I have a new 9 week old Purebred English lab.I want to train him to shed hunt. Do you have any tips for me? When should I start training him?Thank you, Seth

[seth trudeau]

I have a new 9 week old Purebred English lab. I want to train him to shed hunt. Do you have any tips for me? When should I start training him? Thank you, Seth

[JM]

Antlers do have a distinct smell, so introduce the pup as soon as possible. I remember reading one article that said to get the scent of the antler onto one of the dogs toys and play fetch. Gradually introduce sheds by hiding them, etc. I know the scent goes away as antlers age, so use a fresh one if possible.

[seth trudeau]

Antlers do have a distinct smell, so introduce the pup as soon as possible. I remember reading one article that said to get the scent of the antler onto one of the dogs toys and play fetch. Gradually introduce sheds by hiding them, etc. I know the scent goes away as antlers age, so use a fresh one if possible.

Thank you... should I take him when I go shed hunting on a leash, just because I can and he may get excited?

[jhjimbo]

I just saw an article on shed training. Try searching for the article in OL or F&S. It started by taking some real sheds, tying a string on them and pulling them around with the dog going after them. Then throwing them and finally hiding them in the woods and let him find them.

[charlie elk]

Start working now on bonding your dog to you. This will cause him to want to please you. Play with him using some smooth antler pieces. Let him know how pleased you are with antlers. One way is to encourage him to pick them up and give them to you so that you can place them in a bag or pack; reward him well. I prefer to give affectionate pets rather than treats. Because in the future your will always have your hands but not always have treats. Between 3 & 6 months you need to remember he'll have a very short attention span. As he gets older his attention will get longer. Be patient, and don't clamp down with any real hard training until he is 6+ months.
Congratulations on your dog Seth, may both of you have many happy times together.

[seth trudeau]

Start working now on bonding your dog to you. This will cause him to want to please you. Play with him using some smooth antler pieces. Let him know how pleased you are with antlers. One way is to encourage him to pick them up and give them to you so that you can place them in a bag or pack; reward him well. I prefer to give affectionate pets rather than treats. Because in the future your will always have your hands but not always have treats. Between 3 & 6 months you need to remember he'll have a very short attention span. As he gets older his attention will get longer. Be patient, and don't clamp down with any real hard training until he is 6+ months.
Congratulations on your dog Seth, may both of you have many happy times together.

Thank you Charlie!

[charlie elk]

Start working now on bonding your dog to you. This will cause him to want to please you. Play with him using some smooth antler pieces. Let him know how pleased you are with antlers. One way is to encourage him to pick them up and give them to you so that you can place them in a bag or pack; reward him well. I prefer to give affectionate pets rather than treats. Because in the future your will always have your hands but not always have treats. Between 3 & 6 months you need to remember he'll have a very short attention span. As he gets older his attention will get longer. Be patient, and don't clamp down with any real hard training until he is 6+ months.
Congratulations on your dog Seth, may both of you have many happy times together.

Keep us posted on your new pup's progress.

[Jennings Askew]

I just saw an article on shed training. Try searching for the article in OL or F&S. It started by taking some real sheds, tying a string on them and pulling them around with the dog going after them. Then throwing them and finally hiding them in the woods and let him find them.

I have been doing some shed training with my dogs. Even when they are older you can train them but definitely starting now is the best choice. I would give him some fresh sheds, if you can, to chew on as a toy. Eventually take it away and use it as reward. Playing fetch and hiding it in the yard can works really well. There is actually a "soft" artificial shed that cabelas sells you could buy and use. It also comes with fresh shed scent for the dog to get used to. I know alot of guys have taken over a year for their dog to be trained enough to find sheds.