Questions about Tracking - Page 2

hey if you can, try to get the video Tracking with Gottfried Dildei it is one of the best i have seen.he has tons of experience tracking in Florida. good luck.

I think there is a chump, named Ivan, in your state that has tracked once or twice.  He even has a book.

I always wondered about the ants and tracking bait in Florida!

The Glen Johnson book is what we use on our SAR team. We are in the desert and the dog's have no problem learning to track even on hard dry ground with an aged track. I think this method really helps to reinforce the principles by mixing easy with difficult sequences.

Ok, I absolutely love the website I was referred to, and have started printing the pages up and started a "tracking" book to read when on outing with service dogs in training(SDIT).

RE:  Ants and Bait:  Frozen hotdogs, but you have to work fast.  I think laying the initial track and then back-tracking over yourself, while placing bait, then working your dog shortly afterwards?????Thoughts on this?

Again, thanks for all the great advice....A friend is in the process of looking at bringing Ivan over for a seminar, and I think that this might be a sub-topic.

I like the idea too, of variable surface tracking...in that, if the dog can track on concrete, etc...then he can track pretty much everywhere----but, how do you prevent more "air scenting" from the dog, than keeping the dog's nose down?

Also, why is fast tracking a big deal?  I mean, if the dog is following the track, finding the articles and all things correctly, why are some so against it?

Don't know the reason why but I have alwasy been told NOT to backtrack on my track.  I remember decades ago reading about an experiment that they conducted where the dog did perceive/ act differently depending on the direction of the footstep. Don't know if this is the reason or not and maybe there is much  newer info out there.

Re fast. Fast dogs tend to run over articles and corners. Maybe this is the reason people don't like fast. I don't like it cause can't keep up with the dog but that's another problem entirely.  I have found that when my bitch is in a hurry she often isn't as focused on the track as I'd like her to be.

TIG

What happens if your dog goes off track, returns and believes it is ok to backtrack?   Like people, animals are creatures of habit.  If you allow your kids to pick their noses, they will never need a tissue. 

Once the track is done, it is done.  Get something to reward the dog and take the track, somewhat off of his mind.  A tug, ball, treat, toilet bowl seat or whatever floats his boat. 

"Also, why is fast tracking a big deal?  I mean, if the dog is following the track, finding the articles and all things correctly, why are some so against it?"

It's very easy to overshoot corners, articles and footsteps if a dog is tracking too fast.  Not a good habit to get into for schutzhund.

Glad you liked the tracking site!

Tracking hasn't changed much, LOL. I almost never train in the morning. It takes me a couple of hours after getting out of bed to loosen up the old bones and muscles, make coffee, raise blood-suger to appreciable level, get brain in gear, etc. Geel free to tell people the tracks age better when iwarms up and the sun is out. Ha ha ha.

SS

I just found that my dog likes, actually LOVES, the ball to be hidden on the track!  Made him into a whole different tracking dog!!

Vickie

www.PowerHausKennels.com