Training Dogs to look for Sheds

Any advice on training a coon hound to be a good shed hunter?

if anyone is having trouble getting your dog to pick up a real antler you should buy the "dog bone" training dummy it is a rubber antler and my dog loved it and then I transitioned her to a real one and now she has no problems, also if need any advice go to the dog bone website and the owner Jeremy Moore will help you, he has been giving advice through email

I always take a few along for him to "find " everytime. That way when we come home skunked, he never does just me...he still gets the idea of why we are out there.

getting them interested into sheds is the number one. play fetch and let them chew on sheds. rack wax is a good tool to use. i own two shed dogs and that was the trick. if u find one make him go pick it up but dont touch it. u might take them out a bunch of times with out them not finding a thing but dont give up. it took my oldest one a year before she found one. my red lab is 9 months and his already found a few this year, its not a sport for all dogs, takes a lucky dog to be good. good luck

In the process of training my 2 year German Shepherd to find them. Going on his second spring of doing it. Hardest part is getting them interested in antlers. Mine has had them as chew toys since I got him, so he loves them. Next is getting them to pick them up. My dog doesn't "hunt " anything else. Sure he will track and flush pheasants but that's not what he is "out " to do. You have to get your dog to realize he is out to find antlers, not coons. Ive got some old sheds that I put a commercial antler scent on and hide them in the woods for him to find. Being careful to keep my scent to a minimum. He finds all of those, never a natural one yet though. Once you get them to accept looking for them and picking them up its the same as other training. Reward them for doing what you want them to do. I always let my dog just run for a bit before we actually train...takes the edge off and he is more willing to learn something. I tripped on one in the dark turkey hunting. Got home and hid it in the yard and he found it instantly..and chewed it to nothing haha.