Tracking

[Staranais]

So you both just reward at the end of the track or sometimes at articles? Interesting. Most kennel club trackers I've talked to are similar, whereas most schutzhund people I've talked to have rewards throughout the track (usually with food drops) but not at the end. I guess that contributes to the very different tracking styles you see at these venues.

Whereas the other SAR tracking/trailing folk I know always have something super great at the end of the track (usually a toy and a huge play session) & sometimes toys or food along the way too.

I've got half a mind to trial my girl at some point just for fun, she's doing lovely 2 hour old rural/wilderness tracks at the moment and is super with articles, but feel it's a bit of a betrayal making her track something when there will be no super reward along the way or at the end as that's the "deal" we have when she tracks for me. But then again, that's just my POV from where I'm coming from, clearly most competition trackers like the sport just the way it is, so I guess I need to make my peace with it or not trial.

[Tassie]

I've seen a SCH person training footstep tracking - with food on the ground in the footsteps - cos that's the style of tracking they require. ANKC the dog ideally will map track - but some quarter, and others will combine some air scenting (which is OK for real-life SAR, but can bite you in a competition if there's a strong wind - can lead to even good dogs cutting out a whole couple of legs of the track.

My guys seem to be able to translate from tracking me in training, with rewards in the articles (get verbal and physical praise as well) and then their jackpot at the end of the track, to competition, no rewards at the articles, but jackpot at the end. Some of our competition dogs are toy rewarded, but mine have been a bit more foody.

My boy was funny in his first competition track the other week - just the baby one - supposed to be a known tracklayer, but was actually an unknown person who had met him and given him treats about two hours before . Rory was tracking nicely - got to the end, and was mightily surprised and shocked to find a person lying there - he hauled off and gave his best BC imitation GSD bark, until he realised the body knew his name and had his cat food .

So that was a long way of saying that my take is that with enough fun and rewards in training, the dogs get the game and enjoy it - and are happy enough to wait for the reward at the end. No different from the obedience and agility rings really - although they have to work a bit harder and it takes a bit longer.

[Staranais]

Interesting, I think your kennel club tracks might be a bit different again to ours then. Do you always have a person at the end, even for the really old tracks? And are they allowed to have a reward for your dog? Here there is no person at the end, just an article, and you're not supposed to carry food or a toy out with you. I like your system better, if I'm understanding it right.

[ness]

I have been told mostly the first couple of tracks will have a person at the end and with the older tracks they tend to just leave a t-shirt but they will leave a reward at the end if you provide one.

Edited July 21, 2011 by ness

[Tassie]

In Tasmania, we always have a tracklayer at the end of the track (although on long delay tracks, where possible, the tracklayer might be collected and then put back in - depends on the terrain usually.

This is what the ANKC rulebook says

(G) At the end of each Track the Tracklayer;

(1) Must make themselves as inconspicuous as possible and remain still and

silent. The Tracklayer need not remain at the end of the Track, subject to the

approval of the Canine control, but must be in place when the Handler

completes the Track.

OR

(2) Must place the Finish Article in the position indicated by a marker on the map

so it cannot be seen by the Handler as they approach the Finish. After

placing the Finish Article the Tracklayer removes the marker and continues

on for a distance of no less than 30 metres past the Finish before leaving on

the walking out route.

click on tracking

Varies from State to State about whether tracklayer can take reward - we do here, but I think in WA they don't allow any food, even in sealed containers - think they allow toy.

[Staranais]

Wow, you guys do have different rules to us, then. I think I like your rules about rewarding better than ours. It seems a little weird to me to not allow a reward at the end of competition tracks when in every real life application of tracking you can (and usually do) reward the dog.

[dezzyno.1]

We started to learn about tracking this season and was told at the start of the season that we were expected to attend our first trial by September...I am sooo very proud to say that today my daughter Tamika and our gorgeous girl Zforce Sweet Surrender aka Jessie attended their first tracking trial at Ballarat.....they got a Very Good Pass.....we also believe that Tamika being 11 years old is the youngest person in Australia to obtain a pass in tracking.....it has been such an exciting day today and I now have to get a pass with my boy Dezzy on Monday so that it doesn't get rubbed in that I failed...lol....below are some pics of the two of them together with their qualifying card and ribbon

[Tassie]

Big congrats to Tameika and Jessie - great start to a tracking career - and lovely to see a junior handler in tracking. Good luck to you and Dezzy tomorrow.

