Can some one point me in the right direction as to how to begin tracking training? There is SO much information out there.
Also I would like to teach her airscent as well, Some sources say you must train air scent first and some say you must train tracking first. I have the book : Ready; the training of the search and rescue dog. It has some good ideas, but i wanted to bounce it off of you guys first.
I have been putting off any formal training because the local S&R team said that they would be accepting more dogs this fall and they did't want to have to undo bad training... But I feel like we are missing some great training time and we may never be chosen after all.
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Beginning tracking
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- Training Dog
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:29 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a wife, mother of 2 kids, 3 cats, 1 Standard Poodle (10 yrs) and Xena, a Dutch Shepherd Puppy.
Beginning tracking
Lauren from Western NC
- Diesel
- Green Dog
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:11 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Hello, my name is Ashlee. I have a Dutch Shepherd who will be 5 this summer. We live in Northwest Territories Canada. Diesel is a typical Dutch Shepherd, very high intelligence and extremely high energy.
- Location: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Re: Beginning tracking
I met a girl last summer who had trained her dog to track...I asked her to send me some information. I will definitely share when I get it.
Ashlee, Diesel and Halo
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- Training Dog
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:29 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a wife, mother of 2 kids, 3 cats, 1 Standard Poodle (10 yrs) and Xena, a Dutch Shepherd Puppy.
- Christie M
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:03 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Love my striped beasts.
Re: Beginning tracking
Personally, I think its much easier to teach a dog to air scent. We teach footstep as the foundation for all of our dogs. Once they have that, then we start run aways and let them begin to air scent. If they loose the scent cone while air scenting, the ground track will always be there to go back to and reorient.
Christie Meyer
http://www.northwoodsk9.com
http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org
http://www.thunderhawkcanine.com
Be proud of the things that you have taught your dog. Be humbled and grateful for all of the things that your dog has taught you. - Unknown
http://www.northwoodsk9.com
http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org
http://www.thunderhawkcanine.com
Be proud of the things that you have taught your dog. Be humbled and grateful for all of the things that your dog has taught you. - Unknown
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- Training Dog
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:29 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a wife, mother of 2 kids, 3 cats, 1 Standard Poodle (10 yrs) and Xena, a Dutch Shepherd Puppy.
Re: Beginning tracking
That makes a lot of sense... I really need to break it down into steps and get moving on it. I know that we will love it. It does take a lot of helpers, though. I guess it is time to bribe my kids.
Lauren from Western NC
- Christie M
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:03 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Love my striped beasts.
Re: Beginning tracking
Actually, to start footstep tracking, you only use yourself. Most people start by laying scent boxes (area of scuffed ground) and distributing the food within the box. I recently heard that it makes a more dramatic contrast to the dog if you concentrate your rewards towards the edges of your box. When you start, you are only asking the dog to differentiate between a specific scent on the ground and no scent. Most people feed the dogs entire meals in the scent box (and then on the track) for 6 out of 7 days.
From there, we go to baited footsteps. But still tracking the same person - namely you.
From there, we go to baited footsteps. But still tracking the same person - namely you.
Christie Meyer
http://www.northwoodsk9.com
http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org
http://www.thunderhawkcanine.com
Be proud of the things that you have taught your dog. Be humbled and grateful for all of the things that your dog has taught you. - Unknown
http://www.northwoodsk9.com
http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org
http://www.thunderhawkcanine.com
Be proud of the things that you have taught your dog. Be humbled and grateful for all of the things that your dog has taught you. - Unknown
- Marjolein
- Working Dog
- Posts: 2078
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:17 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I'm a Dutchie myself ;-) but live in Germany with Johan and my two DS's Cobber-Dingo and Knivil (Dingo and Ivil to friends...)
- Location: Warbeyen, Germany
- Contact:
Re: Beginning tracking
I do as Christie said, with the box, and than in footsteps, only using myself first, leave the track/box to rest at least 15 min. before you get your dog, this allows the skin particals (is that english)that fall of you (off any person) to settle down on the ground.
With Dingo we trained both at the same time, after a while you will see them use both skills in a search, since they were thought how to use their nose, they will switch from footsteps to air scent and vice versa. At least, that is what I saw in the group I trained in
Only problem with Dingo was that he would walk next to the track when there had been side wind. The particals "land" next to the actual path you followed. For SAR this is fine as you will find your victim, for an examn in Schutzhund it sucks, because the want them IN the footsteps This is not natural to a dog and must be learned.
With Dingo we trained both at the same time, after a while you will see them use both skills in a search, since they were thought how to use their nose, they will switch from footsteps to air scent and vice versa. At least, that is what I saw in the group I trained in
Only problem with Dingo was that he would walk next to the track when there had been side wind. The particals "land" next to the actual path you followed. For SAR this is fine as you will find your victim, for an examn in Schutzhund it sucks, because the want them IN the footsteps This is not natural to a dog and must be learned.
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- Green Dog
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:28 am
- Tell us about yourself: Motivated sport dog trainer.
Re: Beginning tracking
Worth taking a look at. About half way down you can see the tracking videos. They sell some decent tracking equipment as well.
http://www.leerburg.com/dvd.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/dvd.htm
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to send anyone to grief counseling, or a mental trauma hospital. The information in this post is intended for "informational purposes only", and is a product of my own opinion.
Ben MacDonald
Ben MacDonald
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- Just Whelped
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:22 am
- Tell us about yourself: French native who moved to United States 20 years ago. I'm very active in K9 search and rescue with my German Shepherd Dog, Bavo. We're certified as a wilderness trailing team by Carda and by Mendocino County Sheriff. We can be deployed anywhere in California or in any other State if needed.
My dog is about to retire and I'm now ready to search for the perfect puppy to continue my hobby and to do some Schutzhund. I'm hoping to get more information on Dutch Shepherd and their ability to work scent. - Location: Mendocino, CA
Re: Beginning tracking
Lauren,
Before you start any scent work with your dog, you need to find out what kind of search dog you want to train.
Do you want an area dog or a trailing dog? If you want a trailing dog, I'd encourage you to build a foundation of tracking and no air scenting. It would help you tremendously down the road.
If you need more information about trailing dog, please feel free to PM me.
Also, if you're doing trailing with your dog, I'd love to hear your progress and how your dog is doing.
I currently own a 9 year old German Shepherd who is a certified trailing dog by the state of California and I'm currently researching the Dutch Shepherd breed for my next SAR dog.
Before you start any scent work with your dog, you need to find out what kind of search dog you want to train.
Do you want an area dog or a trailing dog? If you want a trailing dog, I'd encourage you to build a foundation of tracking and no air scenting. It would help you tremendously down the road.
If you need more information about trailing dog, please feel free to PM me.
Also, if you're doing trailing with your dog, I'd love to hear your progress and how your dog is doing.
I currently own a 9 year old German Shepherd who is a certified trailing dog by the state of California and I'm currently researching the Dutch Shepherd breed for my next SAR dog.
Natacha "Frenchie" & Bavo "the GSD"
Certified K9 SAR Trailling
Member of CARDA
Member of Mendocino Sheriff K9 SAR
Certified K9 SAR Trailling
Member of CARDA
Member of Mendocino Sheriff K9 SAR