Dino' s Tracking Dog Training Blog

 

Dino's Tracking Dog Training Blog

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: Step Eight: Teaching Tracking After Kibble is Off of Ground

 Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking

Step Eight

Teaching Tracking After Kibble is Off of Ground

Since the kibble is no longer on the ground, the rewards of food now come directly from the handler's pocket or treat bag. I personally carry a treat bag full of treats on all searches, and regularly reward my dog throughout the search. Along with my water bottles, I put on the treat bag at the beginning of the search, while putting on their vests and leashes. 

What is Variable Surface Tracking Compared to Single Surface Tracking?

What is Variable Surface Tracking Compared to 

Single Surface Tracking?

"You take your dog out of the car, attach his harness and approach the track. The dog takes the scent from the bandanna left at the start and, nose down, begins tracking along the edge of the parking lot. After 50 yards, he turns, enters the parking lot and passes several parked cars. He makes a turn in the middle of the parking lot and leads you through a number of children getting out of their car. You follow your dog out of the parking lot, across a strip of grass, and onto the beach. There is another turn past windsurfers getting their boards ready for the water. With only a glance at them, your dog tracks past and indicates the article, a large metal belt buckle, left by the tracklayer. A quick drink of water and he is off again. You follow him down the beach, make another turn, and enter the picnic area. He tracks past the tables and barbecue pits, into the weeds and scruffy grass alongside and finds another article. This time it is a small leather eyeglass case. Down the track, one final turn, and he is tracking along the edge of the road leading to the beach. He finds the last article, this time a plastic credit card holder, and the track is finished." (Pernicka, C., 2024)

References

Pernicka, C., 2024, Sirius Dog, Getting Started Tracking Variable Surfaces, https://siriusdog.com/dog-variable-surface-tracking

Carrying Water on Tracks and Searches

 Carrying Water on Tracks and Searches

Always carry plenty of water for both people and dogs since finding access to drinkable water while on a search can be difficult. If you do find public water like a water fountain, then you can fill up your water bottles then. 

Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking: Step Nine: Having other people lay tracks

Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking

Step Nine

Having other people lay tracks

What is needed:

GPS map or handwritten map of where the person walked with their pet

Article in plastic bag that is wiped down from their pet and sealed. 

The person walks in an area with the pet and then provides the above articles. 

Rewards After Searches

 Rewards After Searches

These rewards should be based on what makes your dog jump for joy. Some dogs have favorite toys like tennis balls or tug toys. Find out what makes your dog super happy and then save that for after a search. You can do this when you get back to your car or you can do it after leaving the track at the end of the search. 

Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking: Step Seven: Starting to move from kibble on ground as a reward to treats from me while on search

Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking

Step Seven

Starting to move from kibble on ground as a reward to treats  from me in pocket or treat bag while on search

Gradually increase the kibble pieces a good distance away, at least with a turn, then start to do less kibble pieces and more treats from me in treat bag or my pockets. This gets her away from looking for the reward on the ground, to looking for the reward coming from me, which is how it will all eventually be. 

The Difference Between Tracking and Detection

 The Difference Between Tracking and Detection

Tracking and Detection are two completely different types of Scentwork.

Tracking involves following one specific organic scent of a moving person or animal. The scent is shown to the dog and the dog should not follow any other scent.

Detection is when the dog is to find a single stationary scent only that does not involve a moving object.

What types of places to use to teach tracking

What types of places to use to teach tracking

Change surfaces to increase difficulty

    a. business parks

    b shopping centers

    c. schools

    d. public streets

    e. public parks

Square Cloths to Use as Jackpots and Rewards on Trails.

 Square Cloths to Use as Jackpots and Rewards on Trails

These cloths are about six inches square and I use them as a reward at the end of a track, 

They contain food treats like kibble or other small treats you want to use. I use kibble since it is easy to tie and contain. 

In the beginning of training I will leave the kibble reward at the end of the track hidden somewhere out of sight so that the dog can't see it. 

Once the dog is more experienced I have the kibble pouch at the car to mimic what a real search will be like, which is that we go back to the car to remove the harness, play with a toy like a tennis ball or tug and get a quick food reward. 

