A very important...VERY IMPORTANT...task a PPD must perform reliably, is to penetrate and scent out an intruder...before the owner(s) enter their house, business, etc.

A good PPD should know F&Bark&H and F&Bite. In many, many abductions, rapes, and other crimes...all over the world...the bad guy waits in (or around) the house or business for the victim. It's not THE most common, but it's common enough to train for it.

I can't emphasize it enough...the primary role for a PPD is preventive. If you have a reason to own one...and DO...you should train it to search in and around your house/business.

Kind of a blind search? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This was the intent of my original post. I would like a dog to be able to "find" a possible intruder when coming home at night etc. Unfortunately the post was closed, a common occurence here, before the topic could be developed. Do you recommend training a ppd in the footstep method so that they might indicate and direct the handler so the threat might be assessed or do you feel air scenting is sufficient. (Keeping control obviously would be a given.)

Thought so. Foot step tracking is not necessary...but it's a good addition, particularly if you have a BIG yard, or sheds, etc. It's good for the dog to have the ENTIRE RANGE of tools well within reach...and harnessed for the purposes of the owner.

I say not necessary because an intruder's scent "cone"...in a static environment...will be quite easy for a dog to detect...but it will also be rather recent...so it won't necessarily be disseminated. This last point makes it important to teach the dog to search.

The intruder in or around the house or business BEFORE you enter is one scenario that should be trained. The other is an intrusion while you are in the business or house...applicable if you're one to have your dog sleeping loose in the "bedroom" area. Proper tactics would depend on your personal skill set, other people in the house, distance to proper assistance, and a few other factors.

There are few things more disconcerting than to be roused from sleep by loud noises...that shouldn't be...at 3:30 am...while your kids are sleeping an ENTIRE HALLWAY AWAY.

Agreed. I have trained for this situation and taught to search an area but I've never trained true tracking. I guess I'll give it a shot and if I can figure it out maybe do a tracking title for fun. I doubt it would hurt a ppd to have this skill. Thanks for the replies.