Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Shed Hunting => Topic started by: Missing on December 09, 2008, 12:53:14 PM

Title: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: Missing on December 09, 2008, 12:53:14 PM: Does anyone use dogs for shed hunting? If so do you have any tips for training?
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: wastickslinger on December 09, 2008, 02:26:48 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: bone head on December 09, 2008, 03:52:56 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: billythekidrock on December 09, 2008, 04:22:46 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: youngchristof on December 09, 2008, 04:29:06 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on December 09, 2008, 04:37:07 PM: I have a couple Magazines with articles on Shed hunting dogs. I will have to find them.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: rasbo on December 09, 2008, 04:50:36 PM: no tips but I ran into a young man and his dog found them,thats what he used him for
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: longstevo on December 10, 2008, 08:50:07 AM: You guys think an English Pointer could be trained?
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: runamuk on December 10, 2008, 09:08:12 AM: 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 :dunno: it was pretty funny never knowing what we would find in the mornings. She stays home now so no new stuff.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: huntnphool on December 10, 2008, 09:16:41 AM: I could sure use one right now!!!
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: mossback91 on December 22, 2008, 11:40:23 PM: 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......
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: lewy on December 23, 2008, 06:47:05 AM: 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!
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: skybusterbo on December 23, 2008, 01:44:16 PM: 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. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: klickriverchromer on December 23, 2008, 07:08:44 PM: You guys want a dog that will go all day and then some?
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: klickriverchromer on December 23, 2008, 07:12:05 PM: Australian Shepard's. those dogs will go all day. and are very smart/trainable. or Blue Healers
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: klickriverchromer on December 23, 2008, 07:14:50 PM: Seems like the only problem with blue healers is there kinda grouchy around other people.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: billythekidrock on December 27, 2008, 05:56:50 AM: The January issue of WA/OR Game& Fish has an article on shed training dogs.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: rasbo on December 27, 2008, 06:22:10 AM: Quote from: klickriverchromer on December 23, 2008, 07:14:50 PM
Seems like the only problem with blue healers is there kinda grouchy around other people.
Im raiseing a red heeler now,she is super smart.Im going to try her at this
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: boneaddict on December 27, 2008, 07:18:33 AM: I have a long legged Bassett with one hell of a nose that I thought about it. I am kind of against this mostly because of all the bad apples in the barrell that turn their dogs loose and let them run the game while looking for sheds. There are responsible folks out there that use animals and I think it would be a great tool, but there are alot of tools out there that should be thumped on the back of the head as well.
"Isn't it cute how Fido is playing withthe deer."
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: horn-hog on December 28, 2008, 05:42:12 PM: my dog has found several, she doesn't pick them up she will sit by them until I come to her.
I never did any training with her just always took her with me shed hunting
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi174.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fw111%2Fjasonandangie%2Fsage1st.jpg&hash=9b4a0f2e6e40954139856d1a6ef6dcc47c1ed532)
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: stumprat on December 28, 2008, 05:45:08 PM: That's cool.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: runamuk on December 30, 2008, 10:38:21 PM: Quote from: boneaddict on December 27, 2008, 07:18:33 AM
I have a long legged Bassett with one hell of a nose that I thought about it. I am kind of against this mostly because of all the bad apples in the barrell that turn their dogs loose and let them run the game while looking for sheds. There are responsible folks out there that use animals and I think it would be a great tool, but there are alot of tools out there that should be thumped on the back of the head as well.
"Isn't it cute how Fido is playing withthe deer."

Bassets might be a good choice...good noses, tend to only want to chase rabbits :chuckle:...actually just teaching the dogs deer, elk, etc are off limits is good practice for all dogs.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: rasbo on December 31, 2008, 05:18:56 AM: Quote from: horn-hog on December 28, 2008, 05:42:12 PM
my dog has found several, she doesn't pick them up she will sit by them until I come to her.
I never did any training with her just always took her with me shed hunting
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi174.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fw111%2Fjasonandangie%2Fsage1st.jpg&hash=9b4a0f2e6e40954139856d1a6ef6dcc47c1ed532)
I love the look a dog gives like that...
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: BLUEBULLS on December 31, 2008, 02:28:25 PM: I'm going to use my hound for shed hunting this year. not for his nose but for his ability to pull me uphill. He can't be trusted off of a leash but he'll find a shed any place I put one in the yard. I need to rig a pack for him so he can do some of the packing. Dogs are good company and they'll never turn down a 20 mile hike.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: bow-n-head on January 15, 2009, 06:34:28 PM: I have a North American Whitetail magazine that has a very good article on an Idaho man who uses labs. He describes training in great detail. I will look through my mags and let you know whitch month and year it was in. He says he can't compete with his dogs, they out hunt him over 3 to 1.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: RC3 on January 15, 2009, 10:10:11 PM: I've heard Pudelpointers are good as well
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: FrankDown on January 15, 2009, 10:13:44 PM: Id be interested in that article too.
Title: Re: Dog training for shed hunting
Post by: cameraguy on January 28, 2009, 11:11:51 PM: Try this link

http://www.cabincreekgundogs.com/shedhorndogtraining.html