Step 1
Learn To Walk A Straight Line
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Using 2 flags, pick out an object in the
distance, put a flag in by your left leg, keep your eye on the object and
walk 30 or so paces toward that object, put the second flag in by your left
leg, walk another 30 or so paces and turn around. Are the flags in line?
Back track to the first flag, are the flags in line with the object? If not
keep practicing until the flags do line up. This will be the set up for all
beginning tracks. 2 flags about 30 paces apart and continue straight in the
same direction. |
Step 2
Converting Your Paces Into Yards
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Put a stake in the ground at the back of
your heel and walk 10 paces, put a stake in at the front of your toe. Turn
and walk back to the start, counting your paces. Do this down and back
again. Average your paces for the 4 walks. Measure between the stakes in
yards and you will know how many yards per 10 paces. Walk naturally, do not
shorten or lengthen your normal stride. One way to convert is to divide your
total paces by 10 then multiply by the number of yards, example: If 10 paces
= 8 yards, and the track is 350 paces. 350 divided by 10 =35 x 8 = 280 yds.
Or if you have an easier method for you, use it. |
Step 3
How To Lay Basic Tracks
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All basic tracks will be straight lines. Try
not to have a track go directly into the wind as this will cause the dog to
quarter. The first few tracks laid should have the wind coming toward you at
an angle, but don't get hung up worrying about wind direction except where
noted. All beginning tracks are back-walked and given in groups of three
which maybe laid in a straight line one after the other, and on an angle
into the wind, or they may be laid parallel with the first track upwind and
each succeeding track laid at least 25 paces down wind from the preceding.
As aging time increases you will find laying all three tracks before
tracking the dog quicker since they can all be aged at once. You will need 6
flags to do this. As you get farther from the second flag note where the
article is left. Pick out something different on the ground, color, texture,
plant or such. Look to your left and right and line up on something you see
in each direction then put your article down. You may want to make written
notes. When the dog understands and is lowering his nose to track then lay a
straight track without backtracking. After putting down the articles with
goodies, walk 15 paces straight ahead then turn and walk downwind 50 paces,
turn and return walking parallel to your track until you reach opposite but
15 or more paces beyond the starting flag. Go to your dog who no longer has
to see the track laid. Try to track at least twice a week, especially until
the dog understands. |
Step 4
Starting Your Dog Tracking
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Put the tracking harness on your dog when
you get to the tracking site or when you leave him while you lay the track.
Bring the dog to where you start the first track, put him on a sit stay, or
stake him, facing in the direction on the track. Show him the article, in
your hand, walk away 5 to 8 ft, plant the first flag, walk 30 paces and
plant the second flag. Walk 10 more paces turn and face the dog. Get his
attention, wave the glove, put it down, with a bit of food under it and on
top of it. Return on the track you walked out on ( this is back-tracking ) ,
go to your dog, wait five minutes. Hook the lead on the rear D ring of the
harness, and take him to the starting flag. Have him sit or down ( preferred
) hang your hand down near the ground in front of his nose ( not touching
the nose or the ground ) swing it out in the direction of the track and give
the command, Track, or Find It, or Seek. What ever you want to use as a
tracking command. If your dog gets up to follow your hand, go with him
saying "that's right, good dog." quietly. If he does not go, you start
walking and encourage him with a hand signal, always close to the ground,
not high, and command" find it", walking beside the track while keeping him
on the track, with a short lead if necessary. If he runs off to the side do
not follow him, stand still, encourage him back, give hand signal and
command. some dogs will run right out straight, go with them but do not run,
let the dog pull you. When the dog gets the article, give him lots of
animated praise, play with the article, give him a goodie. Give 2 more
tracks as above. If the dog is doing well, increase to 15 paces after the
second flag on the next track, and 20 paces on the third track; all aged for
5 minutes. Remove the harness after he finds the article of the third track,
let him play with the article but not destroy it. Take it from him and let
him rest, tell him how great he is. End of first outing. |
Step 5
Continuing Tracking
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On the next two outings, more if needed,
follow the instructions above, except keep the three tracks at 30 yds plus
20 paces and increase the age to 10 minutes for the second outing and 15
minutes for the third. By the fourth time out try leaving your dog in the
car while you lay track, instead of letting him watch.. Continue as above
for the fourth, fifth and sixth outings, keeping the tracks the same length
but increasing the age of the track by 5 minutes. Now the age is 30 minutes.
Now start increasing length of the track but keep the age the same. When the
dog is doing 50 yards well, lengthen the track and give only one with no
backtracking. When the dog can do a 100 yard and more straight track easily,
aged for 30 minutes to an hour it is time to introduce corners. This lesson
willl be in the next newsletter. Remember, adapt this schedule to your dog,
do not hesitate to repeat former tracks and age if the dog is having
trouble. Increase the age and distance only of the dog is doing well. Push
him on, do not keep him back if he is happy. Do not give him verbal praise
while he is tracking, it is distracting. Give encouragement only if he seems
at a loss and lots of praise at the end. Keep enough tension on the lead so
that he doesn't get jerked when you have to stop him. A note about field
trained dogs: when you yell for their attention and wave the glove do not
use field type yells, put the glove down do not drop it. Learn to read your
dog, watch him closely, know when he is tracking, note his nose down and
tail wagging. A sure sign he understands is when he runs across the track,
catches scent, stops suddenly, returns with his nose down to the track and
moves forward! Good luck, I hope you'll try this. |
TRACKING VOCABULARY
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AGE
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The time between when a track is laid and
the time a dog is put on it. |
ARTICLE
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The object to be found at the end of the
track, in the TD level: an inconspicuous glove or wallet. |
CASTING
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When a dog comes to a turn and searches for
the new direction, or when he looses the track or the scent trail for any
reason, and hunts around to find it again. |
CERTIFICATION
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A dog must be certified by a tracking judge
before it can enter a test. |
CONVERSION
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Determining your length of stride and
converting it to yards. |
CORNER
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When the track changes direction, this is a
corner. An open corner is a turn of wider than 90 degrees. A normal corner
is 90 degrees, and an closed corner is tighter than 90 degrees. A TD test
has 3 to 5 corners in it. |
COVER
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The type and length of vegetation where a
track is laid. |
DRAWING
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After the closing date for a test all
entries are randomly drawn to see who gets into the test. On the day of the
test all participants draw to see who gets which track. |
FLAG
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A metal or wood dowel with tape or banner
attached. Two are needed to start a TD track; one to mark the start and one
to indicate the direction the track goes. |
HARNESS
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A non-restrictive nylon or leather is best. |
LEASH
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A 30 to 40 foot cotton or light rope with a
conspicuous marking at 20 feet. Not nylon. |
LEG
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The straight part of the track of various
lengths, not under 50 yds. |
LENGTH
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Total length of the track from starting flag
to article. A TD track is 440 to 500 yds. |
STAND
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Whenever a dog wanders off the track, or
when it casts at a corner to find the new direction, the handler must stand
still until the dog finds its direction. |
TURN
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Same as CORNER |