N.T.P.D.A. Chat Board

Hard Surface Tracking/Trailing

Posted by Jeff Riccio on October 2, 2008, 21:48:03

What are everyones thoughts about training hard surface tracking/trailing? Do you prefer to start dogs on hard surfaces to teach them to learn the human odor before teaching them on grass/leaflitter with ground disturbance? or do you start them on grass to make it easier and teach them the game and transfer to hard surfaces? what methods or tricks do you have? just curious to see what others are doing

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Re: Hard Surface Tracking/Trailing

Posted by DFrost on October 4, 2008, 12:08:49, in reply to "Hard Surface Tracking/Trailing"

I prefer starting them on grass etc and teach the basics. Kind of like starting drug dogs on marijuana and moving on to less odorous drugs as training progresses. My experience has been, once you get the basics, the dog is enjoying the exercise, when the amount of odor is reduce the dog is less likely to become frustrated. In addition, handlers tend to have more confidence, knowing the dog has been able to handle the "easier" tracks. It's then I start to introduce harder surfaces etc.

DFrost

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Re: Hard Surface Tracking/Trailing

Posted by RMarks on October 24, 2008, 0:18:34, in reply to "Re: Hard Surface Tracking/Trailing"

Ive just recently started working my Malinois on hard surface tracking. I've found it extremely difficult to keep his nose down here when he is used to the much easier organic disturbance. He usually immediately looks for the next grassy area. This can be a huge problem when tracking in an urban environment such as the city in which I work. I would think it might be easier to start tracking on hard surfaces and then move to the easier surfaces later in training. Ive actually heard of successes in dragging a kong stuffed with raw bloody meat across hard surfaces. I have yet to try this myself however.

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