Hey everyone, While waiting for my training video's I am looking for some suggestions on basic SAR training for my 8 month GSD. where to start and some simple drills we can begin with to make it fun for him. He has the drive and while we are on walks his nose is on the ground. we have him through basic obediance and I would love to help my friend learn to track. I am also new to training so please be REAL specific. Thanks
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Ed Frawley Administrator Reg: 07-11-2001
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If your interest is a straight S&R dog (not cadver) you should start to train your puppy in foot step tracking. Then when he is 12 to 13 month old switch him to tracking through drive (TTD). DO NOT DO AIR SCENTING UNTIL THE PUP HAS 60 TTD TRACKS.
Read the articles on my web site on thisd and the Q&A section.
The biggest mistake American S&R people make is to start air scenting too soon. Its one of the reasons they are not as effective as they should be. I have written extensively on this.
OK, at the risk of being told I am stupid I have read all your posts in the TTD section, have looked through many , not all Q&A and articles and cannot find the information you say is there that says you have said all this repeatedly. Maybe it is in the tapes, which I do not have.
1 Where and why do you say a dog < one year needs to be doing footstep tracking instead of TTD -- I see you are a strong advocate for TTD but all I see about footstep is that it is ok to do it then transition at about a year but not "why you need to wait"
2 No challenge on being solid on tracking before doing airscent problems but sometimes, despite best set up efforts, the winds do shift and your dog may airscent from the track to the victim -- in those circumstances what would you do? I am NOT talking about an airscent set up where you start the dog without a track.
3 A lot of people are talking about SIAB but I dont see any thing on that, opinions? Many are just using the DI without the shirt soaking.
John Haudenshield Webboard User Reg: 07-12-2001
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1 Where and why do you say a dog < one year needs to be doing footstep tracking instead of TTD -- I see you are a strong advocate for TTD but all I see about footstep is that it is ok to do it then transition at about a year but not "why you need to wait"
Nancy,
I'm not going to speak for Ed, but this is my belief/experience:
By teaching a Wilderness Air Scent or SAR Tracking/Trailing prospect, eg puppy, to footstep track first it helps the dog develop discipline and use/reliance on his nose. Secondly, and possibly more important, it allows you as the handler to begin the process of learning to 'read' your dog in a great way.
I'm sure there are plenty of good WAS & Tracking/Trailing SAR dogs out there that didn't do footstep tracking or moved onto TTD prior to 1 yr old. My feeling is that if you utilize footstep tracking as a foundation for these disciplines, you will end up with a dog that is able to adapt and solve problems b/c he was taught to do so in his foundation work AND you'll work better as a team, faster.
JMO
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