Shed Antler Training

Very good points Happy. Hunting into the wind is very important. Also keeping your sheds clear of human odor is also a key. I had my buddy's hide the sheds from time to time but that wasnt always convenient. Maybe because i use thed shed cutouts to train my dog it kept his head up looking at the cutout but at the same time using his nose to smell the shed. I did use gloves when i handled the shed, and washed them after 2 training sessions. I also used the wax and put it on the shed cutouts to put out more scent. Thats an interesting story though. Something to deffinately think about!

I almost forgot Tom Dokken has a shed trainin seminar on youtube. Its in 2 parts heres the link:

Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11s3-wwOxjs&safe=active

Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m88cj...fu&safe=active

Afairchild, if I can get to where my dog will find them like that I'll be extatic! Did you use Dokkens kit, to any extent what was yalls timeline on training/ learning? What was the most difficult. Anything you wouldve done different? Also where we're your dogs break throughs? Sort for all the questions, I'm new to this and want it to work out!!
Thanks,

Patience is the biggest. Yes i used Dokkens kit read his little pamplet, i have the DVD, and i watched the youtube video several times. There is no schedule for training. You move on to the next step when your dog has the first one mastered. I like the saying i've heard on hear a bunch a dog does best what it does most. The thing he struggled with most was searching for longer periods of times for an antler, and getting him to zig zig the area we're huntnig. Theres all kinds of things I prolly could say I would've done different but where my dog is at today I can't say I'd change a thing. He really started figuring it out when we started hunting in an alley way. It really keeps him funneled into a small zone to find the horns. We spent prolly 3 weeks only looking in a couple alley ways and its like it all the sudden clicked in his head. Like I said before make it seam like your dog won the nobel prize everytime he finds the shed, AND everytime he brings it back. Take as many measure as you see necessary to control scent!

Use scent free spray for deer huknting. I keep the traning antlers in a bucket, outside and always use a plastic bag to handle them so my scent is not on the antlers.

She's still pretty much a baby so I'm doin mostly socializing and obedience. When we do fetch a few bones, she fetches and I can easily excite her with it, but she likes to go lay down and chew on it. What is the best way to handle this w pups with out playing tug of war or keep away. Neither has happened because I kinda jus wait till her grip is loose and get it.

just like any retriever training as a pup, start at short distances and use a rope to get her to come back to you. You can also give her a treat when she comes back and gives you the bone. Reward her for the act of coming back and bringing you the object.

+1 on the rope. When your training a dog especially at a young age, control is everything. If you can't control her to do what you want how do you teach her? Deffinately keep the retrieves short. When she goes to get it, if she doesn't want to bring it back, jump up and down waive your arms sound as happy as you can to get her to bring it back, while at the same time pulling on the rope slowly bringing your pup back to you. When she gets to you lots of praise and pets, treats too if your using them to help train. When you take the bone from her, give her a command and take it from her. If she grabs it tighter grab her bottom jaw and pull the shed out. You don't want her slobbering all over it getting her scent on it. I used clicker trainer on obedience for my dog so it was easy to transfer that to shed hunting. One click for hunting on command, one click for getting the bone, and one click and a treat when she brings it back. If your not familiar with clicker training I would shy away from using it but if you are aware of clicker training and the methods behind it then that might be something you might try these first couple weeks!

I know a little about clicker training but I'll probably stay away just because of my comfort level. So far I've had her 2 weeks and after a week of parvo, we have learned sit, come, no, and are getting down, down is taking a little longer than sit. I first introduced her to a six point shed, but after she jabbed herself in the nose I decided to move down to a spike until she gets a little more coordinated. When the shed comes out her eyes go straight to it, so I think she enjoys playing w it.. I got to get her a a rope to improve on retrieving. I'm also using drop as my release command. Is it a bad idea to play fetch w other items such as tennis ball? Or should I only use sheds?

You can play fetch with anything. Fetch is a game to the dog, its where you can let her play and enjoy being a dog. I just wouldn't say fetch the bone when your playing fetch, but continue to use the drop command!