A
dog is tracking when he follows the scent trail left by a human being
(or other animal) that has passed along a certain route. Following a track
is one of the many useful things dogs can do to help humans. Hunting dogs
track game, rescue dogs track lost children, police dogs track suspects,
well trained pets can find lost items or family members. Many dog owners
are involved in tracking with their dogs as a hobby for fun or as a
sport to earn titles, or both while others specialize in search and rescue work with their dogs.
As
stated in the AKC Tracking Regulations, the purpose of a tracking test
"is to demonstrate the dog's ability to recognize and follow human scent,
a skill that is useful in the service of mankind. Tracking, by nature,
is a vigorous, noncompetetive outdoor sport. Tracking tests demonstrate
the willingness and enjoyment of the dog in its work, and should always
represent the best in sportsmanship and camraderie by the people involved."
Most dog owners involved in tracking do so because it's an enjoyable way
to spend time with your dog and enjoy nature at the same time. Earning
formal titles at tests allows people to earn some gratification and tangible
rewards for the time and hard work they invest in training their dogs.
To
begin tracking you need a healthy dog, the proper equipment, and time.
The special equipment needed for tracking includes a tracking harness
for the dog, a long lead (25' or longer), a few articles (leather glove,
old wallet, old sock, etc.), some treats for the dog, and flags or flagging
tape to mark starts and turns. Eventually, you will need one or more other
people to lay tracks for you. Lastly, you will need some open fields,
forests or grassy areas to train on. In early training, only a couple
of acres are necessary. For advanced tracks, twenty acres or more may
be required to adequately challenge the dog.
Just
as importantly, you need to be in reasonably good physical condition yourself.
Tracking requires a great deal of walking in fields and woods. You may
need to walk up steep hills, hop over ditches, and climb over fences.
To lay an advanced track and run it later may require you to walk well
over a mile in rough terrain.
Any breed of dog can track. Weimaraners have bloodhound-type trailing
dogs in their background and are especially good at tracking. Dogs have
a sense of smell so keen we can't even conceptualize what it's like. The
dog must be in good health, trainable and motivated to track.
AMERICAN
KENNEL CLUB TRACKING TESTS
Three
test levels are available, Tracking Dog (TD), Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX)
and Variable Surface Tracking (VST). Passing a TD test is a prerequisite
for entering the other two tests. A dog which passes all three tests earns
the title CT, Champion Tracker. Only one pass is required at each level.
A
written statement must accompany each TD entry that is a certification
by a judge or provisional judge of AKC TD tests that the dog has satisfactorily
passed a test of similar complexity to a TD test performed under similar
conditions to a TD test. The statement must be dated within one year of
the test and must be signed by the certifying judge.
The
dog must wear a non-restrictive harness and the handler will use a 20-40
foot long leash attached to the harness.
TD STANDARD - Article at the end of the track must be a glove or wallet
and not of a color which contrasts sharply with the background.
The
tracklayer must not have laid a track for, boarded, or trained a TD test
dog within the previous 60 days and must not be a household resident or
member of the immediate family of the dog's handler, and shall lay the
track at a normal walking pace, drop the article on a straight portion
of track and not near a turn at a distance of 440-500 yards from the start.
The
length of each leg between turns must be at least 50 yards and a total
of 3-5 turns shall be used. The first turn must be more than 30 yards
from the second flag and some turns shall be made at right angles but
no turn shall be acute in angle.
The
start is marked with a flag and the initial direction of the track is
marked with a second flag 30 yards from the start.
The test begins when the dog leaves the first flag. The handler may not
guide or lead the dog in any way. The handler is permitted one restart
provided he has not passed the second flag. Once the dog has started the
handler must remain at least 20 feet back on the line.
The
dog must make a clear indication at the article, with the style of indication
left up to the discretion of the handler.
TDX
STANDARD
Dogs must have previously earned a TD title.
A single flag marks the start and the first article is left at the starting
flag.
The
track is 800-1000 yards in length, with each leg at least 50 yards in
length, with 5-7 turns.
The
track is at least 3 hours but not more than 5 hours old.
The
first turn is in an open area and none of the turns should be made at
acute angles except in unusual circumstances. At least 3 of the turns
are right angle turns.
No
part of the track is laid within 50 yards of another part, or within 75
yards of any other track.
The
track is crossed at two different places by a pair of crosstrack layers
walking side by side about 4 feet apart. The crosstracks are laid between
1hr15min and 1hr45min after the start of laying the test track. The crosstracks
are laid on different legs, not within 50yards of a turn or within 30
yards of an article and are made at a 90 degree angle to the main track.
No crosstracks are laid within 75 yards of the start. During the test,
a dog that follows a crosstrack for more than 50yards will fail.
At least two obstacles will have to be negotiated on the track, but they
will be located at least 30yards from any article, turn or crosstrack
and no obstacle is permitted on the first leg. An obstacle may be a change
of cover, a natural obstacle such as a stream or a man made obstacle such
as a fence or road.
Four
articles in total are placed on the track, the first at the starting flag,
two at wide intervals on the track and the last one at the end of the
track. Personal items of a dissimilar nature and approximate size of a
glove or wallet are used. Articles are not placed within 30 yards of a
turn, crosstrack, or obstacle.
The
test is run in the same manner as the TD test, however once the dog leaves
the starting flag, no restart is permitted. The handler may take the article
at the start flag along with him on the track. The dog may be physically
assisted by the handler over obstacles if necessary. The handler must
remain at least 20 feet back on the line except when crossing obstacles.
VST
STANDARD
Dogs must have previously earned a TD title.
The track is 600-800 yards in length, with a minimum of three different
surfaces, including both vegetated areas and non-vegetated areas such
as concrete, gravel, sand or mulch. 35-50% of the track is non-vegetated
portion. Each leg of the track is at least 30 yards in length.
The
track shall be between 3 and 5 hours old, with 4-8 turns, at least three
of the turns made at right angles and some of the turns are set on non-vegetated
areas. Tracks may be laid along buildings, on stairways, breezeways, bridges,
carports or open buildings.
The
public is not restricted from entering the test area at any point, and
encounters with the public, cars ending up parked on a part of the track
or distractions of other animals constitue part of the test.
The
articles are four dissimilar everyday items, one leather, one plastic,
one metal and one fabric of the approximate size of a glove. The last
article is clearly marked with the #4. The first article is left at the
starting flag, the next two along the track, but not closer than 10 yards
to a turn, and the last article at the end of the track.
The
single start flag and first 20 yards of the track are laid in a vegetated
area. The track is run in a similar fashion to the TDX test, except that
the handler may be only 10 feet back on the line.
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