Air scenting vs Tracking?

I am getting some help with training my young, male GSD, Yogi, from a local ex-MOD dog handler/trainer and am very keen to train him to air scent, as well as to track.

From a young age, I have been training him to track my scent (using food and toy rewards) and am still doing fairly basic, straight tracks. I am hoping to progress onto longer, older and more complicated tracks throughout the summer months.

However, as I am also keen to train him to search for people, is it possible to train a dog to airscent, or is it something they will do naturally?

If a dog is already trained in elementary tracking exercises, will it be possible to train him to also air scent?

Clearly, I will be getting the views of the trainer on Friday when he comes over, but would be interested to know if anyone has any experience of tracking and air scenting dogs.

Thanks

Hmmm, I don't know for sure, but my gut feeling is that you would need to train only one method, at least initially, until the dog is superb at that and knows completely what is expected.

You might then be able to teach the other method using a different command, but I think it could be tricky for the dog not to become confused.

Having said that, dogs easily learn to track and also to find articles in a search square simultaneously, and in the search square they are air scenting, so it might be possible.

my dogs have done both when tracking, depending on the ground they are covering, ~{even though I train to track not air scent} if they hit a patch of ground, say a straw stubble field, they tend to air scent {coz the stubble hurts the face and can poke the eyes} so I guess you could work it from that sort of angle,

will be intrested to know what your trainer says.

It can be done, though in my experience air scenting slightly degrades footstep tracking behavior that I use and need in competition.

I think it is generally believed that if you do both then it is best to begin with tracking. (maybe...)

Thanks for your replies guys. The trainer is coming tomorrow evening, and I will have a chat with him then about what I want to do and how to go about it.

Great to have some ideas from here first.

Most dogs have the capacity to do both, it most dogs tend toward a preference for one or the other. in my experince.

One way we use to initiate air scenting in ground scent trained dogs, is to teach a target, say a tea bag, and then raise the target off the ground.

We use say a chair first (that is usually hard enough for most dogs) and then a window ledge and then if they get good, a curtain poll, or something suspended from the ceiling.

Given enough motivation, most dogs will tend toward air scenting if they know the target, but can not locate a foot track to it.

Sheep dogs, as you will know, often air scent. That is sometimes becasue the ground track is confused or totally absent, but they manage becasue the motivation, to work sheep, is so high.

VERY generally speaking, dogs whose ears stick up find air scenting a lot more easy than those that flop down. but this is not consistent.

Interesting post - id be interested to hear what your trainer says and how you progress. Indeed Im alwasyy interested to hear from you.

Btw. I have more than 20 posts now so Pming is allowed
Good luck with your training sounds fun.

I'm no expert here, but I think once/if they start air scenting, tracking can go down the tubes a bit. Schtz tracking is much more controlled with thorough scenting every footstep, whereas ttd (tracking through drive) used in working trials/service dogs etc much faster (in order to give chase to a fleeing crim or find a missing person for eg.)

I know with my dog having started him with ttd then switched over to schtz tracking, he showed very good potential for both kinds although in my opinion, ttd is much more fun and exciting. When I started doing free searches with him just for fun, air scenting is without a doubt what he does seem to like best, I would hide a toy and put it up a tree (out of sight from him), he would track it and then bark on locating it. I found then, he very much uses his eyes as well as his nose - not so good for tracking I believe. When I get opportunity again, I will look to instill a ttd tracking discipline first and then progress onto more formal air scenting. Speak on command will also probably be required on your dog locating said person or article. There are lots of games you can play with your dog to motivate and build drive in this area, there are also a couple of good books (albeit old ones) by John Cree on this subject that are well recommended by many.