I have purchased two of Ed’s videos (Training Tracking Dogs Police or S&R Dogs #205 and Training a Competition Tracking Dog #203) preparing myself for a new puppy that will be used for SAR.

The set up: in #205 Ed says to start tracking down wind and never use food or toys for praise. In video #203, he says to start tracking up wind and use food and a toy for praise.

I think I understand the different types of tracking, footstep and TTD, but where do you start with a new puppy, I assume footstep, and how do you transition from food and toys?

I'm sure Ed's video's are a great resource BUT any video and book I see as training aid, not replacements for a good trainer.

As you see, usually VERY quickly questions crop up, and it's great to start off doing everything right, rather than having to guess and/or fumble along the best you can. Especially because I have found that a good trainer who is watching me with my dog can give such immediate feedback and assistance that we stay on the right path of learning. Rather than the more common 'do-it-wrong and re-train' method I have seen in common use.

Point being, have you attempted to find a good trainer in your area to help? Either a search and rescue group, or schutzund (sp?), or other classes/clubs/organizations that have the same interests and focus you have.

I know the Search & Rescue group in my area starts training their puppies at a very young age so they get used to the other dogs/handlers and situations. The puppies just think they are playing hide & seek, and playing long games of tug with their motivating toy. The fact this helps to later translate into finding someone is only a benefit!

I understand the importance of having an experienced trainer there to help me, but that is not possible every time I train. In my quesitons, I am looking more for general direction instead of specifics.

Train for foot step tracking first, then move on to tracking in drive.

The transition is made when you start tracking through drive and have a live person that you track/trail who is the reward.

For footstep tracking prior to that you will train with food and toys.


The difference in wind direction and rewards have everything to do with the training goals.

Footstep tracking you want to teach the dog to keep his nose in the tracks so inicially you don't want the wind blowing the track right into his face causing him to lift his head up and airscent the track. The food on the track is the reward and helps keep the nose down. The tailwind forces the dog to scent from the track, not the air.

In TTD you want the dog to airscent, track, trail. . .anything to find the man. So you start with the wind blowing the scent right in his face so he can just run right into the man without having to work at it much. Then progress from there.

Brian, I got it. You want to train on your own.

Good luck, sure people on this list will be a great help.

Jenn, it's not that i want to train alone but it is very difficult to find people with enough experience to have enough time to really help. I have alot of free time and plan on using much of it to puppy to get as solid of a foundation as possible, without over training.

I will use those in my SAR group for some guidence, but they believe in starting with air scenting and i dont, so i want to start much of the training on my own with help from those who follow the same philosophy as mine. thanks for your's and Robert's help.

Brian, have you trained a search dog before?

No, i have only trained a dog in foot step tracking.

Brian,

Mr Van Camp gave you some excellant advice on starting your puppy. The goal of course is to get him tracking in the beginning. Depending on what you intend to use this dog for, TTD should be the ultimate goal. Speaking as a trainer for a police agency, my concern is that the subject is found, regardless if it is through tracking, air scent, sight or sound. FST sure looks pretty, but it's the results at the end that matter. Laying a good foundation however is the basis of how good the dog actually becomes.

DFrost