antler dogs?!

[Mike_H]

Anyone heard of this before?  My wife and I were at the Bass Pro Shop in St. charles, MO and saw a training pack for hunting sheds with dogs.  When we saw this, we both thought of trying to do it with our dog.

[YosemiteBen]

While I have never heard of that I did know a guy that had a shed sniffin dog. He always came back with an arm load of sheds from bleached to fresh.

[Mike_H]

And that is why I want to do this with my pup.  Never have to buy billets again.

[osage outlaw]

I read an article in a magazine about a guy training his dogs to find sheds.  He explained how he picked out a certain puppy and trained it.  He even had a list of the best breeds for it.

[sleek]

Ok, here is my list of dogs. I have a black lab, a husky, a maltese caren terrier ( spelling? ), and then my favorite... a minature austrailian shepard mixed with blue heeler, and border collie. What would be the best breed for this?

[Stringman]

I would go with the mix. Sounds like it should have a lotta good qualities, as long as it has a good personality and trains easy.

[Mike_H]

Any of them if they love to sniff stuff.  But the black lab and the mix would probably be the best.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBoneheadpro. This guy does it as well.

[TRACY]

One of my first real good duck dogs was a black lab that would retrieve sheds for me if they were in the area. She found a decent number over the years on our treks in the late winter and spring when nothing else was in season. She was also fantastic at retrieving beavers that I shot on the job saving me from putting the waders on or launching the canoe.

My vote is for a dog that is already inclined to retrieve.

Tracy

[Ozzy]

My brother-in-law has his black lab trained for ducks and sheds its found some nice ones

[sleek]

Reckon I could start just by playing fetch with my dogs using an antler? Probably try teaching both the lab and my mixed mut and see which takes to it the best.

[wildman]

I have a black lab that is very good at finding sheds. I used the same idea as you would to blind retrieve. You get them retrieving them first then use a command for the blind. Use that command as a search word.

Keith

[wildman]

Libby dog in action. We found our first matched set together this spring.

[Gus]

This is a Cool Thread and Idea...

Gotta try this with my two Knot Heads...
Trapper and Zed, Chocolate Labs...
The Trouble Puppies...



-gus

[Mike_H]

Gus, look for a brand called  "DogBone", they have rubber antler, scents and a training booklet.  When I have a little extra cash, I'm gonna get some stuff myself.

[JW_Halverson]

Use a mastiff or great Dane.  That way they can bring back the whole critter.

Lotsa rewards and praise, maybe even a nip of jerky for every successful retrieve and a half decent dog will climb your neighbor's wall to bring you that shoulder mount 6x7 elk your he paid $3 grand to the taxidermist for mounting.  If you know what your dog likes best for treats, use that exclusively for a reward.  It will strengthen the value of the game in your dog's mind.  It may not even be a food reward, what if your dog has a squeaky toy that drives her wild?  Bring me a shed and you get 5 minutes of play time with "squeaky bear"!!!  If she associates the specific reward with the task, all you gotta do is get out the reward and she will know what you want.  Kinda like the old bird dog getting up from his blanket by the fire when he hears shotgun shells rattling together.