tracking

[Manchester-Mike]

Hi,

Ive been going through youtube videos tonight of just anything dog related really and one video leads to another as you know and any i was watching some german shepherd tracking videos. Some of them young pups learning.

Ive not got lexi 100% on her basic training yet, although she is coming along with it alot now. But do you think this could be a good thing to try with her? Im thinking really it might be a good way of brain stimulation for her if she takes to it. Im just talking about going on a field and hiding something, and having her sniff it to find it. She thinks balls are ok, not great, sticks are useless to her, so she might enjoy something like this a bit more, shes ALWAYS got her nose on the floor sniffing things when were out.

Would anyone have any advice on it? Like whats best to use for her to find? Any suggestions on the first steps how to introduce her to it properly? Do i let her watch me hide it at first, to let her know what im expecting her to do.

Thanks!

[Stuart]

Tracking is a great thing to do with your dog, and not hard to train really if your dog has the nose for it

You start with a trampled square about three feet square, usually marked out,..in the trampled area you scatter treats, lead the dog to it and allow him to take all the treats.
.....When he is happy to do that and take all the treats you dropped he is ready for the next stage

Mark yourself out a straight line track, from your trampled square, just a short one, maybe 20 feet or so.

You prepare it my walking the track placing one foot directly in from of the other, and placing a treat in each of your heal prints,..so you end up with a treat every foot or so.

The whole excersise is clearing the square and also eating all the treats along your straight line track

From the very beginging, the dog will need to be guided, and shown where the treats are,..if you have to show him each and every one untill he reaches the end then that is fine to start with,...show him untill he is able to take them all himself.

At the end he needs a reward,... many people make this exersice the dogs meal time,...so the treats are all part of his meal,..and the remainer of his meal is in a pile at the end,..[hidden a little]

Dont change this exersice untill he has got it flawlesly,... then you can start bending the track, or turning corners,.. but that is a while ahead yet.

I am sure that if `Nash` comes along he will have an imput

[ClaireandDaisy]

My Daisy adores following a track. I use balls as she`s not food oriented.
Make it fun!

[GobbySchäferhund]

Hi Mike

Nash - has given a thread in great detail in tracking and all the steps, if you go to his profile and check his threads you will find it there

This is something of interest to me
I will be doing this with pup, first teaching her the send away