Shed dog

[Jon54]

What breed makes the best shed finder and how does one go about teaching this neat skill? Are there professional trainers like there are trainers of duck dogs?

 

[Deerbuster1996]

Most shed dogs I have seen have been labs. Not saying that's the best dog for the job though.

 

[gator-n-buck]

I would go with a lab because of temperament,

 

[Hollar Hunter]

Yes there are professional trainers but it's expensive depending how far you want them trained. It's an obsession you start from a pup is certainly best. I guess any dog could be trained to be a shed dog but I'd take a lab over anything... You want a dog with a great drive to hunt and please.

 

[Hollar Hunter]

 

[Hunt2Live]

Wow Hollar Hunter. How did you even start to train him? I've always wondered how people started to train a shed dog.

 

[Deer Assassin]

cool

 

[Jon54]

Boy, I'd love to have you bring your pup to our property. 550 acres and no one has found a shed in at least the last 4-5 yrs. we've got pix of mature deer

 

[AllOutdoors]

Awesome.

 

[rukiddin]

A dog with a very high retrieving drive is usually the best.
As with an upland dog when you give a "find the bird" or a "hunt dead" command, you want the dog to hunt. Get the dog crazy about antlers from the get go. Plant easy antler finds when dog is young, like in your yard. Give command and let the dog know that's what he is supposed to be looking for, then gradually make them more difficult to find and duplicate real life scenarios. That's the short version. But with training dogs, repetition is your friend.

 

[Hunt2Live]

Gotcha. Just wondering. Thanks for the info!

 

[Os2 Outdoors]

British lab

Its very rewarding when you see him come running with a shed, or dead head.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

My young pup brought me a leg bone last trip but still no sheds....I believe that will change in the coming weeks where the shedding increasing