i've began training my german shephard to find sheds and read an article about tom dokkens training and some of his products that help along the training process. i seen he sells a product called rack wax, which is supposed to imitate a smell that comes from the base of a freshly fallen antler. just wondering if anyone of you guys has ever used the stuff! thanks and happy hunting!
Benny - I have never heard of that! I am no expert at antler dogs by any means but I have been training my lab since we brought him home almost 2 years ago. I have done a lot of reading and also attended a very good seminar by one of the most respected antler dog trainers in the business Roger Sigler. So all of that being said, I don't think that scent that you are talking about has that much to do with it. If that were the case antler dogs would only find fresh antlers when they actually find all kinds. In fact the question was asked at the seminar I went to and their opinion was that old antlers are actually easier for the dogs to find and give off more scent than fresh drops. The main thing to concentrate on in the beginning of training is to make the antler the above all favorite thing in the dogs world. Once they are hooked on antlers their nose and hunting instinct will take over. For instance, if I let my pup out of the pen with an antler in my hand he will try to tackle me to get it. Also I can throw a ball, frisbie, etc. and an antler out at the same time and he will always go get the antler. They have to absolutely love antlers more than anything. Like I said I am still learning as well and some of the "training aids" out there might work but I guess I would be skeptical. You might check out Roger's page and also on the shed forum here Outdoordave has written a couple good articles on his training techniques. Good luck with it and keep us posted! http://www.antlerdogs.com/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
You're reply is greatly appreciated!! expert or not...i always love to read more input and u make an awesome point and thats exactly what i was thinking. i actually have rogers training video in my dvd collection. he makes some very good points. i just heard of dokken kennels last week and was quite interested in the products he claimed "speed up the process". i do have one question for you...how do you keep your dog more interested in the antlers than anything else? i often like playing with my dog with just a tennis ball and worry that he will stop caring about antlers if i dont stick with strictly just that. happy hunting!
i forgot... heres a link if anyone would wanna check it out and see. http://www.dokkensoakridgekennels.com/
I think it is because from the time he was a little puppy I have only really played with him with antlers so that's all he knows. Sure while he has been growing up there have been balls and other toys from time to time but I think I don't show the level of excitement about those and he picks up on that so he doesn't get that excited about them either. One tip from Outdrdave you might try is putting a tine thru a tennis ball then you would have the ball and antler at the same time. Yeah Roger does some amazing stuff with his dogs. At that seminar he had a 12 week old puppy that was unreal. I looked at that Dokken website after I made my first reply and I guess I should have looked at it before I went off talking like I know what I'm talking about! haha The name didn't click until I saw who he was. Also a very respected bird dog trainer so who knows that stuff might help but I think real antlers have enough smell on their own....
Just remembered back when I first started working with him and even now...when we are playing with a ball, etc. it is just play time and very casual. When I pull out an antler it is training time...He has to sit before a throw, sit before a search, listen to other commands, etc. and this is also the only time I have ever treat rewarded him for retrieves. So I'm sure that has just as much or more to do with his greater love for antlers than anything else and he knows the difference.
