Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Discussion about shed antlers, etc
  • Advertisement

HB Store


CreekSpook
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:55 pm
Status: Offline

Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby CreekSpook » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:15 pm

Started training my 3 year old Yellow lab, Atticus, to find sheds. Started with a small shed playing around and having him find it in the yard. He seemed to really enjoy it and picked up on the idea fast. Then, I moved onto hiding in the bushes around the yard. Same thing, he really took to it and enjoyed searching to find it and was pretty damn proud to bring it back...of course I made a big deal out of it so he really was pumped.

Today was the first try out in the woods. I have some shed wax that I applied to the sheds and then hid them around a patch of woods by my house about 40 yards apart from each other. He struggled a bit hut eventually found all but 1. I actually forgot where I set it so we will need to head back tomorrow.

Looking for tips for time frames, good training ideas, how others have trained their older dogs, and so on.

My buddy and I spend a lot of time in the woods and that time used to be spent walking our dogs in the woods some time back, but eventually that stopped. If I can get Atticus in the game it will be a good opportunity enjoy time outside with my dog and it sure would be fun for bog of us if he found some sheds.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


mike_mc
500 Club
Posts: 505
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:30 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby mike_mc » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:32 pm

Haven't done this myself, but here is a dvd on training dogs to shed hunt. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

And a podcast wired to hunt did with the guy that made the dvd http://wiredtohunt.com/2015/02/26/the-w ... emy-moore/

He also has a dvd on teaching them to blood trail deer. Hope it helps.
CreekSpook
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:55 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby CreekSpook » Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:11 pm

Thanks. I appreciate the resources.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
justdirtyfun
500 Club
Posts: 2973
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2013 4:10 pm
Location: Misery, previously Hellinois
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Mon Dec 05, 2016 5:15 pm

I played around with my lab mix and sheds. She loves our game. But it has not turned out well . Her main training was in the house and I didn't put in the time outdoors and in the woods.
You should be on track by the sound of it.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
You don't have to be the best, just do your best.
User avatar
fauxfly
Posts: 138
Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:19 am
Location: within bowshot of big buck bedding!!
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby fauxfly » Tue Dec 06, 2016 3:24 am

I trained my female black Lab, Claire, for shed hunting. The trick is to start really early. I started about a year after I got her and worked on it for about a year and a half - now she is a top fuel shed retrieving machine. She will actually hurt herself trying to bring bone back to me through the woods.

The trick is keep it fun, keep it fun , and you really have to keep it fun. Even the slightest hint of the pooch getting it - top everything and show your approval and how happy you. But its not play time - that's later - and its earned. I spent as much time praising, and approving as we did actually retrieving.

Its pretty simple really - the bottom line is all the dog wants is to please the pack leader - you. The dog will do anything you ask if you praise and rewards with either affection or treats!!

Keep us posted - this is one of the most satisfieing things you can do with your pooch!!
wbpdeer
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:42 am
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby wbpdeer » Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:16 am

One week from today my lab pup will be 4 months old. I picked him up on Jan 20th. He is being trained to be a shed dog and is doing great.

Scotty is driven by food and of course he loves praise and affection. I use the food drive in training as much as possible. My pup came from Skyline Drive Kennels out of Brownstown, Indiana. They train shed dogs and Scotty's parents won National Championship in different years.

To train a dog you will deal with 3 things: 1) obedience, 2) sight recognition of antler and 3) scent of antler. I don't believe it helps you to give a pup a hard antler to play with or to ask them to retrieve a hard antler before they get their puppy teeth squared away.

I have two rubber antlers from Dog Bone (Jeremy Moore). At this time Jeremy Moore and Tom Dokken are the two most widely known trainers for shed dogs. You can see their YouTube Videos and they sell DVD training materials. I have both DVDs.

The NASHDA website is a good resource for events. North America Shed Hunting Dog Association is the actual name and they conduct a World Championship once a year.

I believe if you give a dog / pup a shed antler to play with you will hurt the retrieve to hand process. We want the dog to bring the antler to us and we will reward them. If they get play with an antler they may sit and chew on it and leave it where they find it - out of our sight.

It is best to start on sight recognition because in the end a dog's nose will be what helps them find more shed antlers. Good shed dog handlers watch the wind and use it to their advantage. If you don't start with the sight recognition your dog may never get the right visual image.

I have two antler silhouettes in the back yard with a platform between them. My platform is an old tire with a plywood top. Place training is important to obedience and we normally work two session a day unless he goes to woods with me.

I will attend a Shed Dog Hunt Test in Norman, Indiana on Feb 25th to watch dogs compete. We can't compete because your pup has to be at least 6 months old the day they compete and we aren't that far along yet.

If you want to see some shed work by Scotty then go to YouTube. Scotty the Shed Dog under Wayne Pruett. Some of the videos are showing his early development. All of the videos are real short in length.

Scotty is the first lab I have ever owned. They are amazing dogs with great personalities and extremely smart.

Wayne
User avatar
U.P. bownut
500 Club
Posts: 538
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:11 pm
Location: South West U.P.
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby U.P. bownut » Sun Feb 19, 2017 3:37 pm

Hay guys Dogbone (Jeremy Moore) is also doing live training with his new pup and some older dogs on FB. Even if your not on Face book you can just go to the website and click on the FB tab and you will find them there and its free. They are slowly making it to you tube but there is a TON of good info on his page! He is a "low force" trainer, no shock collars. Just working with dog to get them to do what they do naturally in a calm and steady manner.
"Freedom Isn't Free"
User avatar
forgehunter
500 Club
Posts: 1460
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:37 am
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby forgehunter » Tue Feb 21, 2017 9:32 am

Guys, i would also tell anyone looking to train thier dogs for shed hunting really needs to look at Jeremy Moore's website http://www.dogbonehunter.com/. his training videos and supplies are available on there. He is the real deal when it comes to training dogs (any dog) for shed hunting... Game recovery too! He is very talented and really has a knack for connecting with the dogs he trains. He is able to explain his tecniques in a way that is really easy to understand and they are simple enough that anyone can use them to work with thier dog. He was out shed hunting with a couple of dogs this past weekend and was able to end te day with quite a few sheds. He was brodcasting this live on Facebook. He's also very willing to answer any questions you may have.... definetly a stand up guy..
Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul.
Don't give up. Don't ever give up.
Jimmy V.
Gun
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:07 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby Gun » Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:47 pm

I have a soon to be 9 year old Yellow Lab. He's awesome on sheds. All he had for toys and chewing were shed antlers from day one. Fetch was only sheds. Hiding them as he gained experience. Always positive rewards and encouragement. He never heard "No". Just corrected him on leash. Best dog I've ever owned. I worked with him almost every day his first year.
User avatar
Edcyclopedia
Posts: 12605
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:54 pm
Location: S. NH
Status: Offline

Re: Any tips on training a shed dog are appreciated.

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Mon Mar 20, 2017 2:00 am

Watch out for ticks, precautions, precautions, precautions!
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...


  • Advertisement

Return to “Shed Antler”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests