When people think about dogs trained to find shed antlers, a few breeds usually come to mind. Labrador Retrievers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Weimaraners, and Beagles are some of the most common breeds used for shed hunting. These dogs are typically sporting breeds with strong retrieval instincts, high energy levels, and a natural drive to search.
Here at Allagash Antlers our shed dog is a little different.
Finley is a red tri Australian Shepherd, a breed best known for herding livestock rather than retrieving antlers in the woods.
As Finley developed into a shed dog, it became even more fun watching him work alongside our other dogs in the Maine woods. One of those stories is in our article on finding moose paddles with a dog in Maine.
How Finley Became a Shed Hunting Dog
When we first brought Finley home we did not plan on turning him into an antler dog.
We were drawn to the Australian Shepherd breed because we live an active lifestyle and wanted a dog that could keep up with our outdoor adventures. Aussies are known for their intelligence, energy, and strong work ethic which made Finley a perfect fit.
It quickly became clear how intelligent and eager to work he was. Once we saw how quickly he learned commands we decided to try training him to find shed antlers.
Finley picked up on the training almost immediately.
Watching him learn and develop new skills was incredibly rewarding and we were excited to see how those skills would transfer to the woods.
Finley’s First Shed Season
Finley experienced his first shed season when he was about six to seven months old. At that age he was still a little young for long days of searching, so we kept our field work fairly limited.
The goal during that first season was simple exposure.
We introduced him to areas where moose commonly winter and where shed antlers are often found. This helped him become familiar with the scent and environment.
Whenever we located an antler we made sure the moment was exciting. We showed enthusiasm, repeated his training commands, and rewarded him heavily.
The idea was to help him associate the scent and sight of an antler with a positive experience.
Finley’s First Real Antler Find
By the following spring Finley had grown into a strong and capable adult dog ready to take on the Maine woods.
That season he made his first official moose antler find and it completely blew us away.
Watching him search, smell, and ultimately locate a fresh brown moose antler all on his own was incredible. It was clear that the training had worked.
From that moment forward Finley became an antler finding machine.
Since then he has located hundreds of moose antlers while exploring the forests of Maine.
Not long after Finley started finding antlers on his own, Tripper began making memorable finds too. You can read one of those stories in Tripper’s first solo moose antler.
An Unlikely Shed Dog
Finley might not be the breed most people think of when they imagine a shed hunting dog, but he has proven how versatile Australian Shepherds can be.
Their intelligence, work ethic, and drive to please make them excellent working dogs capable of learning many different tasks. Finding moose antlers just happens to be one of them.
Finley continues to impress us every season and it has been amazing watching him grow into the shed dog he is today.
If you want to support our shed hunting adventures, you can explore our collection of naturally shed moose antler dog chews here.
About the Author
Caleb Lewis is the founder of Allagash Antlers and a lifelong outdoorsman from Northern Maine. He collects naturally shed moose antlers in the North Woods with his trained shed dogs and produces premium moose antler dog chews sourced directly from the wild. Through years of shed hunting and working with thousands of antlers, Caleb has developed deep knowledge about antler durability, safety, and why moose antlers are among the longest-lasting natural dog chews available.
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