I’m so glad you recommended the Barwig/Hilliard Shutzund: Theory and Training methods book. I have only read the early chapters on tracking so far but it’s soooo nice to have everything laid out so simply. We just got back home from our first time trying some track work. I had been trying to think of good training locations when I remembered the cemetery. It’s HUGE, beautiful, and fenced all the way around with roads running through it. I rarely see other people there and never any other dogs. We had the place all to ourselves.
While Nuke was locked in the car, I stomped out a two foot by two foot scent pad in the snow, then walked heel to toe in a straight line dropping a treat in every other step. I made two turns and looped back to the pad. Then I put Nuke on a long line in a harness and started him at the pad with “find it.” Granted, this was an easy track as best I could tell, but he followed it perfectly all the way back around. Then we did it again slower, picking up the treats he missed the first time.
Then I made another, longer track, and this time took normal strides and put a treat in every fourth print. Again, perfect tracking, nailed every right angle turn. Now, it’s in the snow so for all I know he’s following it by sight, but it sure looked impressive to me. 🙂 It’ll be awhile before I have a place with no snow to work in. I’ll have to get some survey flags so I’ll know where my tracks are laid.
The cemetery is PERFECT. After the track, we did obedience on the paved roads for awhile, then worked on retrieving. He does NOT want to bring the ball back. I have tried immediately throwing it when he brings it so he knows the game starts over; I have tried calling him and giving him a treat in exchange for the ball…. he just wants to keep it all to himself until he gets bored with it.
And then I started throwing the ball and then hiding behind a big headstone and making him find me, whereupon I rewarded him with lots of pets and treats. He’s really good at that, too. Next time I’ll get John to go and John can lay down a long track and hide at the end. 🙂
Anyway, I love this little dog to pieces and we are SO happy with him!!!
Thanks,
Stacy
Use two toys or a ball son a line until Nuke better with bring the ball back to you.
http://www.elcajonschutzhundclub.com/Two%20Toy%20Game.pdf
am always happy to read your posts to see what Nuke is up to. it sounds like you are having fun with Ostara’s boy. I
I doubt very much that Nuke is actually “tracking” with his nose, unless he is a natural tracker (and the odds are against it- his mother certainly was no natural); he is most likely just taking the easiest path. However, if your cookies are not visible he is probably using his nose to find them. Most likely when the snow melts you will find that he isn’t quite so skilled in nosework, but that’s okay. you will not hurt his future training by working on snow now.
To help get the idea across that he is following a particular scent you might try to work him in places where there are other visible tracks (human or animal) and make your track go across these; you will probably need to help him make the right choice about which track to follow. I’d leave a jackpot shortly after any cross tracks to reward him for working through a difficult puzzle.
If it is possible find a knowlegable tracking partner. it is very difficult to learn to read your dog working alone, especially if you have never done it before. it can be done (I did it), but it is so much easier with help.
Have fun!
From a schutzhund guru friend, he said: “If you are going to track in the snow,use a tracking blindfold. Best book is “Tracking from the Beginning” by Gary Patterson.”
I am suppose to add that the tracking blindfold is a special made blind, that has cups over the eyes so the dog can open its eyes but just can not see. Mike also will use this in the summer on occasion.