Milt

I have found that the main problem with in training is conveying the idea to the dog or pup. I find outling the events helps me setup the sceniro.

I. We want to lay out tracks, light snow makes it easier to see the tracks laided out.
Keep it about 15 ft to 10 yards, a short distance.

II. Get him to start using his nose to smell the tracks? I would lay out small chopped up hot dogs about 6 inches to 1 foot away. Two at the starting point and three at the end, small praise on each find, big praise at the end and down after he/she has eaten. As time goes on extend the distance between the treat, then go to items with treats in them and a down.

This is a good starting point conveying idea and use of nose.

Don,
You were 100 percent right in laying the tracks in light snow. It was like having training wheels. The first track we tried had no snow cover. The ground was hard and it was difficult seeing the track. The dog is doing great. We progressed to a 40 yard track with 3 food droppings. What really impressed me is after finishing the track and releasing her, she backed tracked the entire track. Now thats food drive.

Don,
You were 100 percent right in laying the tracks in light snow. The dog is doing great. We progressed to a 40 yard track with 3 food droppings.
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Milt, Great

My he/she does have a knack for tracking, congradulation! Good job to you both, how fast did he progress from the shorter distance to 40 yards.

My female Rottie has a hard time keeping her nose down, and scenting. We are still working on that(The GSD is better at it, now). Its my fault, I'm always trying to keep it fun. Thats another subject.

Here is another suggestion, small flag post (orange vinly triangle flags on metal rods) can help mark the tracked path when there is no snow. Staying on the path or having a reference point from A to B is a good start. I would sometime get lost concentrating on the dog that I would let them stray of the path, a bit. Teaching them bad habits its ok to stray.
Here how I lay tracks, I try to lay the tracks in deep by shuffling my feet as you move from starting flag to end flag, and kick your heels in the starting points and ending points.

I was told the purpose of this is to leave more scent from skin cells, trampled vegatation, human odor etc...
Making it easier for the pup/dog to follow. I'm no expert maybe someone else can be specific.

You really don't want him/her only to be able to track hot dogs (smile).
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Beware of sight tracking. Remember we are teaching our dog to use his nose not eyes. Just a warning.

Vince P.

That was an important point to make, from what I've read you have quite a tracker.
How did you start him tracking and at this basic level how did you make him love it.

What motivation did you use food, praise or was it Natural. Did you have any trouble with him/her wanting to scent.

How did you mark your tracks?

Hi,
We have temperatures over 100 degrees F at present so ,of course are doing tracks at daybreak when its cool . So quickly my girls learned to "sight track" so away went flags. I have found bright(e.g. flourescent pink )clothes pegs, easy for me to see and the dogs seem not to notice them , especially if they are at human eye level on a tree or bush.
Snakes are still very much about so we are doing tracks on cricket fields which are so dry and have virtualy no grass at all, more or less hard bare earth.Also every man/woman /child and dog in the locality seem to play there so it is hard for my youngster with so many cross tracks. Enjoy your snow. It must be fun .I have never seen snow here.If you cant buy clothes pegs buy wooden ones and paint them with bright paint.
Happy cool tracking.... Dayia

Welcome andre. I see you need a post or two to get the kinks out. If you need any help Private Message me. Good luck.

I am a terrible track layer. My tracks look like a drunken sailor laid them. I use line marking chalk in a squeeze bottle to mark them, blue being prefered. Don't think my dogs key off the blue and the blue is the only color that washes off clothes and concrete. I also mark ahead of an article so I know it before we get there. Just a thought. CH