Unleashing Success: Shed Hunting with the Pups
Embarking on the exhilarating adventure of training my dog for shed hunting has been a journey filled with excitement and dedication. Shed hunting, the pursuit of finding dropped antlers, is becoming our new favorite outdoor activity for us. In this guide, I'll share my experiences and insights into preparing and training my dog for shed hunting, ensuring a fulfilling and enjoyable experience for both of us.
Choosing the Right Dog:
Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Belgian Malinois, known for their keen sense of smell and eagerness to please, these breeds often come to mind for shed hunting. I believe any willing dog can be trained and succeed. My choice of dog breed… standard poodles! At the moment I have two rescued standard poodle mixes that are excelling in shed training, and they absolutely love it. Below photos of my two girls.
Off Season Ground Work:
Getting into shed hunting training during the off-season is like laying the groundwork for a solid adventure with my dogs. Here in my state, shed hunting on public land is prohibited between January 1 - April 30. Lucily, we have a few acres so we can practice yearround, but I would suggest late fall or early winter for those who also live in an area with a high rattlesnake population. Just less problems that way. I kick things off by reinforcing those basic obedience commands, making sure my dog's got the basics down pat.
Here are my basic obedience recommendations:
Solid recall off leash or great leash manners on a long line
Leave it
Stay, either down stay or a standing stay
Fetch / retrieval
Drop it
Heal
Find it
The recall and leave it are on the top of the list purposely. Being safe with my dogs outdoors revolves around them not getting lost, and to be able to back away from a dangerous (or gross) object or animal. These are mandatory skills for my dogs in life, the other skills can be shaped and refined over time.
Tools & Beginning Steps:
Clicker
Treat Pouch
Treats
Clean antler or fake antler with wax odor
Getting my dog acquainted with shed antlers was fun. Thanks to their background in scentwork training, they caught on surprisingly fast — just about ten minutes in. But every dog is different so tailor your training to the dog in front of you. Starting with a clean, scent-free antler or, like I did initially, a fake one, we focused on creating a positive association. Every touch earned a click and treat in the early stages. As we progressed, I upped the ante by placing the antler further away while they held a sit stay. The anticipation and excitement built up as they watched me release them to find the antler. Taking it a step further, I'd put them in a sit stay, sneak around the corner of the house, and hide it in a spot they couldn't see but knew roughly where I was. This added an extra layer to the challenge, instilling the concept of actively searching for the antler. These steps not only fueled my dog's enthusiasm for shed hunting but also fine-tuned their ability to zero in on antlers using the specific scent cues.
Simulating Realistic Shed Hunting Scenarios:
After tackling the introduction to shed antlers, we dove into the world of simulating realistic shed hunting scenarios. Our thick underbrush-rich property turned out to be a fantastic playground for this phase. Engaging hide-and-seek games became the order of the day as we transitioned from straightforward antler placements to trickier setups. To replicate the wild conditions of shed hunting, we ventured into various terrains and introduced distractions to keep things interesting.
One trick I found particularly effective was hiking around with an antler in hand. Letting my dogs take the lead while I quietly placed an antler off the trail added an extra layer of challenge. We'd continue our walk for a bit before circling back. At times, I'd prompt them to search, but there were those rewarding moments when they discovered the antler on their own. The real challenge for me? Trying to sneakily place an antler when my vigilant duo isn't paying attention—no easy feat with these velcro dogs.
In conclusion, my journey in training my dog for shed hunting has been a fun endeavor. Celebrating small victories, setting benchmarks during training, and simulating realistic scenarios have contributed to a successful shed hunting partnership. As we continue to explore the outdoors together, the patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement embedded in our training journey form the essence of a bond strengthened through shared adventures in shed hunting.
