How to Train a Labrador Puppy to Shed Hunt

Imagine walking through a Spring woodland when the weather just begins to get warmer and the leaves begin to turn green. Visualize bringing home a prize at the end of this to hang on your wall giving your house the ultimate hunting lodge feel.

Shed hunting is a popular hunting practice in springtime. This is when adult male deer begin to shed their antlers, leaving them on the ground. This is the perfect time for you to hunt with your Labrador and pick up the prize. Labradors are bred to be retrievers, as they have an amazing sense of smell. Combine this with their intelligence and it allows them to track for miles. Labradors also come in a range of different colors and can be Showline or Fieldline bred, therefore you can pick the pup the suits you. Both types of Labradors can prove to be invaluable out on the hunt, so no matter what line your dog is bred from, you'll have a great time looking for those antlers when the season is right. 

Training your dog is important for a number of reasons. It keeps your pooch physically and mentally exercised, allows you to form a bond with your pup, and increases your dog’s obedience. Training any dog to hunt is a difficult task. However, since Labradors have been bred for hunting, it make the task a little easier.

Shed hunt training can take anywhere from six to eight months. It is easier to train your pooch when they are young and you can start this from as young as eight weeks old. This is when your pup is old enough to understand and retain the meaning of commands. Although the saying isn't true, you can teach an old dog new tricks! It would just take a little bit more time and patience. Either way, any Labrador can be taught to shed hunt!

To get started, you will need a lot of treats! Labradors are easy to train because of their love for food and so it is handy to supply them with lots of snacks for encouragement. You'll also want to find an area of land in which you know deer are likely to be during spring time. Large woods or forests are the perfect place for your pooch to find deer and their antlers.

You'll want to teach your puppy obedience training before you get started. This includes commands such as 'Sit’, ‘Stay' and ‘Come’. Recall is extremely important when letting your puppy off-leash. It will give you the confidence that your pup will come back when called.