coueschaser3 Report post Posted April 3, 2008 Ive got a 1.5 year old GSP and am tryin to think of the best way to get him shed hunting. he does real good with birds and im still workin on that but would love to have em help out shed hunting, cuz he comes everytime anyways. anyone got any good tips or ideas that yal have used and had success with? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted April 3, 2008 Ive got a 1.5 year old GSP and am tryin to think of the best way to get him shed hunting. he does real good with birds and im still workin on that but would love to have em help out shed hunting, cuz he comes everytime anyways. anyone got any good tips or ideas that yal have used and had success with? Just play with him with the horns, play fetch with pieces of em. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coueschaser3 Report post Posted April 3, 2008 that was my guess but i wasnt sure how much there was to it. hes got a heck of a nose. ya think sheds ive had sittin around a bit will have lost any scent or should i rough em up a bit? i got a buncha small coues sheds i could round the tips off of. Guess ill have to start some of that out and see how he does. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coueschaser3 Report post Posted April 3, 2008 and for the heck of it here is Danner the future shed dog......hopefully. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IHunt2live Report post Posted April 3, 2008 I've thought about useing my dogs to shed hunt but to be honest I think it would be a lot of work. When we are bird hunting they are SOOOO focused on birds. They will run right passed sheds. They know what they are looking for and thats what the focus on. If you are going to try to train an already established bird hunting fool of a dog I think a major part would be to try to teach them that when you are shed hunting they should be looking for shed. Personaly I don't think its posible at least from seeing my dogs to get their mind off of birds and focus on sheds. I also feel that their nose has nothing to do with it. Do shed realy have sent? I'm sure they do when they first drop but give them a few days I'm not sure a dog will ever smell a shed. They will find them with sight. My $.2 Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted April 3, 2008 I've read about people training dogs just to find antler sheds. A quick google: http://www.outdoorlife.com/article_gallery.jsp?ID=1000014194 http://www.antlerdogs.com/ http://ventosakennel.com/shed_antler_detection Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted April 3, 2008 Don't tell Shiela.... but I'm pretty sure she does not know that she is a bird dog.... Gotta keep it simple.... is my advice. I got white horns all over my yard and she plays with them... drags them around.... i am constanly putting them back where they cam from.... Started her like this at 11 weeks.... This was her first legit find, 2 weeks ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IHunt2live Report post Posted April 3, 2008 C n' S your sure starting her out good. Another idea I had is you might think about taking your dog out into the feild after you planed some sheds. That way you KNOW they will find some and when you do prais the heck out of them. Also they are more likely to have fun if they are finding alot. One thing to be careful of is your dog will learn to fallow your sent trail from went you set them out. My female is to smart for her own good and will go the same path I took to plant birds. Good luck with the training and I'll keep thinking of ideas myself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted April 3, 2008 I think that timing is everything..... I got her out when she was too young to run big..... this aloud me to praise her as soon as her nose hit bone. She is a boot licker, now.... someday I might try her on the mearns that I have found. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRONG Report post Posted April 3, 2008 From what I've read on shed dogs if you're gonna plant the antlers be sure and use rubber gloves to be sure they're seeking out the smell of the shed and not the smell of your favorite scratchin finger.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coueschaser3 Report post Posted April 3, 2008 CnS, thanks for the pics, thats a heck of a good luckin pup ya got there. Everyone else thanks for the info, i think ill start him workin on some sheds and see how he does. He tends to pick things up pretty quick. Smarter than me i think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilentButDeadly Report post Posted April 3, 2008 My vizsla will pick up sheds if I tell him to, but he has yet to find one himself. Like the others said - I gave him a shed to chew on as a pup; now I tell him to "Find the antler!" and he will start looking for about 3 minutes before he goes back to sniffin for birds, rabbits, deer, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted April 4, 2008 Gino, Is Shiela pointing a wing on a string? Doug~RR Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted April 4, 2008 Gino, Is Shiela pointing a wing on a string? Doug~RR Have not even pulled one out, Doug.... She does not really know she is a bird dog, yet. I will wait till she is about 1 1/2 or 2 before I even start her.... I have noticed, over the years watching my dad train these dogs, that they really seem to Finish as a gun dog about the same time (IMO) if you start late or early... This way I can focus on my real adjendas now and birds later! Hope to have a really well rounded 'Lil Girl by the age of 4. (And I don't mean fat, Troy) It has been really fun so far.... I am going to take her over to Dad's to be snake broke next weekend..... we came nose to nose with a big ol' Bull Snake a couple weeks ago and she had no natural fear. That snake breaking works wonders and is a cheap investment in your dog's future. Thanks everyone! Here is a new pic this morning as I sit here typing. Oh BTW...... SOAP BOX.... I will be having her fixed soon. Many people that I meet seem to have this pride thing that Their dog is sooo good and they are gunna have "just one litter".... News FLash--- They are all that good!!!! If you like the breed, you will like the next one you get if you train it right. Too many unwanted pets out there. Thanks, CnS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Becker Report post Posted April 6, 2008 I have been working with my GSP and he is doin pretty good at finding antlers that I plant. I have not had him out looking since I have started training him. I started in the back yard. My dog as well likes to chew and play with antlers so I figured what the heck. I had read about it......I started him out by making him stay and putting the antler across the yard so he could see it. then tell him to "Get The ANTLER!". He was quick at that so then I started hiding them in the yard, under stuff behind stuff, he got pretty good at knowing my favorite hiding places. I give him a treat everytime he brings one back and praise him really good.....now I take him for walks down this wash by my house. I start out having him stay and place an antler out there so he can see it and have him bring it back just to get him in the right mind set. Then away we go......He does pretty good until he comes across a bird HAHAHAHA When I plant the antlers I throw them as far as I can....when I was training him on birds I noticed he would follow my scent trail as someone else had mentioned.....Needless to say I am pretty excited to get him out this year..... Becker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
