Quote: Michael Reese

I know when the dog is ready by his or her ability to focus and be intense on grass. After that I go to dirt then gravel and then hard surface. I use hot dog slices at an interval of 5-15 and then an article at 20 steps.

Michael , you are on the right track, as for me on the scent to the cement i simply do steps, nothing too wide at first and i use hot dogs the way you do.I would not do a sharp turn into cement at first , a wide turn into the cement would be best,or a simple straight cross over.I also have used water on it, let it slightly dry and stepped accross it but only with my older male who knows tracking on any surface very well.You can add tha tlater on.Cement wet brings out alot of odors, it's good test for your dogs later..
Richard Articles can be a piece of leather , wood ,plastic whatever , and when your dog comes accross it (in schutzhund) it downs in front of Article and indicates it.It is a nice way to track because the dog can associate the smell of the article with the track,same odor.It is good later on if you want your dog to find certain things
After our trial this Sunday with Yaggo(I am reitring him from the sport) I am going to teach him to find keys and anything I want him to look for.It's easy and productive

If your dog can track approx. 75 ft. in a straight line with good intensity and focus then you can add a corner. Don't make it a 45 though, go for a gentle curve and gradually make them sharper and sharper as long as the dog is doing well. Now when you are just starting tracking let the dog eat on the track (just put his regular food down first and don't feed him the night before). Another thing in this faze try making the track short like 25 ft at first. When you get ready to start using the hot dogs you can gradually stretch it to 75. After this faze if all goes well try placing a hot dog slice every step, then every other. If all goes well for a time, try it at 1,3, and 5. Stomp a little scent pad out where you want the track to start. I know a lot of people like to stomp their feet when laying the track but I never have. One more thing, actually 2 more things; put the choke chain under his leg (this will help keep his head down) and if he won't keep it down straddle the dog and push his head down, then when he seems to be on the track ease up on his head so your not to much of a distraction. Don't let him go to fast because you want him to be somewhat methodical about the whole thing. If all this is going well add a corner at a time and work your way to an L shape. Everything is gradual, from the spacing to the amount of distance. The last question: the only thing I use to scent the track with is my footprints.

Michael, about the original question...

Get the book "Training the Behavior" sold on the main Leerburg site. (It's invaluable) Ed has a video on hard surface tracking. I haven't watched it. There's so much information in Ed's tracking videos that it makes my head hurt to watch them.

My understanding from reading "Training the Behavior" would be to lay scent with a spray bottle or a drag, corners should be rounded and triple laid (three times as wide as the straight part). Make sure your dogs are ABLE to find that corner.

Is wind direction an issue in hard surface tracking? More or less than on grass?

This is based on READING, not DOING so take is with a handful of salt or so.

I just want to add to Michaels statement ,Brad if your dog is too fast put more food on the track..

Wind definitely affects hard surface tracking. It's not as much a factor on grass because it holds the scent much better, especially if it's damp which is why when I start a dog on tracking training I like to go early in the morning while the dew is still on the grass. Thanks for the tip on the book.