Tracking

[release the hounds]

I haven't started that way before, though I have thought about it. a friend of mine that is a cop in IL did his dog this way, after doing it mostly like I do for a long time. He said it was good for teaching a nose down behavior if you're having trouble with that, but said it didn't do much for him in the long run. So i guess I lost my motivation then.

But since i haven't done it this way myself, I'm just throwing things out there and might be completely full of ****. Just FYI

a few things that I do for all dogs that I think would transfer well with this too, is food comes on the track. That's it. Do it 4-5 days a week minimum and they eat on the track. Even for dogs that tons of drive for tracking I do this with>

I don't think 6 days is that long really or 6 tracks. I do larger scent boxes for 2-3 weeks daily then I do larger scent squares or circles daily for another 2-3 weeks before I move onto tracks, so I have 4-6 weeks of imprinting in before "tracking". One thing I learned is not to quit on that part too soon

I didn't read your link, but recognized it from a while ago. Does this do any imprinting like that? or is it small stream of water and food in a straight line to start? It's been a while since i've thought of doing that, so I forget the details.

Anyway, I wouldn't get too discouraged, 6 times isn't a lot. There's a lot to work thru. Pairing the water with food, and scent discrimination etc. if you say he's casting back and forth, are you sure to walk that straight line you're spraying with water? both times you walk it? Once to spray the line and the next to place the food?

I know with the way I do, i am very careful they don't get rewarded for just casting back and forth down a "trail". At first when there's food in ever footstep it's more difficult, but when the food starts to come off the track it's important they are on the track and tracking in order to move forward to get rewarded. Not sure how that relates to what you're doing, but something to keep in mind as you move forward.

also wind. I never, never, never track into the wind when starting tracks. wind is always at my back or up to 90 degrees across a track. Never into it.

 

[crazedACD]

There's no real imprinting...just squirt the line, place the food, and go. After they are doing the single line, then you slowly increase the variables (make the spray wider, turns, come off the water, etc).

I am doing it in my own driveway (on the other side from where I park, but still), and have wondered if maybe I shouldn't do that. But I figured at least I can walk out and get her going on just the water line. I am walking down the line and spraying, and then walking down it again and placing food. I'm reusing the line in the same session, maybe 2-3x. And then spraying another line and doing that one 2-3x (with breaks in between). I'm probably going to end up confusing her walking back and forth, huh? I've been trying to think of how to 'lay the track' without leaving my scent all over the place. Is using another person vs myself more helpful in the beginning?

I will definitely make sure to avoid her getting rewarded for casting (isn't it funny the simplistic things you overlook). And keep at it...I know tracking training takes a while. Thank you!

 

[release the hounds]

for me, right now, I don't think casting is a big deal. It's part of the process. I take care of this with scent pads. In the area of scent...food....outside the box....no food.... That's how they learn.

I imagine this is similar, but like I said, I have never done it this way so take it for what it's worth.

But later, as the food is spaced, for me i'm doing like 5 or 7 steps, or more, but it's real easy for them to get off the "track" and in 2 of their steps cast back for food in that 5th footprint and that just leaves them casting for food, not tracking footsteps. But after that it's tracking for articles and by then most of my problems have been worked thru and new ones present themselves

I don't think it's a big deal at all to use the same line over and over in the beginning, but I would venture out and do different spots too so they start to put the steps together and aren't just going to the driveway to look for food. They learn that, hey, I can follow these steps and find food anywhere, rather than, "hey someone keeps dropping food in my driveway" Not completely how they think, but I think you get the point.

I don't think using anyone else is really beneficial. Even when we do tracks for other people in trials, everyone gets so nervous that their dog hasn't tracked other people and really it only matters for the handler's mental state the dogs are just fine assuming they were trained well

 

[pupi]

i see a lot of good tips here, most times i pay other people to do my dog stuff, but am gradually doing more slowly though at least to form a better bond with my dog.