Tracking Books for Variable Surface Tracking

Tracking Books for Variable Surface Tracking

 "Tracking Dog. Theory and Methods"

Glen Johnson 

"Mastering Variable Surface Tracking. The Component Training Approach"

Ed Presnall

"Mastering Variable Surface Tracking. The Component Training Approach Workbook"

Ed Presnall

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: Step Six - Increasing Distances

 Teaching Variable Surface Tracking

Step Six

Increasing Distances

To be posted soon

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: Step Five - Including Cross Tracks and Back Tracks

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: 

Step Five

Including Cross Tracks and Back Tracks 

To be posted soon. Stay tuned.

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: Step Four - Increasing the age of the track

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking:

Step Four

Increasing the age of the track

                            24 hours

                            48 hours

                            5 Days

                            6 Days

                            1 Week

                            2 weeks

                            3 weeks

                            1 month

Should be old enough by that point. Rarely ever have track older than one month to follow. 

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: Step Three: Increasing Difficulty

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: 

Step Three

Increasing Difficulty

Increase distance of kibble

    a. inches increasing to feet

    b. Add in 90 degree turns 

    c. Cross streets

Change surfaces to increase difficulty

    a. business parks

    b shopping centers

    c. schools

    d. public streets

    e. public parks

What rewards to offer at the end

    a. toys to play with

     b. treats

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: Step Two: Running a Dog on a Track

Teaching Variable Surface Tracking: 

Step Two

Running a Dog on a Track

 

1. Showing scent to animal

    a. dropping treat into bag

    a. telling "take scent"

2. Taking to start line

    a. kibble is in pile at the start

    b. Say Search

3. Dog is picking up kibble while learning there is scent there

4. Showing Corners to dog

    a. showing the dog the difference between places where scent is and is not so they learn that there are places where scent will be and not be and that they follow where the scent is. 

4. Start with short tracks of a couple of blocks and then gradually add turns and more blocks and more turns and crossing streets. 

5. Practice tracks will always remain short and fun. Not drawn out. 

Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking: Step One: Laying a track with food and scent for the tracking dog to follow

Teaching Variable SurfaceTracking: 

Step One: 

Laying a track for the tracking dog to follow

Using Food to Teach Tracking: Step Two - Spacing Out Food on the Track

How to decide what track to pick.

    a. 90 degree turns

    b. Crossing streets 

    c. No distractions like other people or other animals to start

    d. Neighborhoods, closed business parks to start

    e. Start with short distances and then add distance as the dog becomes more advanced. Start with about 50 feet, letting the dog become successful and then add distance. 

Using Food to Teach Tracking: Step Three - Moving from Food on Ground to Food in Pocket

Putting down kibble

        a. Pick another animal to walk along with you or carry in carrier like a cat or small animal like rabbit. 

        b. Put down pile of kibble at start, starting close and gradually increasing distance

        c. Start with 6 inches and then work up to a foot and then add feet to get further and further away. 

Using Food to Teach Tracking: Step Four - Moving from Food in Pocket to Food in Treat Bag

The animal used for the scent.

    a. The animal can be walking or in a carrier

    b. Walks along with you. Doesn't have to do anything special like peeing or pooping. 

4. Ending a track

    a. For a beginner dog, don't cross tracks on your way back to put the scent dog away. Later on once the tracking dog becomes more advanced and can do cross tracks. 

5. Getting scent from the other animal

    a. Take a couple of sheets of paper towels and rub those all over the animal. Do this for a couple of minutes. 

    b. Take those sheets and put them into a plastic zip lock bag.

What is involved in a tracking harness?

What is involved in a tracking harness? 

Well, tracking harness are designed for comfort and wearing for long periods. The dog will never pull in a tracking harness. There will never be any pressure or weight, so they don't need to  fit like a carting or weight pull harness.

A tracking harness is more of a special piece of equipment that signals to the dog what they will be doing next: tracking. The harness should never be used for any other purpose. Only tracking. It is never used for walking or running or pulling. Only tracking.

The harness should be completely adjustable for sizing so that it fits the dog uniquely.  Personally I think a Y shape through the chest is best since they fit the best and dont apply any pressure on the shoulders and allow full movement of the shoulders and front legs.

I would recommend putting the tracking harness on first before anything do that the dog has time to build up excitement over the next few minutes..

Dino wore the same harness for every search every day. It was the signal for him to tell him what was coming up. He would go bonkers with excitement as soon as the harness was put on.