I may be able to help you, I compete in both Working Trials and Schutzhund at the top level in both.

I am also approved to award "tickets" in Working Trials (in TD).

You can train nosework on your own or with a group of friends.

If, however you wish to compete in Working Trials your dog MUST be registered with the KC either on the breed or activity register (the latter is for dogs of unknown parentage or mutts).

This is because you have to quote the KC registration number of your dog on all entry forms.

If you wish to compete in Schutzhund your dog must be registered on the KC breed register.

The main difference between Schutzhund and Working Trials is that protection work is optional in the latter but required in the former (Schuzhund means protection dog).

http://www.workingtrialsmonthly.co.uk/

This site holds a list of all societies and clubs in the UK and the dates of both Open and Championship Trials.

There are both ESS and CS competing successfully in Working Trials.

The best tracking book ever written is that by Glen Johnson, called the Tracking Dog, although it is american and biased towards their TD and TDex qualifications (totally different from the UK titles of the same name) if you followed his training programme to the letter (it is very detailed) you would end up with a very good tracking dog.


http://gsdleague-workingbranch.com/

This site gives you all the contact information for Schutzhund in the UK. You can do just the BH (no nosework but compulsory to pass) before going on to the FH1 and/or FH2 which is just tracking. Several breeds of dogs do enter Schutzhund including gundogs like my Weimaraner, who has the FH1 and FH2.

NOt sure why you are unhappy about joining a KC affiliated club but I don't think there is a non KC affiliated club that holds reputable courses by any competent person.

There are of course various trainers who take courses and do 1:1 sessions for clients irrespective of KC issues.

HTH

Thank you smokey some great info, i am not a fan of the KC and its influence in certain aspects of the dog world, i do see progress but that is a separate debate, i am very interested in tracking so i may give that a look as i think it would really stretch my springers abilities.
Once again thank you.

taking part in working trials is a very rewarding and fulfilling experience, both for you and your dog. it strengthens the bond between you and your dog and the achievement of qualifying for a stake is exhillirating

i would give it a go, in my completely biased opinion!

springers love the nosework and its a pleasure to watch them track. i do train with some folks who track their springers and really enjoy it but are not interested in competing. its still a rewarding experience

"How to achieve precision tracking with your dog" by Kris Kotsopoulos. Just released. Very, very good.

You could also try this for something a little more interesting around the home - "Training the disaster search dog" by Shirley Hammond.

It goes into FAR more detail than simply tracking.

On amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Training-Disas...1298739&sr=8-6

Thank you all for your posts i have started building some basic equipment and i am looking at nosework books and i will give the books a try

I googled this book by KK, and was very dismayed at the amount of content re using electric collars.

What a shame, when achieving 100 point tracking is perfectly possible using positive reinforcement.

Hey ho.

http://precisiontrackingdogs.com/table-of-contents.html

What about Lowland Search Dogs ? they are trained to search for people like the SAR dogs, but not on the same terrain.

I very much doubt that you will find a non KC WT/VPG(which is the correct title for the German WT)club to train at.

The LSDogs are often called on by the police to find missing vulnerable people-children, elderly folk etc Very rewarding