[dezzyno.1]

thanks Tassie...I am a bit nervous but hopefully it will pass once out there tracking....unfortunately it rained here today and weather is meant to be much the same as today but Dezzy is alright as long as there is no wind...lol

[Tassie]

Happy to say my lil big man BC Rory (Ch Winpara Soul Dreamer ET) got a pass in his Test 2 at our tracking trial yesterday. A bit wiffly-woffly, but he found and indicated both articles nicely. :D And he didn't bark at the tracklayer like he did on his test 1 (that was the first time he'd found a person at the end of a track :D .)

[dezzyno.1]

huge congratulations Tassie....it is great when u get a pass and I think it would be funny to see your dog barking at the track layer...lol...unfortunately for my track layer she gets jumped on by Dezzy who weighs 37kg...she tells me she gets ready for the pounce...lol

[Tassie]

:D

[dezzyno.1]

I have more fantastic news and that is Dezzy and myself also got a very good pass at tracking today....we have had such a wonderful weekend but from next weekend back to training to track over 800m....I am sure the dogs will love the extra distance....lol

[Tassie]

Well done with Dezzy - that's great. You must be so very proud of all your kids

[dezzyno.1]

thanks Tassie....I am just absolutely thrilled....it has been a fantastic weekend for us all

[Sir Sniffalot]

Hi all, we are just about to start tracking with the view to entering trials early next year. We are a fair distance from any tracking clubs so will be doing most of the training myself , just wondering if anyone has any pointers or things they wish they knew when they started out that they would like to share.

[Tassie]

I guess the big thing I've learnt is to peoceed slowly - to make sure that the dog really enjoys the game, and understands the game. Mark your track carefully - not always with the same kind of markers as the dog may start looking for those, and start on collar and lead, so that the dog can't go too far off course - stand still if the dog wanders off a bit, and lots of praise and moving forward when dog is on track.

I use quite a lot of articles, and I do put food in them, to encoiurage the dog to respond strongly to articles, and to spend time at them. Other people do things different ways.

Start with short straight line tracks - best to start downwind, and longer grass can help - and hot tracks.

Have a look on the net - I know there are some training articles out there - haven't got links - sorry.

Mistake I made with my agility girl, who has got her T Ch and her first TSD track, is to let her think that it's a game played at warp speed - not to be encouraged .

Maybe visit a tracking trial if you get the chance, and talk to some of the people there - they'll give you some pointers.

[Sir Sniffalot]

Thanks for your input Tassie, l did hope to make it to Ballarat for their tracking comp to have a look but it's the same weekend as the Canberra ET

We have started with little 100m to 350m tracks in longer grass and he is doing really well, was dropping some tidbits along the way but he was not interested he just wanted to get to the end to find his fav toy so we have removed the tidbits.

[Tassie]

I'd say that's plenty long enough. Your next job will be to start building in corners - but you start with bends, which gradually become corners.

The other thing you need to do is get some article indication happening. If he's not particularly food motivated, youi couild just hide a small toy in the sock and have a game with him at that poitn.

I would be shortening the length and doing more shorter tracks, especially as you introduce corners. Most people don't train on full length tracks. The other thing to start to ointroduce gradually is time delay. - and short grass.

[dezzyno.1]

Tamika and Jessie have now attended their final trial for the season and I am very happy to say that they have now passed Test Two with a very good score....Jessie also got best performance dog of the day under her judge because when Tamika wanted Jessie to go another way she howled and pulled Tamika the way she wanted to go she also took a turn to the right and completed the turn then spun around and went left and went to the toilet, spun around on the spot and flew back to the track and off she went.....I am just sooo over the moon and this team have improved so much between the two trials and Jessie tracks so good I told Tamika I will swap dogs...lol....thanks to everyone at BDOC for being so great in their training and teaching us all about tracking although there is so much more to learn but everyone there has been so good to us and been so patient with us....am looking forward to Monday when I go out with Dezzy and see how he goes but dont expect much and am wrapped at the stage we are up to at the end of the season