Just like the other two phases of a Schutzhund trial, tracking is not just a competitive training event but also an examination of character. On the day of the trial, before it is allowed to track, each dog is examined by the judge for its nervous stability. The animal must be steady, neither timid nor inappropriately aggressive. It may be friendly or it may not, but above all it must not be unreliable or dangerous.
Every judge, it seems, has a different way of examining the dogs. Some touch the animals, some just observe the dog’s behavior in the midst of a group of people. If any dog entered in a trial shows a sign of a severe flaw in temperament, it will not have the chance to track. Instead, it will be eliminated from the trial on the spot.
In addition, completely apart from the temperament test, by watching the dog on the tracking field an astute judge can evaluate the dog’s nerves and its bond with its handler, as well as its desire to work independently. He can gauge the animal’s confidence in itself and its work, its ability to concentrate and, very importantly, its drive to perform the task. It is during the tracking phase that the judge forms an initial opinion about the quality of the dog as well as the value of the training it has been given by its handler.
The following list contains some general considerations in training the tracking dog.
1. A large number of practice sessions should be provided for each concept, and each of these concepts must be mastered before proceeding to the next.
2. Beginning tracks should run into the wind so that the smell of the track will blow directly to the dog. Avoid cross winds on beginning tracks.
3. Beginning tracks should be laid on flat surfaces away from large objects in order to keep the scent and thus the dog’s nose in the footsteps.
4. Only when the dog is confident on the track and really understands the concepts of tracking should the wind, terrain and other environmental conditions be made adverse to its performance.
5. Tracking sessions should be kept positive. Avoid reprimanding the dog and using harsh obedience commands while preparing or running the track. This does not mean that the dog should never be corrected, but that a command such as “No!” should be said in such a way that the animal understands without feeling intensely pressured.
6. The dog should always find an article or reward at the end of the track. Even if the animal overruns or misses the original one, a substitute can be pulled from the handler’s pocket and thrown onto the track. The dog must always be successful.
7. Once the dog has passed its Schutzhund I, occasionally use a variety of tracklayers, both male and female, as well as tracklayers of varying weights. They should be encouraged to wear an assortment of foot-gear. Of course, it is still possible and even advantageous for the handler to hone the dog’s skills by laying his own tracks, even at an advanced level.
8. If using a harness, it should be used only for tracking. Put it on the dog a few feet before the tracking stake and remove it immediately at the conclusion of the track so that the animal associates the harness with its work.
9. During the teaching phase it is necessary to help the dog find the track whenever necessary. Therefore it is absolutely crucial to know the exact location of the track. This can be accomplished by marking the track with flags, mapping it or learning the knack for remembering exactly where one has walked.
10. Only one variable should be manipulated at each tracking training session. For example, if we are changing the age of the track, we must keep the distance, type of terrain and wind conditions constant.
11. One should attempt a tracking session only when in a pleasant mood. Do not go tracking in an irritable, agitated or angry mood, and if things suddenly go wrong during training, put the dog in the car and go home, even if a track is already laid.
12. In order to give the dog additional encouragement, a time for play with the ball or a run in the field should always follow a tracking training session.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR TRACKING
The harness should be soft and comfortable, preferably with adjustable buckles on the chest and girth. Two kinds of harnesses are commonly used. The nonrestrictive harness is perhaps more desirable in that it does not restrict or interfere in any way with the dog’s shoulder movement. The second type of harness, the restrictive harness, is often used by military and police organizations. A puppy harness can be cheaply made by using cotton webbing and stitching it on a regular sewing machine.
A tracking harness is not required for a Schutzhund trial, and many dogs compete in just their chain collars.
A ⅝-inch webbed lead is readily available commercially and works well. However, if a lighter material is desired (for smaller dogs or for more lead sensitivity), a lead can easily be made from light cord. It is helpful with some types of leads to put a knot at fifteen feet.
Tracking stakes are used for the benefit of the handler, not the dog. They aid the handler in remembering the exact location and direction of the track, so that he can either help the dog back to the footsteps or correct it back to them.
For this purpose, ⅜-inch dowels that are approximately thirty-six inches long are readily available in hardware stores and building supply outlets. A small bright piece of fabric or tape can be tied to the top of the stake to make it more noticeable in weedy terrain. The end of the stake can also be sharpened in a pencil sharpener to make penetration into the ground easier. Children’s arrows or surveyor flags also make good tracking stakes.
Old-fashioned clothespins, sprayed a bright color, also can be clipped to vegetation on long, difficult tracks to indicate turns and direction.
The articles should be hand size or smaller, and a variety of fabrics—including leather and cloth—should be used. Old socks that are knotted work well, as do gloves. In many trials, the articles given the tracklayers by the organizing club are simply small flat squares of leather. For the purposes of training, leather scraps are available from shoe repair or craft shops.
The articles used for training should be about the same value (lightness or darkness of color) as the vegetation, so that the dog does not learn to search them out with its eyes instead of its nose.
Once flags are no longer used in training, it will be necessary to map out the tracks. All practice tracks are a learning experience for both dog and handler, and adjustments must be made if the dog inadvertently loses the track. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for the handler to know where the actual footsteps are at all times. This can best be done by sketching a quick but accurate map immediately after laying the track.
At the completion of the track one of the dog’s favorite toys should be produced and a big production made of a few minutes of play. If the dog is not interested in chasing a ball or toy, another reward should be used, such as food or a romp on the tracking field. If the dog becomes too excited and eager to reach the end of the track for the toy, a less stimulating reinforcer must be utilized.