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Moobli
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29-02-2012, 11:27 AM
Originally Posted by Rona View Post
1. We practise mantrailing. Food is left only at the end of the track to mark its end (if she follows a track put by somebody = no human at the end) or as additional reward for finding a "victim". My dog has been trained to follow human track right from the beginning, I've never put any food on the trail.

2. see above

3. At the beginning a member of the family just walked (100 yards, later 200, then with turns, etc.), and from time to time left more scent by flicking it from the garments or dry "washing hands". Usually we left a few objects on the track, remembering to change their number each time for obvious reasons. The objects were dirty socks, gloves, pieces of cheap T-shirts we slept in a couple of nights earlier, the dog's toys earlier kept in the pocket. The objects must carry the scent of the human who put the track. The beginning was easy because it's kind of natural for the dog to follow a pack member to make sure the pack is together.

Later at the beginning of the track we gave the dog an object of the "victim" to smell, so that she got into the habit of associating the object with the track.

Then we started exchanging the family members with friend she knew, and now we train her only on strangers or almost strangers.

If anybody is interested, I'd happy to share my experiences. I found mantrailing really fascinating and enjoyable, probably because my dog loves it

PS Ups, I think I posted under wrong topic, since you seem to have meant tracking for hunting? I apologize, will be more careful in the future
I would love to hear your experiences and see the photos too please

I am training my GSDs. Yogi started to learn tracking and then we changed to trailing, which I think he enjoys more. I have just started tracking with my young workline GSD Zak, but may change that to trailing or even try to train for both.
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Rona
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29-02-2012, 05:21 PM
Originally Posted by Moobli View Post
I would love to hear your experiences and see the photos too please
Nice to her this, thanks, I've sent a PM.

Originally Posted by Moobli View Post
I am training my GSDs. Yogi started to learn tracking and then we changed to trailing, which I think he enjoys more. I have just started tracking with my young workline GSD Zak, but may change that to trailing or even try to train for both.
I know GSD are very good in sport tracking (IPO type) and they have fantastic results!

There've been several CSVs trained for IPO, but I feel this is a waste to use their skills for sport tracking. They do much better in trailing, because this was the main selection goal in the breed development.

Besides, Lorka loves trailing, gets very excited when we're getting ready for a track. And we enjoy making our dog happy
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Jpepper
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13-04-2012, 06:06 PM
Originally Posted by SLB View Post
Just general questions.

What does your dog track?
What scent do you lay if any?
How do you lay a scent without the dog just following your tracks?

We did a little tracking in class where Louie had to find Leanne using a scent cone, however he was more interested in tracking the rabbits on the field, so I would like to lay tracks rather than try scent cone again, not yet anyway.
I use rubber boots so they dogs can't track my scent on the lines.

I use deer blood but any blood will do. Blood is blood.

We track deer and hogs mainly but will track just about any wounded animal.
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MerlinsMum
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27-06-2012, 09:15 PM
I am curious to know what makes a good tracking dog, or what traits a dog may have that makes it suitable for tracking - and which traits (if any) make it suitable for one kind of tracking versus another.

When Merlin was younger, one of the trainers at nearby classes (ex-police trainer, he was also the examiner for our Bronze & Silver KC tests) said he thought Merlin would be good at tracking.

I've never followed that through, but it has to be said he seems to spend an awful lot of time with his nose on the ground.

Recently we have had a hedgehog living in our shed, and Merlin has learned what the word "Hedgehog" means...he is very bright when it comes to words. There is a private lane at the back of this row of cottages, with all the gardens backing onto it, and out of interest I took him around there to see if he could tell me where this hedgehog goes. I only needed to say the word and he began tracking, he took me to the exact places under fences, holes in hedges etc and showed me where the hedgehog goes - quite excitedly in fact. I know he was correct as I could see for myself various gaps etc and in one place the hedgehog poo was a bit of a giveaway!

So while this may not indicate a tracking ability for one kind of tracking or another, I am wondering if this aptitude to learn words/sounds very quickly and associate them with certain objects, people, animals, scents etc. might be worth further exploration?

There is someone living fairly locally who has done WT with a BC who may be available for 1-1 lessons if I ever decided to take it further.
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smokeybear
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27-06-2012, 09:32 PM
A successful tracking dog does not need to have any aptitude for words or sounds.

Tracking is tracking is tracking.

It matters not what style it is or what is being tracked

The are certain qualities needed in a good tracking dog however.

The body shape that is best suited to scenting things. Large nasal cavity, flexible neck good for reaching up or down when searching for the scent. A brain that makes searching/tracking particularly enjoyable, such as in a bloodhound, spaniel, beagle, labrador – the breeds that are bred to do it.

Of course ANY dog can do a bit of tracking but they may not get the pleasure from it or desire to do it as those bred for it do.
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MerlinsMum
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27-06-2012, 10:08 PM
Originally Posted by smokeybear View Post
A successful tracking dog does not need to have any aptitude for words or sounds.
OK it was a dumb question!
I may have been thinking of search & rescue dogs - are they not given a scent and a word/name of a person?

I know what my dog seems to be good at and enjoys, just trying to see if that can be taken further in any way.

WT has always appealed to me but without my own transport has been inaccessible, and Merlin's probably too old now to start.

BTW you may know the local trainer as she goes to Avon and has achieved a TDex with a Border Collie.
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smokeybear
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27-06-2012, 10:13 PM
Originally Posted by MerlinsMum View Post
OK it was a dumb question!
I may have been thinking of search & rescue dogs - are they not given a scent and a word/name of a person?

I know what my dog seems to be good at and enjoys, just trying to see if that can be taken further in any way.

WT has always appealed to me but without my own transport has been inaccessible, and Merlin's probably too old now to start.

BTW you may know the local trainer as she goes to Avon and has achieved a TDex with a Border Collie.
S & R dogs are not give the scent of a person as of course if they are supposed to find a lost person they will not have the chance to smell them first!

They are trained to find anyone in the area in which they are searching.

I suspect the person about whom you are talking has the initials JJ? If so I have judged her.
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MerlinsMum
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27-06-2012, 10:19 PM
Originally Posted by smokeybear View Post
S & R dogs are not give the scent of a person as of course if they are supposed to find a lost person they will not have the chance to smell them first!
Would they not be given an item of clothing or similar to sniff?

I suspect the person about whom you are talking has the initials JJ? If so I have judged her.
Yes indeedy I don't know her, but have spoken to her daughter briefly when I first moved down here, trying to scope out classes/canine activities in the area that I could get to by public transport. I think her daughter came to see my mother's late dog for a behavioural consult some years ago but not sure what for.
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smokeybear
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27-06-2012, 10:31 PM
Originally Posted by MerlinsMum View Post
Would they not be given an item of clothing or similar to sniff?
.
No because if they were looking for lost walkers, where would they get the clothing from?
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nickmcmechan
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28-06-2012, 07:39 AM
I've been to to atalk with a S&R man. He explained a lot abut S&R and they have different dogs for different things, e.g. searching for lost people, searching to recover bodies after a disaster. I thought Lady was amazing doing a 3 hour old track in WT, his dogs are trained on 48h old tracks!
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