Working Dogs Q&As

First I would like to say how useful your web page has been for me. I wish I would have found it long before I purchased my pup. I currently have a 3 1/2 month old German Shepherd Dog, I bought from a friend of a friend (I know that may have been bad now). She a full blooded all black, and is calm for the most part unless she is at home around the kids, then she just loves to play. I would like to train her in Tracking and Search and Rescue. I have done a lot of research on the topic an...

Hi Ed!! My husband and I recently purchased quite a few of your videos and I must say that I have learned so very much from them. I do have a tracking question for you though. My 7 month old GSD bitch does not pick up the food drops. She'll put her nose on it and then pass it by. I was thinking that she's just looking forward to the "payoff" at the end, so instead of putting her food there I have replaced her supper with a toy, hoping that she'd start picking up the bait again. so ...

Hello, I have a question about Force tracking. I own a rottweiler with an excellent working pedigree but I'm having a serious problem with tracking. He doesn't have good food drive so that method is of no use. I was hoping you'd be able to give some ideas or direct me to some sources of information that would be of help. Many Thanks, Terry

Dear Ed, I recently read your article on hard surface tracking with the Dutch police dogs. Well I thought I would let you know that we at the RAAF security police military working dogs have been working with scent discrimination for quite a while and in the early nineties we decided to get the defense science and technology institute involved to find out exactly what the dogs were tracking and we found out that the dogs could pick up skin rafts (dead skin cells) and not only distinguish th...

Sir, I was wondering what an officer should do when he is bitten by a police dog and he is not the dog handler. I am at the Indiana police academy and this question was asked to the recruits. Thank you for your time.

Dear Mr. Frawley, I have a 3 year old Shepherd that I am training for Schutzhund. She is an extremely confident animal with her obedience and protection, however, she cannot track. I spoke to the person that I bought her from who told me that she just never "got around" to tracking with her very much. Figuring that I would need to start back at square one, I laid out a VERY short, straight track for her, just to see what I would need to work on. She becomes really anxious before and while ...

Mr. Frawley, I have a 1 1/2 year old female Malinois. She has her TDX. I am training her for TDX and VST. She is fine on aged tracks, but doesn't do very well on concrete or asphalt. She has no problem following dragged food items on concrete or asphalt. Do you think Level II-III will help me with this? Also do you think I need Level I since she has no problems with any surface other than concrete or asphalt? I don't have a lot of money to invest and if you think I don't need Level I, it w...

I live in the UK. My 2 1/2 year old police dog was started on area search before his tracking was finished. Now I want to train him in "tracking through drive" and he is missing corners.

My dog has some issues with articles on the track. There are times he will not indicate and then when he does indicate he wants to CHARGE out of the "down position" after the indication is made. What can I do?

I am a little confused on the method to use for my Schutzhund tracking dog. Should I use only food drops in the footprint or a food drag?

What is your opinion of using a TOY at the end of a track to motivate a dog in tracking training?

When should I start articles on my track and should I introduce the articles on the track or off the track?

Dear Mr. Frawley, My name is Matt Fisher and I am a new K-9 handler for the Wooster Police Dept., in Wooster Ohio. My department purchased my K-9 from a "dog trainer" in Ohio and needless to say I have been less than impressed. My dog Ringo is about two and he has needed some serious overhauls. We've had to overcome a serious sleeve fixation and I am currently working on changing his tracking from footstep to tracking through drive. Luckily for me my friend Doug Hunter a K-9 for the Way...

My department recently purchased a dual-purpose police dog. The dog is a 3-year-old IPO 1 Belgian Malinois and is a really nice narcotic detector and handler protector. I have been working on tracking with the dog for about 4 weeks now. Initially, I started laying 20-yard straight tracks with dog food on the scent pad and along the track with a pile at the end for the reward. The dog would track to the end with his head down. He eat the food along the way along with the pile at the end. I ...

I have a very high drive dog in obedience, and super fighting drive in protection. My problem is he has the same kind of drive in tracking. This is the 3rd time that I present him in a trial. He did very well in SchH I he placed 1st place with 96-90-90. In the SchH I regional of Canada with 1st place 91-95-97 & best in protection work. I went for my SchH II. He didn't do so well 59-88-98. In my obedience I know the mistake I made, but here is my question. I guess when you have a dog wit...

Ed, I am interested in your video, "Training Competition Tracking," but I have a few questions for you. I've read most of your articles on tracking and find the Drive Tracking method quite interesting. I haven't begun training my puppy in tracking yet because I just am not comfortable with what I've been told to do. My puppy is almost 6 months and is in Schutzhund training and I was told to lay a track using a piece of food on every single footstep. Later, corners are taught by putting ...

I know that you are a busy man so I will keep this short. I am a canine handler for the Lexington Kentucky Police Department. I have been a handler for about five years and have handled the same dog for four and a half years. My Canine "Wilchek" has far exceeded my expectations in many ways. I know that all animals, people included, develop undesirable traits. This particular trait may one day get me injured or killed if not addressed. He will stop to urinate on tracks frequently. This ...

My name is Charles Krom I have been a NYS Correction Officer for 18 years, a Volunteer Firefighter for 23 years, a NYS Fire Warden under NYSDEC for 20 years and a Member of Search Team 5-1 of Fulton County NY currently certified as a Crew Boss for 3 years. I have recently acquired a female German Shepard pup which will be six months old on 06/08/00 I am interested in training this dog for S&R operations. I would like to know what course of action I must take at this time to accomplish this ta...

I have read your article about introducing new dogs into the home but I wondered if you had any comments for my particular situation. My situation is this; I live with two Rottweiler's (who are my children) and I have made the decision to join the Michigan Rottweiler Rescue Club and become a foster mom. My oldest dog is an intact bitch of 8 soon to be 9 years old. The other is her son, who is neutered, and is 5 soon to be 6 years old. I do intend to spay my bitch. I am expecting to receiv...

I've watched your three videos on tracking. I don't think I am doing everything correct. What should a beginning track look like. Where to locate? How long? Various markings? etc. Suzy wants to air sent and get to my son really quickly and not work her nose into the ground. She is interested in the prairie dog holes and coyote scat. At the end she is not interested in her rabbit fur toy but would rather go of and investigate the surrounding area. How do I find a prairie dog free or wildli...