About Tracking. Information for the non-professional

Tracking... All dogs can do this

The dog's ability to track is well known. Man has utilized this ability for centuries. Dogs have helped the hunter to find game and food. In France, dogs hunt for exotica like truffles. Dogs have been used by police to hunt criminals and by search and rescue workers to find lost people.

The usefulness of the Swiss Mountain rescue dogs and avalanche dogs is legendary. There are international teams of dogs trained to find victims of earthquakes and other natural disasters. There have been hundreds of dogs of various breeds working at the World Trade Centre, in unimaginable conditions. The wreckage includes glass and sharp objects, rats are a problem, but still the dogs work.

German Shepherd Dogsand Gundogs have always been in the forefront as a tracking and search and rescue (SAR) dog, not because they have the best sense of smell, but because of their willingness to work.. This working ability is a key factor in why these breeds are used all over the world for services and SAR work. See the links page for more info on Search and Rescue.

For the ordinary citizen, tracking dogs can be a competition sport where dogs compete for ANKC (Australian National Kennel Council) titles. Tracking is something that all dogs can do. It is a natural instinct for a dog to use this sense. From birth a puppy makes its way to its mothers nipple, for a drink. How? The puppy is born blind. It uses its sense of smell.

The dog's tracking ability is extremely acute, we still don't fully understand the dog's capabilities in this area.. The dog's olfactory sense is much, much more greatly developed than humans. Dogs naturally track for food, we could call this their hunting instinct. We don't have to teach a dog to track, we use their natural instinct to teach them that we want them to follow a certain track. In Australia, apart from Police dogs and the armed services, groups of search and rescue volunteers train dogs to find people. From a recreational angle, others train dogs to compete in ANKC tracking trials. All types dogs of varying breeds complete in these trials from toy breeds such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels to larger gundogs and working breeds like German Shepherds and Rottveilers.


"How do I get involved in tracking?"

The Tracking Club of Victoria, can help you to get started (see club info for contacts). Some obedience clubs and some private training schools also hold regular tracking training.


"How do I train for tracking?"

Like all disciplines there are many ways to train the dog to track. You are not actually teaching the dog to track. They were able to do that from birth. What you are doing is training the dog to follow a designated scent. The most common way to start in tracking is to attend a seminar or course and then form into a small self help group to do regular training. Unlike like obedience or conformation you cannot easily take group training, as the ground and space necessary is quite large and the time taken for each dog is too great to make it viable to train more than a few dogs at a time. Hence most people find it more practicable either to do most of their training on their own or in small groups. Whichever way you train, you will be constantly surprised at the ability of the dog to track and to differentiate various scents.


"Do I need special equipment?"

Dogs are required to compete in a harness and a lead with a minimum length of 10 meters. Harnesses can vary according to preference from a simple figure 8 made with tape and D rings, to a traditional leather harness. Leads need a secure clip and can be made of many materials; preferably lightweight and easy to hold.


"How do I enter tracking trials?"

Schedules will be advertised and entries usually close 2 or 3 weeks prior to the trial date. Entry forms are available from the Victorian Canine Association office. In Victoria, tracking trials are usually held from May to October. Trials are usually held over two or three days and can be held on farmland or bush areas. In Victoria as in all areas of Australia , available land is difficult to access and the club holding the trial will make arrangements with farmers or landholders to access their land under strict conditions. The dogs will often be required to track among stock, usually sheep and cattle and wildlife such as kangaroos are a common distraction.


"What prerequisites are there for entering a tracking trial?"

Dogs must be registered with the Victorian Canine Association . A pass in a Tracking Qualification Test is necessary to be eligible to enter a tracking trial. No obedience qualifications are necessary. There are several Tracking Qualification Tests held during the year and they can also be offered at Open trials.. The test involves a three hundred meter track with one 90 degree turn and the dog must of course find the tracklayer at the end. At this stage the handler is able to nominate the tracklayer.


"What tracking titles are available?"

Tracking Dog (T.D.) Tracking Dog Excellent (T.D.X.) and Tracking Champion (T.Ch.)


"How many different tests are available?"

In order to qualify for Tracking Dog (T.D.) there are three tests. The first is 500 meters has two turns and one article left on the track. To pass the dog nust find the tracklayer and been deemed by the judge to have tracked the tracklayer. The second and third are 800 meters with a minimum of two turns. There will be two articles placed on the track. The dog must find at least one article and the tracklayer to pass. For test one and two the handler is able to nominate the tracklayer. After these tests, all tracklayers will be unknown to the dog. To qualify for Tracking Dog Excellent (T.D.X.) there are three tests. Tests four and five are 1000 meters with a minimum of four turns and test six is 1200 meters with a minimum of five turns. The Tracking Champion (T.Ch.) test is 1200 meters with a minimum of six turns. The age of the tracks varies between a minimum of 30 minutes for Tests One and Two to a minimum of 90 minutes for Test Six and a maximum between one and three hours between the various tests.



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