Tracking is a type of canine sport intended to exercise the mind and body of working dogs. Working dogs are those which have high drive and require a means for release. By challenging these dogs with a task, they utilize their innate physical and mental abilities to the fullest extent, as nature had intended. Outside of tracking, other forms of release for the working dog include obedience, agility and protection work.

There are different avenues of tracking from Schutzhund trials (earning titles), to Search and Rescue (professional working dogs), to dogs who only participate as a form of energy release. The dogs below have advanced obedience, have been trained in the field of protection, and are in search of their next challenge. These dogs are currently learning the basics of tracking for the possible pursuit of Schutzhund titles and FEMA certifications.

Although it is not the intent for these dogs to work as professionals, as a result of their work, they do possess the abilities to assist in finding missing pets. The nature of tracking requires that these dogs learn to follow scent tracks to reach their ultimate goal. As a result, these methods can be directly applied in the search of a missing pet.

 



Tracking

These puppies are learning how to search.
It starts off by simply tossing treats in a hiding place such as this to have the dog use his/her nose to search for the "missing treat". This is where you would start to introduce the command of  "track".
      

   

Wes shows Teigen (8 weeks) and his owner Michelle the proper way to begin a puppy's very first track!
 



  In Schutzhund, the track consists of a track that is very mechanical and the dog can not pick it's head up to "air scent", where as in Search and Rescue there are no rules to how the dog can search.

This is Nikki and her owner Alex. They begin their search and when they find the "missing person" you will see that Nikki lays beside her "missing person". You will see in the next series of photos that, during the Search, there are articles that are left behind by the person laying the track. Whether that is the handler or, in Search and Rescue, the person for which the dog is searching, an item such as clothing has been dropped.

 

 



In these pictures you will see Peyton and his owner Alex doing a standard Schutzhund type track. When an article is found by the dog the dog will indicate by laying down with the article between the front two paws to signify to the handler that he has found something that belongs to the missing. The handler then approaches the dog and picks up the item and holds it in the air to signify to those who are watching that something belonging to the missing has been found. However, there are many ways for a dog to indicate that an article has been found when doing Search and Rescue style training.

 

 

 
Though tracking comes natural to most dogs, it is still something that has to be taught with precision. Angie and her owner Anne here are prime examples that even an adult dog can learn to track and be sucessful at it. Angie is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix who was rescued by Anne. Anne and Angie have lended their services to missing pets on numerous occasions and has a wonderful track record for finding missing pets!
 

 

Dogs need to learn to track on different surfaces such as grass, dirt and asphalt.
Here you see Wes's son Brandon tracking his dog Gypsi on such surfaces.

 



Teaching your dog to track is a great way to get involved in your community. It gives a dog a job to do and can help by allowing the dog to burn off that extra energy!

 To lend that special helping hand, or paw! Here at Arrowwood Shepherds you and your dog can learn to become a wonderfully sucessful tracker!

 
  If you have lost a pet and are interested in the assistance from one of these dogs, please contact Wesley by email or call him at 410.804.2714