Tracking???

[Duke'sMommy]

I was just wondering if anyone does tracking with their dog? I need to find a new sport to do with Duke. I was doing agility with him until today when I found out he has terrible hips. The training I go to does do tracking as well so I figured it could be something I could do with Duke instead now.

Do you enjoy it? Does your dog? Duke is a very active, very fast paced, smart dog. He does enjoy following scents around. Do you think this would work for us? Or any other low impact things we could do?

 

[noodlerubyallie]

OOOO!!

I just started Allie in tracking on Saturday. So far, it's a lot of fun. Allie really likes it because she gets to find food in the grass It's a sport that any breed can get the hang of. The only thing that can be a pain is when you have to set up a track, let it age 3 hours, then use it. So it can take some time. Also, tracks can be up to 600 yards long, and on uneven surfaces, so that can be troublesome for joints.

But I really suggest trying it! It's a lot of fun. It gives your dog a break from obedience/agility where they have to listen to you all the time. Tracking is a sport where you follow, not lead.

I hope that helps!

 

[Snip]

We have 'trailing and locating' a some JRT events. Basically a scaled down version of tracking. Kerri had entered one of our JRT's for her first try this past weekend, and I got to handle her.....we ended up first in our class, and champion overall!! Makes a huge difference if they have a nose for it I suppose!

 

[adojrts]

We have 'trailing and locating' a some JRT events. Basically a scaled down version of tracking. Kerri had entered one of our JRT's for her first try this past weekend, and I got to handle her.....we ended up first in our class, and champion overall!! Makes a huge difference if they have a nose for it I suppose!

Snip,
Kerri told me about Sizzles (Zo) National Championship in it, that is so cool because that is the second dog I have bred to win it!! Petie her uncle was my first. That was also his first time entered in it.

 

[release the hounds]

what kind of tracking? there's a difference between akc and schutzhund style tracking

 

[Duke'sMommy]

what kind of tracking? there's a difference between akc and schutzhund style tracking

I dont know. This is what I wanna know about. What is the difference? Which one is better? I just want to do something with Duke since I have to stop doing agility with him. I just wanna see what my other options are.

 

[SmexyPibble]

Yeah, they aren't the same. I think Schutzhund tracking is more hard core.

 

[SpringerLover]

In Schutzhung tracking the dog must indicate every foot step (and thus it is a slower way to go).

In AKC tracking, the dog is allowed to air scent.

Tracking is a blast. I love to see my dogs so thrilled about working.

 

[release the hounds]

Neither one is necessarily better, but schutzhund style tracking is as much an obedience exercise as it is a tracking one. It is very methodical and not really "real" world type tracking.

There are different ways to start it, food drags, footstep tracking, or air scenting or both. Depending on the dog and your final goal will dictate what type you do.

also rewards at the end, with my dog I can't rewad at the end or she goes too **** fast, her reward must come from the track itself with food. Some dogs get the reward at the end in the form of food or a toy or a person.

If you want to just do it for fun I could get you started, just send me a pm with what type sounds most fun to you or what you'd like to try and we'll go from there.

 

[Kayla]

Duke and I have started some very basic food tracking. Here are a few neat video clips which we got our ideas from. When I lay down our tracks I spray the ground with a thin trail of water ( taken from the video clips) apparently scent is hydrophilic and sits on top of the water so for beginner trackers it can help them out, plus it gives you a visual to work with. So far he tracks his raw meaty bones. I've started adding a few turns here and there but I don't know how to take it to the next step.

We are attending a tracking seminar in march by the author (Steve White) of the video so until then we are just doing it for fun.

http://www.i2ik9.com/video.htm

 

[a.baker]

OOOO!!

I just started Allie in tracking on Saturday. So far, it's a lot of fun. Allie really likes it because she gets to find food in the grass It's a sport that any breed can get the hang of. The only thing that can be a pain is when you have to set up a track, let it age 3 hours, then use it. So it can take some time. Also, tracks can be up to 600 yards long, and on uneven surfaces, so that can be troublesome for joints.

But I really suggest trying it! It's a lot of fun. It gives your dog a break from obedience/agility where they have to listen to you all the time. Tracking is a sport where you follow, not lead.

I hope that helps!

And this is why it is such a long process for me to train Bender on proper leash walking. Every time he goes outside he immediately starts tracking. Its in his blood.

 

[corgipower]

I used to do tracking. Where I live now, there's a major lack of grass and what grass there is has been overrun by geese. It is a lot of fun with days of frustration mixed in

If you want to just do it for fun I could get you started, just send me a pm with what type sounds most fun to you or what you'd like to try and we'll go from there.

Why take it to PMs??

 

[Brattina88]

Why take it to PMs??

We'd love to hear/read it!

 

[release the hounds]

I was going to take it to PM's because really I didn't want to take the time to type it all out if nobody was that serious about it. I never got any PM's, so in turn saved a good deal of time. I thought I could learn a little bit more about this particular dog and what method might work best as well and what their goals were because there are different things to do.

 

[DaVinci]

We did tracking for a few weeks this spring with my son APBT Stevie Rae. She liked doing it but the time it takes is hard on us. We are trying to get some of the other animals down so we can spend more time with those we want to work with.

Stevie loved it and was doing really well at it too. The only thing I found trouble some wa I didn't want her tracking the fowl we have or thinking she could chase the deer that come into the yard or going after the rabbits I have so I went with pheasant scent. Stevie doesn't care for treats so food is out of the question.

 

[Dekka]

I was going to take it to PM's because really I didn't want to take the time to type it all out if nobody was that serious about it. I never got any PM's, so in turn saved a good deal of time. I thought I could learn a little bit more about this particular dog and what method might work best as well and what their goals were because there are different things to do.

Why take it to PM though? Interested people could post here and ALL of us could read. I am interested.. not enough to make you type it out.. but if you were all ready typing it out I would love to read it. I would never know if you just sent it via PMs.

 

[noodlerubyallie]

On another note...

I've kept up with it since I first posted, and honestly, I warms my heart to see Allie really enjoy tracking and doing "real" dog work. It's like a whole section of her brain was hidden behind the whole crazy-people-jumping-not-listening-to-mommy-anymore personality that I live with on a daily basis. She really "gets" it, and once again, I'm the only thing holding her back, LOL. I've got to get the hang of working the line.

The surprise, though, is when squirrels and cats run across her freshly laid track, and she spots them, when she gets to that point on her run, she keeps on the scent that was originally laid, and ignores the animal smell. Good girl!

I've got to invest in some leather gloves and galoshes

Do you have an obedience club around? There may be club members that do tracking. I would ask them for some advice. There's also several workbooks with suggested tracks that you can use and keep track of your progress.

 

[Duke'sMommy]

So I did start Duke in tracking and we have done 3 classes now. Sorry release the hounds I never PM'd you for more info. Life's been real busy the last few weeks. But thanks everyone for all the posts. I decided to take tracking classes with the same woman I used for agility. The tracking we are doing is all scent, he's not to really use air. First time we went out we started him off with a food trail. Within 5 feet he was done with eating the food and followed the rest of the track without stopping to eat. That had me made my mind up that this was best to keep up with.

 

[Claybuster]

My dog loves tracking! photo 11/22/08