Dog Tracking Classes Teach Essential Skills

Dog tracking classes teach essential skills that every dog owner should know. These skills can be lifesavers in an emergency situation.

Tracking is a valuable skill for dogs, allowing them to follow a scent trail and locate a person or object. In a dog tracking class, you'll learn how to teach your dog to track effectively.

A dog's sense of smell is incredibly powerful, with some breeds able to detect scents that are hours or even days old. This is why tracking classes focus on training your dog to use their nose to follow a trail.

By taking a dog tracking class, you can learn how to teach your dog to track in a variety of environments, from urban areas to wilderness trails.

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In this comprehensive dog tracking class, you'll learn the fundamentals of tracking from a seasoned instructor with over 40 years of experience working with dogs. The course covers essential topics such as equipment preferences and scent theory.

You'll discover how to develop a start routine and tracking schedule, and set initial training goals for your dog. This class also explores how to select tracking fields to shape correct behavior.

The program uses targets with food on them, but aims to swap them out for food-less articles as soon as possible. This approach helps your dog focus on the track rather than just searching for food.

You'll learn how to let the track do the teaching and develop an independent tracking dog. The course is designed to get you and your dog running a trail of dozens of yards within a few weeks.

Here's a breakdown of the course topics:

By the end of this course, you'll have a solid foundation for tracking and be well on your way to achieving visible results.

To start a dog tracking class, you'll need a few essential supplies.

A GPS device or a smartphone with a GPS app is necessary for tracking your dog's movements.

Suggestion: Gps Dog Tracking Device Garmin

A map of the area where you'll be tracking is also a must-have.

Your dog should be well-trained and obedient, with a strong recall.

A whistle or other loud noise-making device can be helpful for signaling your dog during the tracking process.

It's also a good idea to have a first aid kit on hand, especially if you'll be tracking in areas with dense vegetation or rough terrain.

Make sure you have a comfortable and sturdy pair of hiking boots or shoes, as you'll likely be walking for several hours.

A dog earns a TD by following a track 440 to 500 yards long with three to five changes of direction. The track is laid by a human tracklayer and is “aged” 30 minutes to two hours before the dog begins scenting.

The goal is to use the scented track to locate an article left at the end of the trail by the tracklayer. The owner follows the dog on a long leash and can encourage the dog during the tracking test.

If a dog doesn't understand that an object on the track gives him his reward, he will always keep looking for food on the track. This can lead to the dog ignoring objects and wanting to keep tracking until he finds the food again.

To avoid this, it's essential to make it clear to the dog that the object is important and will give him his reward. This can be achieved by using a unique food training system that doesn't involve placing food on the track.

Dogs of any age can learn tracking in just a few weeks using this system.

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Tracking is a fun and rewarding activity for dogs, and it's amazing how quickly they can pick it up. A dog earns a Tracking Dog (TD) title by following a track 440 to 500 yards long with three to five changes of direction.

To start tracking, a human tracklayer lays a track and "ages" it 30 minutes to two hours before the dog begins scenting. The goal is to use the scented track to locate an article left at the end of the trail.

If a dog doesn't understand that an object on the track gives him his reward, he'll keep looking for food on the track. He'll ignore the objects and want to keep tracking until he finds the food again.

The secret to successful tracking is to make it clear to the dog that the object is important and will give him his reward. This way, the dog is directly focused on the right scent from the beginning.

Dogs can learn tracking quickly, even as young as 11 weeks old. With a clear goal in mind, finding an object, the dog will be motivated and driven to succeed.

Earning the prestigious title of Champion Tracker is a significant achievement for dog owners who participate in tracking with their dogs. A dog must successfully complete all three tracking titles: TD, TDX, and VST.

Tracking with your dog can be a joyous experience, especially if you both love the outdoors. Owners find delight in seeing their dogs use their innate scenting skills.

If you're interested in tracking with your dog, a list of approved clubs can be found in the club search section of the website.

The course structure for dog tracking classes is designed to help you and your dog develop a strong foundation in tracking. You'll learn a system that's been employed by Police Services worldwide for over 40 years.

The course covers everything from equipment preferences to scent theory, and will help you develop a start routine and tracking schedule. You'll also learn how to select tracking fields to shape correct behavior.

The program is taught by Lucy Newton, a seasoned dog trainer and instructor with over 40 years of experience. She's trained numerous search and rescue dogs and has worked on many missing person cases in both urban and wilderness locations.

Here's a breakdown of what you can expect from the course:

By the end of the course, you and your dog will be running trails of dozens of yards within a few weeks, and you'll have a solid foundation for further tracking development.

Dogs can track in a variety of environments, from urban settings to wilderness areas.

In fact, a Variable Surface Tracking (VST) dog has demonstrated the ability to follow a three- to five-hour-old track through a street, a building, and other areas devoid of vegetation.

A dog's ability to track can be influenced by the surface they're tracking on, and VST dogs have shown they can adapt to different surfaces.

Variable Surface tracking allows dogs to follow a trail that's been laid down on different surfaces, such as streets and buildings.

Dogs can track through areas with little to no vegetation, like urban settings, where a VST dog demonstrated the ability to follow a three- to five-hour-old track.

A VST dog's skills are impressive, as they can follow a track that takes them down a street, through a building, and into other areas devoid of vegetation.

Urban environments can be challenging for tracking dogs due to the variety of scents present.

The Tracking Dog Urban (TDU) test specifically evaluates a dog's ability to follow a track laid by a person in an urban setting.

Dogs must be able to follow a track laid under various scenting conditions, which can include different weather, surfaces, and other environmental factors.

The TDU test also assesses a dog's ability to find articles dropped by the person laying the track.

This test is optional and not required for dogs to participate in other tracking tests, such as the TD or TDX test.