I have an older lab that I would like to take shed hunting with me. I have not trained him in anyway to hunt for sheds. However, I gave him 1 side of a small bucks rack in the spring and he has chewed it down to nothing. My main reason for wanting to take him is to let him get out and run more then what he gets to now. What do you think the chances are of him finding a few? I was thinking that with him chewing on one over the summer that he might just pick up on one in the woods.
You never know, altough the last time I picked up dog food for my old hound the locally owned store was selling chunks of antler for dog chews. The ends had been sanded down and rounded off. The owners said dogs love them. I was pretty suprised to hear it.
Interesting idea.. I found a small 4 point shed in the woods near my house last year. I put it on the mantle in our living room and our lab went crazy. She knew that it was up there without even being able to see it. She basically stood guard by the fireplace until I moved it. My wife later bought the dog one of the antlers from the pet store and she (the dog) loves it. I guess the real trick would be to "scent train" your dog to find antler.
