My lab thinks she's a bloodhound

NY Bowhunter · 09-05-2005, 04:43 PM

Why does my lab have the snout of a bloodhound or dotson? I've never known a lab to have the nose like some other hunting dogs, but this girl can flat out smell!!!
I was just messing around out of curiousity the other day. I took some venison chunks and dangled them by a rope. I had the dog inside and ran a line for about 300 yards or so. I would dab the ground every 20-30 yards and put the meat under some brush at the end of the line.
I let my chocholate lab (Abby) out and walked towards where I started the line. I didn't even point to the first spot and her nose was going 100mph. She never deviated from the path and minutes later was right on the brush where I placed the meat. I found it pretty amazing.
I think I have a bird dog that wants to be a tracker. Her nose is ALWAYS sniffing. She can be just laying in the grass or inside the house and her head is always in the air trying to get a whiff of something. Anyone ever hear of a lab having such a honker? Is it possible to train a lab for tracking game?

veener88 · 09-05-2005, 08:19 PM

I found out this weekend my Lab is the same way. When goose hunting and on the way backI went through the cattails instead of the creek and the first thing Mongo did was he had the nose up in the air and he found a deer trail for us to use intead of having to cut are own path. I was shocked because he found it and falowed it all by scent. When we were in the blind and her heard a twig snap or when the wind got going he would have the nose up in the air trying to figure it out. This is my first lab so I thought it was common with them to have a good nose butI guess its not.

He uses his nose a lot around the house but when in the field he is using it a lot more.

wildlands · 09-05-2005, 08:28 PM

Yes labs can be trained to track wounded animals. sound like yours has a good desire to track. Start aging the lines (4-6hrs) and only using the blood that you get when you thaw out deer meat. Gradually work the age of the lines up to over night. Leave some type of treat or food at the end of the line as a reward. Drip or dab the blood out on the ground every other step or so. Gradually add in turns andlonger lengths of area with no blood forces the dog to reach fo rthe nextbit of scent.Use a long lead on the Lab so that you can control it and slow it down so that you can read the signs as your dog shows them to you. Do not let her chase live deer. Good luck with your training if you decide to try.

Mite · 09-06-2005, 02:31 AM

I think all hunting dogs have great noses but it sounds like you got an exceptional one. I took my dog to field today and she was nosing around where a few broken pheasant feathers lay imbedded in the mud. Prolly where someone either cleaned or downed a pheasant from last year because Pheasant season doesn't start till late Sept. here and a town is nearby so you can definitely hear shots - so no poachers. Also they release pheasants during the hunting season and not before.

nhilbert · 09-21-2005, 01:27 PM

I'm quite surprised that the use of dogs as tracking dogs doesn't seem very common... Do you really track the animal yourself, by hand, without the help of your four-legged friend???

I would never do so, and can't imagine I could. I have a little dachshound, 11 months old. She goes 1000 yard trails, made with 250ml of blood, 24 hours old, with no problem... The only thing the dog needs to learn is that I am smarter than she is. Fresh tracks smell better than old ones and she always tries to trick me.

nhilbert · 09-21-2005, 01:31 PM

Do you usually track the animal yourself???[:-] Isn't that much to hard?

Your dog is *made* for this, even a lab!

My dachshound (11months) goes 24 hours old, 1000 yards long tracks which I made with about 250ml (a glass full) of blood. No problem for her, as long as there are no fresh tracks, which she likes better [&:]

Good luck training your dog... Tracking with the dog is a very rewarding work for both of you and it will help you find deer you would never have found alone!

nhilbert · 09-21-2005, 01:31 PM

Do you usually track the animal yourself???[:-] Isn't that much to hard?

Your dog is *made* for this, even a lab!

My dachshound (11months) goes 24 hours old, 1000 yards long tracks which I made with about 250ml (a glass full) of blood. No problem for her, as long as there are no fresh tracks, which she likes better [&:]

Good luck training your dog... Tracking with the dog is a very rewarding work for both of you and it will help you find deer you would never have found alone!

nhilbert · 09-21-2005, 01:34 PM

Is it not common to use dogs for tracking deer? Do you do it yourself? Isn't this MUCH too difficult? Train your dog! It's great fun working in a team and it will help you find deer you would never have found on your own!

My dachshound (view photos on my homepage) works 24 h old, 1000 yards long tracks made with a glass full (250ml) of blood... no problem for her, as long as fresh tracks dont cross and let her try to trick me [&:]

All the best,

Norman

Retriever_Owner · 10-01-2005, 11:34 AM

My golden puppy is almost the same way..he has his nose to the ground anytime he's not asleep LOL. He can smell anything out and he's only 9 weeks old...but he's Golden Retriever I think its just hunting/ playdrive insticts.

blwalt17 · 10-01-2005, 12:08 PM

Alot of labs are good trackers. My 9 year old chocolate is the same way. Always sniffing.