HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TRACK MY DOG?

All of our previous lessons have focused on teaching our dogs to track.  Now the question becomes – how often should I practice tracking?

Keep in mind that practicing tracking is really for the handler to learn how to handle the dog, as your dog already knows how to track.  His/her sense of smell and the ability to follow a scent is already there, so your sessions are really about developing your skills to learn how to read what your dog is doing and to be a good team member and not screw up your dog’s natural ability.

Like obedience, field, or agility, more practice can actually de-motivate the dog rather than make it better, unless you are careful how you practice.  If you consider the other venues, and let’s use obedience as an example, you would not go out on a daily basis and practice the entire utility routine that you would do in the ring while exhibiting.  Rather, you would break those exercises down and just practice small parts, such as a turn for the glove exercise, or perfecting your finishes.

Tracking is much the same.  Let’s say that you are having a difficult time reading your dog’s cues that a corner is coming up and a change in direction is needed.  Rather than put in a full track with long legs for your dog, consider putting in short legs, lots of corners that are marked and really working your dog to perfect those corners by adding a treat just past the corners.  If starts are your issue, consider laying one leg tracks, 3-4 of them for a session and make those starts highly motivating by putting your dog’s favorite toy or food at the end, or even their meal for the morning/evening.  Let’s say you have an article indication problem.  It is not consistently the same.  How about laying 5 gloves out in your backyard or driveway and insist on the proper article indication each time.  If aging a track is causing problems for your dog, go back to one leg tracks that are aged in increments, until your dog becomes confident with the age. 

By breaking these things down, you will continue to keep your dog highly motivated to play this game with you.  Remember to have a party at each training session with your dog so it remains fun!