Greetings everyone,

I wanted to get some advice if any can be offered on getting a dog started on shed hunting. I've read numerous articles and watched plenty of videos online- but if anyone had some concrete methods I would enjoy hearing it.

Backstory- I was a Police K9 handler for nearly 7 years before I got promoted to Sgt in the spring and my dog had to retire about 6 months later. My wife noticed I was in a bit of a a funk, clearly missing working a dog. Although my police dog retired to my house and now lives as a member of the family- something was missing. He is older, and rather than teaching a dog like him who is trained to hunt down humans and drugs to find sheds, we started looking for a puppy to fill the void in my life. We had heard labs are the preferred breed but going through shelter websites we came upon a 9 month old Black Mouth Cur puppy and got hooked, then we adopted him. I tested his play and basic drives at the shelter and he seemed to catch on to things really quick and his small stature made my wife happy... less hair!

After this phase of housebreaking and basic commands like sit stay and here, I will start the shed hunt training with him. I've trained lots of dogs to find drugs and people but these are not retrieve dogs, so any insight on a good method is appreciated.

I included the new pups picture, his name is Rip. Happy Thanksgiving to you all, stay safe out there!

How can ya not love that face HA,, He looks ready to please.. Good Luck Have Fun.

Great looking dog. My friend has one. I know nothing about training them but his will find dead deer and sheds. He will be a good one.

Alpha, my son was K9, too. He helped train two grandsons’ dogs—Labs and a cur. All are good horn hunters (yeah, I know they are “antlers”). My Irish water spaniel picked it up naturally and has a better nose than the others and will bring them to hand.

You will enjoy your cur. They are smart and family oriented. Training is mostly reward like your K9 training—food, a toy, or praise. None of them have really been inclined to chew the sheds and they are sure proud of them when they come in with one.

Good luck and enjoy your black mouth cur.

PS. They also used the cur on coyotes as a bait dog and follow up here in the open spaces of the West.

Beautiful intelligent looking pup. Good luck in your training. >>>----> Ken

great looking pal you have there has good eyes

Happy looking dog, good luck

Great looking dog. Think you will do well!

I've never trined a a dog to sheds, but they all seem to like them. I've had several find sheds & bring them to me. It almost seems like a natural bent. I can't believe I never encouraged it....never thought of it. I am GUESSING if you just keep a few junk antlers around all the time, beg some from others in your area - - and hide them, then have him FIND THEM, & reward him with praise & treats when he LETS YOU HAVE THEM....go out int he woods & PLANT THEM - - - then go get him & take him out for a romp...he'll pick up & learn to "play the game" when you take him out in the woods. Repetition is a agreat teacher. I know you know that already.

I guess for some it's the satisfaction of successfully training a dog. I don't see much fun, or excitement, in having a dog find them for you. I'd rather do that myself.

Good luck little guy You can do it.

good looking pup. My older cousin had a big yellow "mountain cur" that looked some like yours. Great dog, he had it trained to lots of voice commands. Drank beer (RAY not the dog) and tossed cans all over the yard. once every few days he'd sit there & tell Sport to "clean up this place" & Sport would bring every can & pile them up for RAY to bag them up.

My dog and the ones I have had in the past would find sheds for me. They have all been retrievers and I would throw antlers and have them retrieve them as pups. I would make a big deal out of it. Now while having them out, they find an antler I still make a big deal out of it including throwing it a few times before putting it up. Hope this helps. Curs are great squirrel dogs but I'm not sure on the retrieving.

My old cur never found a shed but she would find every box turtle in the wood and bring it to me unharmed. Also a great squirrel dog.

JamesV

I had a lab that would bring back sheds. I simply played fetch with antlers. I always left a shed in the yard as a toy. Just a heads up, don't let the pup bring a shed inside, the pup can a knee out with an antler, lol.

Great looking pup!

I had to put my 10 yr old yellow lab down 2 yrs ago. He was a shed hunting psycho. I've read where a good dog finds 1 for every ten you found. Parker and I averaged 50/50.

I started him from day one (8 weeks) with sheds. They were his only chew/play toy. He retrieved them easily. I would cut the points down so he wouldn't poke himself.

Eventually hiding them in the grass and walking by with him until he finds it. Then further and scentless(human).

When out scouting/looking, even if I see one I wait till he finds it and brings it to me. As you know, lots of praise and treats.

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