how to teach your dog to track

ironmanrob · #1 24-11-11, 03:51 PM

hi i have a 4 month old long haired gsd called nix and i am intrested in working trials, i really want to learn and teach her to track does any one have any advice on the best ways to start i feel lost and dont know were to start. thanks.
rob

Jon · #2 24-11-11, 03:57 PM

ASH??

I'm interested in this too.... I already hide Jacksons toys for him to find.. he loves that... but any secret techniques?

Vislor · #3 25-11-11, 09:11 AM

Its a long process that involves lots of hard work. You'd need to train with someone who knows.

No secret techniques, a lot comes down to repetition and finding different types of tracking grounds and laying different types of track.

nisbreagha · #4 25-11-11, 10:06 AM

I think if your interested in working trials and such like it would be beneficial to join a Schtzund club.

Moobli · #5 29-11-11, 07:56 PM

Working Trials and Schutzhund are quite different sports. It would be great if you could find a club that trains for working trials, or else there are often enthusiasts who get together in certain areas to train together.

Have a look at

Working Trials World for info of any possible clubs in your area.

I have trained my GSD to track and I am fortunate in that I have the help of a police dog handler.

Is your pup ball/play focused? If so, it makes training much easier.

My GSD is very ball driven and so I use that as his reward at the end of a track. A good book to get hold of is Tracking Dog by Glen Johnson ...

Tracking Dog 1997: Theory and Method: Amazon.co.uk: Glen R. Johnson: Books

Stuart · #6 29-11-11, 08:22 PM

Very basicly,... you make a metre square patch of well trodden ground, and mark it with a stick,... scatter small treats in the square, and encourage the dog to clean up.

Then from the square, walk out, placing one foot directly in front of the other, and places a treat in each heel print, make the track straight and short

Then start with the dog, clear up the square and encourage the dog to collect the treats in the square and in the heel prints,..show the dog if nessersary

From then on train long and hard, and slowly make the track longer,..and reduce the treats, making the rewards further apart

Its the start, but thats a very brief discription of how to start, and there is a long way to go after that has been learnt

Moobli · #7 30-11-11, 04:31 PM

Stuart - That sounds like footstep (or Schutzhund style) tracking.

I make sure my dog is very ball driven and then either have a helper to hold the dog, or tie them to the fence. I then show the dog I have his ball and set off by stamping my feet in the grass (longer grass is the best for the novice, so you can see where you have walked

) then do a straight line and keep scuffing your feet all the time. Then leave the ball at the end of the track and come back the same way. Show the dog you don't have his ball anymore in an excited tone, and set off down the track (with dog in harness and on a long line).

Over time you can lengthen the track and also the time you leave the track before setting the dog on it. But just take your time and only progress when you are sure your dog is following the track and is finding his ball every time.

Good luck.

Another good book to read (which has a tracking section) is John Cree's "Training the German Shepherd Dog".

Stuart · #8 30-11-11, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moobli

Stuart - That sounds like footstep (or Schutzhund style) tracking.

I make sure my dog is very ball driven and then either have a helper to hold the dog, or tie them to the fence. I then show the dog I have his ball and set off by stamping my feet in the grass (longer grass is the best for the novice, so you can see where you have walked

) then do a straight line and keep scuffing your feet all the time. Then leave the ball at the end of the track and come back the same way. Show the dog you don't have his ball anymore in an excited tone, and set off down the track (with dog in harness and on a long line).

Over time you can lengthen the track and also the time you leave the track before setting the dog on it. But just take your time and only progress when you are sure your dog is following the track and is finding his ball every time.

Good luck.

Another good book to read (which has a tracking section) is John Cree's "Training the German Shepherd Dog".

Wouldnt this be more `Air scenting`,..I know that I love to throw an object for Kee while he is held back,... he sees roughly where it has gone,.. but not exact,.. he is then released, off he goes, when he get closer, and unsure, he starts to quarter the ground checking scent, [ usualy with his nose down but not always] untill he picks up the scent, and homes in......................... although with reading your post again, he is following your scent to get to the scent of the ball,.. and then the ball is the reward,.. where as I would put more treats at the end as a reward,..[ to start with]

Moobli · #9 30-11-11, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart

Wouldnt this be more `Air scenting`,..I know that I love to throw an object for Kee while he is held back,... he sees roughly where it has gone,.. but not exact,.. he is then released, off he goes, when he get closer, and unsure, he starts to quarter the ground checking scent, [ usualy with his nose down but not always] untill he picks up the scent, and homes in......................... although with reading your post again, he is following your scent to get to the scent of the ball,.. and then the ball is the reward,.. where as I would put more treats at the end as a reward,..[ to start with]

No, air scenting is what Search & Rescue dogs do - and I have trained Yogi to do both.

In SAR the dogs air scent for any human scent on the wind (and in the air obviously

) and don't follow a direct track on the ground.

The way I train tracking (as per my probably quite bad description

) is the way the police train, and also how you train for tracking in working trials.

When you scuff your feet all the way along the grass, the dog should have his nose down to the ground all the way (or at least most of the way initially) on the track you have laid until he gets to his reward (ie the ball).

Hope that makes sense?

#10 30-11-11, 08:43 PM

Need a 'like' button. Good post and I'm off to get that book for my dog Zee. Well for me, as she can't read