antler shed hunting dogs

[natertater83]

I have been wanting to do this for a while, but I am going to try to train my dog to shed hunt. I have watched a lot of video and read books, but have never trained a dog to hunt for sheds. Does anyone have any tips or training exercise's that work well? also what kind of dogs you use, I know most people use labs but I know there are a lot of other breeds that people use for hunting and trailing.

[BLACKJACK]

I play fetch with my two labs with shed antlers, then in the spring at shed hunting time I play some more fetch with a command 'find the bone'. Then I carry an anler with me, when I get in a likely area I give the command. Have had sommmmmme luck with that, they'll come bouncing up with an antler, I give lots of praise, but then have had other times where I see the antler first, give the command, and they still walk by it. I think I need to do more 'hiding' of antlers, go for a walk, then have them find it. Still works in progress!!!

I also let them chew on antlers that I find after a burn of my CRP, smoked antlers I call them, to try an encourage them. A word of caution though, after enough time, weeks and months, they can chew off a tine!!! Don't want them trying to hawk that down.

[natertater83]

yeah mine for sure love chewing on them, they have gotten a lot of many of mine.