Rack Hounds: A Look Into The World's Best Shed Dogs

A dozen camo-clad bystanders stood in silence as a handler and his labrador retriever cut a zigzag pattern across an overgrown field in Ohio. As the handler followed, offering encouragement, the dog swung in wide arcs through the grass. Sometimes all that was visible of the dog was the whirling end of his black tail. That’s when the lab–aptly named Buck–pounced. He seized something from the grass then turned back to his handler. When he broke cover, an antler extended from both sides of Buck’s mouth. 

Buck is one of the growing number of shed dogs roaming the woods and fields of America. As the name implies, these dogs are specifically trained to search for shed antlers, and the sport have become so popular that the United Kennel Club now hosts their Elite Shed Dog series. Dogs and handlers from around the country compete in local events, all of which lead to the U.K.C. Elite Shed Dog Nationals. 

A New Breed

Humans have kept domestic dogs for tens of thousands of years, and during that time our canine companions have served a variety of roles. Dogs have herded and protected livestock, followed the scent of birds and game, and, in more recent times, dogs have been used to sniff out narcotics and explosives, assist disabled individuals, and locate children who have wandered away from their homes into the woods. It seems there’s virtually nothing our four-legged companions cannot accomplish. 

Dogs are also uniquely skilled shed hunters. Their sense of smell is 100,000 greater than our own, and most dogs have an inherent hunting drive that compels them to search for their quarry, whether it’s a ruffed grouse, a mountain lion, or a shed antler.

Breeds like the greyhound, spaniels, continental pointing breeds and scent hounds have been specially bred and trained to perform a specific task for centuries, but the shed dog is a relatively recent development. As such, there is no specific breed that has been trained specifically to search for sheds, and a variety of dogs will work. Granted, most of the shed dogs I encountered at the U.K.C. Elite Shed Dog Nationals were labrador retrievers, but that’s not surprising considering the lab’s intelligence, eagerness to please its master, and hunting drive. But I also encountered German shorthairs, various scent hound breeds, and even a few plucky cocker spaniels that competed alongside the labs. 

Your dog, regardless of breed, may very well be a solid candidate for a shed dog. And unlike other disciplines that require specialized training, shed dog hunting is a fairly simple concept: dogs need to handle well in the field and listen to commands, and it needs to have the inborn desire to search. 

One of the contestants I met at the Elite Shed Dog Nationals several years ago was Tierney Schneider. Before they ever began trialing dogs, she and her boyfriend Tony Hoeffer decided that they wanted a dog. They decided on a lab, and they hoped that their young labrador Eva could serve that role. Eva not only learned to find sheds, but she holds the record as the youngest dog to ever obtain the rank of Elite Shed Dog in the U.K.C. at the age of sixteen months. Tony and Tierney founded the Iowa Shed Dog Association and continue to be involved in the sport. Tierney told me that Eva has found over 100 sheds during a single season in Iowa.

Scott Kuchenbecker is another fixture at shed dog events. Many of the contestants at these events are primarily deer hunters, but others come from a waterfowling background. Scott is the latter, and in 2016 he approached the United Kennel Club with the idea of establishing a dedicated shed dog trial competition. 

“We wanted to set up a competition that was realistic and would actually test the dog’s ability to find sheds in the field,” says Kuchenbecker. “I think we accomplished that.”

For waterfowl hunters like Kuchenbecker the transition from duck dogs to shed dogs was a natural evolution. Many of the same commands that hunters use for dogs while waterfowl hunting transition to shed hunting. Shed dogs need to hunt in an organized manner, thoroughly covering the terrain and methodically hunting for their quarry. But that doesn’t mean you need to be a professional trainer to turn your canine companion into a shed dog. You simply need time and patience. 

Many dogs have an innate desire to search and retrieve. There’s a good chance that your pet likes to play fetch, and that form of play is not altogether different than teaching dogs to locate and retrieve sheds. The trainers I spoke with at the U.K.C. Nationals emphasized that whether your dog is retrieving a ball, a dead duck, or a shed antler the concept is very much the same. You simply need to teach your dog the objective and, most importantly, keep training fun and engaging for the dog. 

