Tracking

[BCkris]

Hello,

Does anyone know any good websites that explain "Tracking"? Is this really considered a sport? or is more for Search and Rescue? i just came across it reading some booking on sports for dogs.... sounds interesting but i have no idea what is involved....

 

Thanks!

[KrisK]

My Jazz loved tracking. It is one of the few dog 'sports' were the dog is basically in control. I think it's a great dog activity for a border collie Here's one website that should give you lots of information. However...the caveat is - it's a sport sanctioned by AKC and CKC......although it is also sanctioned by NAMBR which is the registry for 'mixed breeds'

 

 

http://www.hantsdog.com/Training-Articles-...ur-dog-to-track

 

this site should give you a good idea of what is involved with tracking

[BCkris]

Wow Thank you! Good to hear that your Jazz loved it! I thought it would be good for my dog because he loves when we play hide n seek although he hasnt fully caught on to the idea to just use his nose but his persistence is mind boggling (maybe thats for every dog though ... i dont know )

[gcv-border]

Wow Thank you! Good to hear that your Jazz loved it! I thought it would be good for my dog because he loves when we play hide n seek although he hasnt fully caught on to the idea to just use his nose but his persistence is mind boggling (maybe thats for every dog though ... i dont know )

 

Tracking is awesome. I took an 8-week class with Torque, and he blew my mind. There was also a hound, a mutt, a Welsh Springer spaniel and a pit bull in my class. The pit did great too. I guess that what I am trying to say is that your dog will probably love it. After only 8 weeks, he was able to be pretty darn accurate on a 1/4 mile track that was 1 hour old and went through high grass, gravel and a small creek bed. I was puffing trying to keep up with him.

 

It was a real eye-opener after over a year of clicker training/positive reinforcement to change how you 'train' your dog. Just lay a short track, then tell your dog to "find it" and watch him stick his nose to the ground and more or less follow your track. No luring, no shaping, etc. Just pure instinct. Tremendous.

 

What your dog may have been doing is air-scenting, not tracking. That is also a legitimate skill to learn. Many SAR dogs are air-scent dogs vs. tracking dogs. There is an excellent instructor in my area who has been involved with SAR/tracking dogs for over 30 years. She trains the local SAR team which consists of air-scent dogs and cadaver dogs. From what I understand, most serious tracking (at least in this area) is done by law enforcement since they may be searching for the criminal aspect. The SAR team is focused on missing persons.

 

Since I have very little experience other than an 8-week class, I will repeat what the instructor said about tracking BCs. She felt that even though their nose may not be equal to a bloodhound that they are persistent and will work their way through the problem when they get a bit confused on the track - so they make up for a slightly less sensitive nose with other positive characteristics.

 

Good Luck with your tracking experience. Hopefully you can find an instructor in your area with tracking or air-scent experience. Even though I tremendously enjoyed my tracking experience, I did not continue since I couldn't see a goal beyond practice tracking. I wasn't interested in going after AKC titles and would rather have used Torque's potential abilities for something "real". I didn't have the time required to join the local SAR and, as I said above, around here true tracking dogs are the provenance of law enforcement.

 

You may enjoy the book "Scent of the Missing" -- a recent release in which the author describes her experiences with a Texas SAR team and the training of her Golden to be an SAR dog. I really enjoyed it and it is quite accurate - according to a friend on the SAR team.,

 

Jovi

[ziggzmom]

Hello,

Does anyone know any good websites that explain "Tracking"? Is this really considered a sport? or is more for Search and Rescue? i just came across it reading some booking on sports for dogs.... sounds interesting but i have no idea what is involved....

 

Thanks!

 

Hi,

 

Tracking is a wonderful way to spend time with your dogs and can be a real confidence builder for some dogs. It's just amazing watching your dog follow the track and work out scenting challanges! Depending on what type of tracking you're interested in, there might be a test or some type of training or class in your area that you could go and watch. Word of warning...Tracking can be really addictive-LOL!

 

Janet

[BCkris]

Thanks for all your stories, they make me want to start tracking ASAP!!! but kind of going on a side note, right now i am doing obedience... Now that my back issues are better i wanted to start agility and actually found a place to go (45-50mins away not too bad of a travel actually i thought id find one further away) which i plan to start in a few weeks.... my question is how can one fit all these really fun activities into their schedule??? i work full time, 5 year old in Kinder, Husband owns his business (which means he is constantly busy)... My goal.... obedience, agility, herding, poss. flyball and now tracking! geez at first i was just going to do obed. and herding and that would of fit just great in my schedule but everything else is so fun too!!!!

geez the choices you have when you have a great BC!!!! what to do what to do?!?!?!

[KrisK]

BCKris, you may find that your dog will be the one to determine what you do. My Jazz hated obedience but loved tracking. We didn't get much chance to work stock, but he did seem to enjoy those times as well. Unfortunately, he died this year, and we didn't get more time to do the stuff he loved. So, I'd say keep tuned to what your dog likes to do...and do that

[MicheleS.]

I echo what KrisK said about your dog possibly being the one to determine what you will do with him. I love attempting any activity with my dog but with each dog I have found that they seem to favor one activity over another. I have tried tracking with 2 of my dogs and while they were up for it, neither seemed to enjoy it and take to it like some of my friends dogs. Maybe it was me because while I found it very interesting and I'd give it another try at some point, I found it very hard to get motivated to do it. I haven't attempted it with Chase, maybe he is a dog who would take to it and I would enjoy it with him.

I've done obedience, agility and tracking with Gypsy and she seemed to really be cut out for obedience. She really enjoyed agility and we kept doing it because we both enjoyed it but it seems that we both loved being obedience partners and we put more focus and time there. I don't think Chase is cut out for obedience (only because of his shyness/fearfulness) but he loves and goes nuts for agility and he seems to overcome his fears to do it. We keep doing obedience because he likes it and he's really good at it but we're focusing more time on agility.

With more knowledge and experience, I look back and think alot about my very first dog. He certainly didn't seem to be cut out for anything other than being a wonderful family pet. I regret not trying tracking with him because that is something I think he would have loved. I wish I knew about it back then.

Have fun!