

[danderson]

wow, a lady that  loves to hunt and look for sheds, your boyfriend is a lucky man.

[antlerman]

Went out yesterday and the score is:  Dog 1 and I spotted 2 before he found them.

[Lowedog]

Nice!