i know this is sorta off topic but i figure you guys have better insight than an actual dog forum. i have had 2 dogs, a labrottie and a labchessie that i trained for hunting sheds. both have died at very young ages. i have a new black lab that i am starting this training with. any recomended books or disks that would be helpfull? i trained mine my own way and they did well but i am no trainer and id like to do it with strict obedince. any insight would be awesome!!! thanks.
dog training
- Thread starter ivorytip
- Start date
grind sheds into their food??? hmmm, never thought of that, ill have to try that out. my main concern right now is to teach it the basics, sit, come, heel.... the last 2 dogs i skipped over those aspects to fast by my excitement of getting the antler hunting going. although good dogs, they werent as obedient as i wouldve liked them to be. i just wanna make sure i do it right this time ya know? thanks for the insight hardstalk!! he comes from a good line and i can allready tell he loves the water, but ill work that part in later.
My dog was introduced to tennis balls and sticks... Keep him away from both of those devils! Ive never in my life bought a tennis ball. Yet there laying all over my yard.. No clue where she finds them. When I take her to the hills I tell her " get your sheds!" She sniffs for about 10 minutes and then says to hell with it and brings me a nice stick.
Definitely get your basics solid first. You can work on multiple skills at the same time once they realize there learning.
Definitely get your basics solid first. You can work on multiple skills at the same time once they realize there learning.
Work2hunt
Veteran member
I trained both my English pointers and my lab with the basic obedience principles in "gun dog" by Richard Wolters. I felt that to be a easy read and easy to implement and follow.
ive had a few people tell me to get that book by richard, ill head down to barnes and noble tomorrow. thanks guys. i just ordered some antler scent to keep sheds smelling strong for now, i have a pile of small sheds to pick from. should i get him use to elk and moose sheds too? or is an antler an antler? my first dog would bring me antlers but would also bring the ocasional rib from a carcas, im assuming that is to be expected?
Fink
Veteran member
IT- I trained my dog with 'Water Dog' by Richard Wolters. I suppose gun dog would be the same, but I don't have experience with that book. My only regret with Water Dog, was that I didn't read it all the way through before starting my dog. Life would have been much easier if I would have.
I make zero claims of being some sort of dog training expert, but when it came to sheds, I brought some home shortly after I got the dog, and gave them to her as toys. She has small spike/ fork horn antlers for inside the house, and bigger ones for outside. She is always packing one around somewhere. I just tell her to "Go get a horn!"
I make zero claims of being some sort of dog training expert, but when it came to sheds, I brought some home shortly after I got the dog, and gave them to her as toys. She has small spike/ fork horn antlers for inside the house, and bigger ones for outside. She is always packing one around somewhere. I just tell her to "Go get a horn!"
CoHiCntry
Veteran member
I'm interested in training an antler dog as well. There's lots of information on line. The obedience might be seperate initial training? I'm no expert though. I have two German shorthairs. Both mind really well. The older is on her last leg. The younger I'm planning to start training on antlers. I'm gonna try to start training him first to get into it, then get a puppy after my female passes. This way maybe I'll have a clue what I'm doing from trying to train my other dog first. There's lots of antler training DVD's along with plastc training antlers and scent you add to them. I would assume the real thing works better though? I'm sure you've seen this stuff already. Whether it really ever works out or not, it sounds like fun. Good luck!
I have always wondered about this, I've got a GSP that I've trained on birds (speed training your bird dog by Larry Mueller). I hunt chukar and quail with but he has pointed sheds for me on several occasions (deer and antelope). I never trained that, actually broke him from hooves critters and varmints. He still points sheds which is kinda cool out chasing chukar.
i cant get him to stop yelping at night. 1st and 3rd night was fine but 2nd and 4th was horrible. before he gets put in kennel for the night he goes for mile walk and play time with kids with some basic training after, so he is wore out and falls asleep fast. but at 3am he wants out. its a big kennel, 10 x 15 feet. should i keep him in a crate at night with a blanket over it till he get a bit bigger? i have a couple of young mouser cats and i think they may be getting him worked up.
Im definately no expert, but have had several black labs that we trained to hunt birds. Not sure about the yelping, every dog has their own attitude. But I would say that will fade fast, as it did with my most recent dog within the first few nights. Ive never trained her to hunt sheds, only pheasants and doves, but I have learned that teaching them obedience is the #1 priority. Once they've learned to mind you, then you can start to teach them how or what to hunt. Good luck with your lab, they want to please, but you have to let them know YOU are in charge from the start or they may never amount to much. The bloodline/natural hunting instinct of your particular dog and amount of time you give them in the field early on will also determine how good of hunting dog they will become. They do best if it's routine for them instead of a rarity to get to go "hunting" whatever it may be.
