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More of this tracking article |
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Note that there are often more entrants than tracks available in which case a ballot is held prior to the trial. When attending a tracking trial, it is considered poor form to not be prepared to lay tracks for other people. Always take at least 6 articles and put them on when you leave home on the morning of the tracking trial and keep them on your person during the day. The rule book state they must be on your person for a minimum of 30 minutes prior laying a test, by having them on you all day you will never be caught out not being available when a tracklayer is required.. Remember that you will require unknown people to lay your tracks as time goes on, be prepared to help others as required.
Entry forms for tracking trials are available for purchase from the VCA Office but you can also use the standard obedience entry form. The test number you are entering should be stated, and your known tracklayer should be nominated. Also include a copy of your most recent pass, which verifies that you are eligible for a particular test. Include a stamped self-address envelope to ensure that the trial secretary sends you a receipt and/ or map of the venue.
Training Method The basic idea when beginning to track with a dog is to get the dog interested enough in someone to want to follow, and try to encourage the dog to use its nose instead of eye/ears to find the person. The same process can be used to find an object rather than a person, but it's generally easier to get the dog focussed on finding a person than an object.
You should always commence tracking training by laying the track with the wind behind you. If you lay the track into the wind it will encourage your dog to wind scent rather than scenting the ground where the tracklayer has walked. Have the handler put the dog in harness and attach a training lead approximately 5 metres in length. Give a favourite toy or favourite treat (reward) to someone the dog knows well. Stand near an obstacle that the dogs can't see around or through something like a car or brick wall). Have the track layer "make a big fuss of both dog and toy/reward and walk off towards an obstacle they can hide behind (a tree or shed) about 30 metres distant. Let the dog see the person leave and the general direction they are going in, then move it behind the car. Make a big fuss, "Where is he? Who's got your toy? Where’s he gone?" etc to get the dog’s interest level up. Leave about a 2-minute gap after the tracklayer has left before moving the dog out to find him. Be consistent with the use of a word for the tracking act i.e. find or seek. Remember the word should not sound harsh in anyway. Use this word now and encourage the dog to find the tracklayer. i.e. "Find. Where is he?” or “Seek him then". The dog should move in roughly the right direction having seen the tracklayer leave. Allow the dog to travel a short distance in the right direction on no more than 3 metres of lead. Don't allow it to run, steady tension on the lead is the best. If the dog’s nose goes down towards ground level, praise and repeat the word in an enthusiastic but non-distracting tone "Find/Seek, good boy". While the dog’s nose is down, or is clearly sniffing/scenting allow forward movement, if the dog is just wandering at random, or trying to run in the direction he saw the person leave, gently restrain him and allow no forward movement. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES correct the dog. Simply encourage the dog to come back onto the track and only then once the dog has indicated the track and you have praised it will you move forward with the dog.
Slowly progress towards the tracklayer’s hiding place and regardless of the dog’s performance to get there, PRAISE madly. The tracklayer should make a big fuss of the dog and play with the toy and the dog. The tracklayer and toy are the dog’s reward and should be used profusely to encourage the dog to remain enthusiastic |
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Kerryn and David Cunningham 9705 0193 |
