BLIND TRACKS As you prepare
for getting your tracking dog ready for certification and tests, you will want
to run what are called “blind tracks”. A
blind track is where a tracklayer lays your track and you do not see it being
laid. The track will also be
regulation length 440-500 yards and at least ˝ hour in age.
One of the most
essential things you will need is a someone to lay your track that can make a
good map, knows the rules as far as the minimum length of a leg (50 yards) and
the number of required turns (3-5). Should
your dog have trouble on the blind track, it is essential that your tracklayer
be able to absolutely know where the turn is.
Good tracking dogs can be ruined when their noses are right and a
tracklayer argues that the turn goes the other way!
When you get
ready to run your first blind track, approach the track with your tracking
routine (see previous article) and give your dog plenty of time at the start to
absorb the scent. I like to tell
students to count to 5 before ever releasing their dog to track.
It is also essential for you to not try to rush through the track.
Patience is the ultimate virtue of tracking.
Reading your dog is second virtue, but right up there with patience.
Let me explain; As your dog
proceeds down the blind track, you will need to carefully watch your dog to
observe what it is doing. Is your
dog lifting its head after you have proceeded for a distance?
This can be a sure sign that your dog has run out of scent and may very
well be at a corner. Remember the
previous lesson of backing up slightly at this point to help the dog find the
corner and the new scent leg. Did
your dog go to the left twice, but never really pull you down the next leg?
Usually we see this as the handler is uncertain of the direction, and the
dog is indicating that they are uncertain because you are.
In the beginning, it is sometimes helpful to have your tracklayer confirm
the right direction when the dog does this, so both of you can learn confidence.
Finally, one of
the biggest mistakes that new handlers do is to want the dog to track the track
in lightening speed. While that is
nice, it does not always happen, and because we can not smell what the dog does,
we don’t know why. It is important
to let the dog work it out and for the handler to have the patience to allow
that to happen. The other big
mistake that is commonly seen on blind tracks is when the handler is uncertain,
they allow slack in the lead. Allowing
this to happen fails to communicate to the dog that they are working.
Keeping the lead taut as the dog tracks keeps the communication to the
dog to keep on working. Spring is here!
Have fun tracking with your dog!
cima@charter.net |
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