is it possible to train a lab to be both a gundog and a shed hunter? I’m getting my puppy soon and I want to try to research all I can about training him/her ( I’m not sure if the pup is a boy or girl yet we will find out Monday!) this pup will be a inside dog so I know I will be house braking it first and foremost. But then I want to start on its other skills. Any help would be appreciated! Books/blogs personal experience all welcome.
Hi and welcome. To start with I highly recommend the Happy Puppy Book by Pippa Mattinson (she’s the owner of this site). It will really help prepare you for the pup but also goes through behaviours, suggestions on what to do and what to expect. My girl is 4 years old and does agility, scent work and occasionally gun dog training, so it is more than possible to teach them many things. We only do it for fun. It might be different if you plan to compete in any of the sports as there may be behaviours that are allowed in one, but not the other.
I’ll definitely check that out! We don’t have any plans on competing with the pup. Just want to take the dog with us when we are out in the woods. I’d like for it to be able to retrieve squirrel, ducks, birds and rabbits when hunting and collect sheds when we are out hiking. My old lab (I miss him so much) was a wonderful retriever when hunting. But we never worked on collecting sheds.
There’s no reason why your dog shouldn’t be able to do both. Just take it slowly and make it fun learning. Putting too much pressure on at a young age can turn a puppy off to retrieving completely. We love puppy pics, so please do share when your pup arrives!
I’m sorry but I am very curious, what is shed hunting? To me, a shed is the wooden hut that you have in the garden where the gardening tools and lawnmower lives...I can’t imagine a dog retrieving one of them on a hike...
Of course it is !! It just so happens that a few days ago the very same thing cropped up on another thread --- apparently in the US it's about dogs retrieving antlers that have been "shed" by deer or mousse or whatever.
Ahhh thanks I never would have guessed that, I was stumped! Makes sense now the Pig sneaks into our shed and brings me a trowel on occasion, but I couldn’t imagine that would be a dog sport
Sheds: (Deer, Elk and Moose antlers)are worth quite a bit so lots of people hunt for them. People use them for Lamps, Art etc especially when they can get a pair, which is difficult. They are also sold as dog chews, but I think they are too hard, and don't use them anymore.