Fink
Veteran member
IT- He probably just needs to be let out to go to the bathroom. Even in a kennel that big, dogs really don't like to go to the bathroom in their kennel. When I crate trained my dog, I kept her in a kennel that wasn't much bigger than her, and let her out twice a night for the first week or so, then only once per night. Once she could hold it all night long, I quit keeping her in the kennel overnight.
How old is the pup?
How old is the pup?
Fink
Veteran member
Water is good. Lots of clean water will help get rid of the puppy poops quicker. Regarding food, he's growing like crazy right now, you probably can't over feed him. Some will say its better to limit the food, so they grow a little slower, and therefore grow stronger... When mine was 3-6 months old, I was feeding her 4 cups a day, at 6 months to a year, she at 6 cups a day. At two, she's back down to 4 cups a day, but, she's a very active dog..
Fatrascal
Member
Some good info up above. I also used Water Dog to give me a lot of insight and helped with the basics. I also got Richard Wolters video "Water Dog." It is amazing how he teaches dogs to follow hand signals and whistle commands. The video is worth buying just to see that. I would love to incorporate those commands into a shed dog one day. But back to the subject. Use both brown and white antlers for training because if you only use one color then the dog learns to find one color. Use all sizes so that they learn to find little forkies and spikes as well as 4-points and bigger. I've never stopped my dogs from bringing me bones because there are many times that antlers are few and far between and finding bones keeps them excited. A huge added bonus to retrieving bones is that bones many times lead to DEADHEADS and we all love DEADHEADS. You know when youir dog smells a carcass because the head shoots up and they take off at a fast pace making a beeline to thier destination. I can't tell you how many deadheads my Daisy has brought me. For young puppies I cut the tips off of small forkies and I choose antlers that are smooth without eyeguards or little pointy trash around the eyeguards. You don't want the antler to hurt the pup in the beginning. Later when they get a little older then they get every shape and size, color and variation I can think of. When they are good at finding antlers I like to train at night to help them use thier nose more. I hide antlers in grass, puddles, hay stacks, sticking out of my truck exhaust pipes, in the house, in the horse barn, in the flowers etc, etc. Got plenty more to say but not enough time. fatrascal.
Fatrascal
Member
T.S. Allen
Member
That's really cool. Great pics. I would really like to train my lab to do the same. I just got my him back from a trainer out of Shelley ID. Worste trainer in the world my dog came back super skinny with scars all over his legs. He was obviously beaten. He tucks his tail and wets all over if you reach for him too quick. I am heart broken with the situation. I hope I can repair the damage done to my lab.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Dog training is really not hard, but you need lots of patience and repetition. It is never to early to start them. Obedience is the foundation for everything else. Start with simple one word commands...sit, stay, etc. Remember puppies are like kids, they have a very short attention span and need to be praised for good work. I am dead set against giving dogs food treats when they perform, praise is enough. Also remember a dog can have an off day just like humans can. Don't make training sessions too long and end them all on a positive note. If the dog is having an off day, do something they do well (like sit), then end the session with lots of love.
Once the obedience is there, then start the field work. I like to use a whistle to get their attention. Use it every time you feed them, they will get the idea fast. To teach hand signals (these and the whistle are the best firld tools you have), I like to use the baseball field method. Lay out a baseball diamond (in your mind) with you (the trainer) always at home plate and the dog always on the pitchers mound. The dog needs to be retrieving a dummy to you by now. Use your left hand and throw the dummy to third base (dog still sitting at pitchers mound), then blow the whistle and tell them fetch while gestering with your hand to where you threw the dummy.Repeat same with other hand to the first base side. For using second base, throw the dummy over their head and tell the to "Get back" while motioning with your hand. You get the idea. Hunting in the field these hand signal/whistle communications with your dog are invaluble.
I really don't like shock collars. If a dog is that unruly, they probably won't be that good in the field. Usually someone screwed them up sometime and this is what happens.
I've trained quite a few dogs and the more you do it the better you get.....sound familiar? Hope this helps some.
Once the obedience is there, then start the field work. I like to use a whistle to get their attention. Use it every time you feed them, they will get the idea fast. To teach hand signals (these and the whistle are the best firld tools you have), I like to use the baseball field method. Lay out a baseball diamond (in your mind) with you (the trainer) always at home plate and the dog always on the pitchers mound. The dog needs to be retrieving a dummy to you by now. Use your left hand and throw the dummy to third base (dog still sitting at pitchers mound), then blow the whistle and tell them fetch while gestering with your hand to where you threw the dummy.Repeat same with other hand to the first base side. For using second base, throw the dummy over their head and tell the to "Get back" while motioning with your hand. You get the idea. Hunting in the field these hand signal/whistle communications with your dog are invaluble.
I really don't like shock collars. If a dog is that unruly, they probably won't be that good in the field. Usually someone screwed them up sometime and this is what happens.
I've trained quite a few dogs and the more you do it the better you get.....sound familiar? Hope this helps some.