Tom Dokken of Oak Ridge Kennels is a nationally recognized trainer who offers specialized training courses for shed dogs. In addition to his training, Dokken also offers a variety of products for owners who want to train their own shed dogs. In addition to his DVDs, Dokken also offers fake antlers as well as Rack Wax which mimics the scent of real antlers. 

Without delving too deeply into the training methods used by Dokken and others (which could fill a book), the concept of training your shed dog is relatively simple. The dog will use its superior sense of smell as well as its vision to locate antlers. Early training sessions should be kept relatively simple and the objective antler should be kept close so that the dog has a higher probability of locating the prize. Over time, the antler should be moved farther and farther away, requiring the dog to spend more time and energy locating the prize. 

The key is a positive reward for locating and retrieving the antler. Exercises should be fun, gradually becoming more challenging as the dog’s skill level increases. At the same time, it’s good to incorporate basic commands such as come, heel, search, and drop, and these basic skills will continue to build until the dog can recognize and respond to more complex commands. The goal is to search the target area thoroughly, covering ground in an efficient and controlled manner so as not to overlook sheds. 

Eventually, the dog will most likely begin to understand the concept. Antlers are the prize, and your canine companion’s task is to search the area and locate them. Ultimately, shed hunting should be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for both the dog and the handler. 

The Competitive Edge

It’s an unforgettable moment when your dog locates and retrieves its first shed, but eventually you may find that your dog is ready for the next step–competition. If that appeals to you, U.K.C. Elite Shed Dog competitions offer owners a great opportunity to showcase their dog’s skills. 

But U.K.C. Senior Vice President Todd Kellam told me that he had concerns when the organization began offering trials for shed dogs. He wasn’t concerned about the popularity of the sport but rather how the U.K.C. Nationals format would be received by top trainers. 

“Would it be well received by the top shed dog handlers in the country, and would it prove to be fun, fair, and successful?” Kellam says that it was a leap of faith by the organization, but that the results were excellent.

“I could not have been more satisfied with the way it turned out.” 

U.K.C. shed dog events take place in a field which is approximately 50 yards wide and 100 yards long–roughly the size of a football field. The rule book (which is available online) states that the cover should neither be too dense or too short. In essence, it should mimic natural landscapes where sheds may be found. Five sheds are planted in six different zones within the field, and the location of the sheds is random. Up to three of the sheds may be partially covered to increase the challenge for the dogs. Shed “planters” may be no closer than 20 yards from the course. Handlers begin at a designated gate and the dog must be leashed. Once the time starts, the dog is allowed to begin searching, and they have 15 minutes to locate the sheds.  

The U.K.C. also lists affiliated clubs on their website, and as of November, 2025 there were over 50 established shed dog clubs in 25 states and Canada. That means there’s very likely a shed dog club close to your home. But even if you aren’t competing it’s well worth your time to attend a competition at a local club if for no other reason than to watch these highly specialized dogs work. You’ll also network with other shed hunters and learn a great deal about the sport. Attending an event will also inspire and equip you to start training your own shed dog at home. 

Why Whitetail Hunters Should Consider Shed Dogs

Whitetail hunting is a sport that centers around data. The more information you have, the better able you are to locate and tag the buck you’ve been trailing. Finding shed antlers offers a great deal of information about the deer in your area, and it teaches you about the habits of deer where you hunt. Keeping records of recovered sheds offers just one more piece of information that makes you a better hunter. 

Shed hunting is also fun for the entire family. Even if your children are too young to spend long hours in a deer blind they’ll likely enjoy wandering through the woods with the family dog and locating antlers. One of the greatest benefits of owning a shed dog is that it gives you yet another reason to be in the woods, and you’ll have an opportunity to spend time with your two and four-legged family members.   

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