How to Train a Dog to Seek and Find?
Dog Tracking Training
Ability of dog to seek and find may be a useful skill not only for
Schutzhund but also for daily routine.
It may happen that you or your friends loose something out of home.
It is obvious that dogs have unique smell and are able to find
anything. And if you learn how to train your dog to seek and find
and practice it, you will never have a trouble with the search for
lost items.
First of all let's explain. "Tracking" is following the scent of a person or animal,
that is left along a certain track. Following a scent is one of
the many useful skills of dogs that bring a lot of use and help people. Hounds track
game, rescue dogs track lost children, police dogs track suspects,
well trained dogs can find lost items.
The most favorable dog breeds for tracking are hounds, labradors,
German and West European Shepherds. But if there is a wish you will
manage to train any dog to seek and find.
If you've decided to train your dog to seek and find use the
following dog training commands: "Track", "Retrieve/Fetch", "Sit",
"Give", "No" and a gesture pointing the track. Besides, for tracking
training you will need dog treats, tracking articles and help of
your friends or family.
One of the most important conditions for dog tracking training is
the active smell-seek reaction and retrieve skills of the trainee
dog. It is desirable to train a dog to seek a person by smell track
before dog tracking training.
1 steps how to train a dog to seek and find? First of all train a
dog to move in the indicated direction. Find a field limited by a
fence. Make a dog sit by a command beside you. Adjust a long lead to
a dog collar and command "Go" followed with a pointing gesture send
a dog in a definite direction and follow the dog. Lead dog direction
by slight pulling on a lead left/right making a dog reach the field
fence. If you repeat such training several times daily your dog will
get used to zigzagging quickly and you will learn to navigate the
terrain and lead dog direction with a leash.
When a dog have learned this exercise move forward for seeking
of small tracking articles, thrown in grass or bushes. The tracking
articles should be various in shape and material, not bright (to
match the surroundings) and have your smell. The method of training
is the same as retrieving/fetching training. But throw the articles
to be invisible for a dog and send the dog with a command "Track".
It will make a dog seek the articles by smell.
When a dog learns this exercise move forward to train seeking and
bringing of 4-5 articles thrown in various directions. For this
choose a flat field with dense grass and move in the middle of it.
Your helper should follow you behind throwing articles. At the first
dog training classes a dog should see the action of throwing and be
sent with a command "Retrieve" after each throw. The next classes at
first the helper throws articles and you remember the places they
fell. After that send a dog to seek and bring them to you with a
command "Track".
Other way to train this exercise: Stay still and throw the articles
in different direction for a dog to see it. Then standing still send
a dog to track the articles and bring them to you with a command
"Retrieve".
Next the helper should throw 4-5 articles at the distance of 5-10 m
from each other. After 10-15 min send a dog to seek by a command
"Track". Praise a dog with a treat and word "Good" each time he
finds the article. Repeat the exercise no more than 2-3 times a
class.
The next exercise train a dog skill to track 4-5 articles at a field
of 40x70 m size approximately. The helper throws the articles before
the class according to the scheme mentioned before. After 10-15 min
go with a dog to the field, stop and tell a dog to "Sit" beside you.
Adjust a long dog lead to a dog collar and with a command "Track"
and a pointing gesture send a dog to track the field in the he
direction of the closest article.
Follow the dog and control its direction by the lead if needed. If
the dog found the article, come up to him, praise with a word
"Good", pamper, give a treat, take the article and put it into your
bag. Then command "Track" and point with a gesture again to send a
dog to seek the next article and follow the dog. When a dog finds
it, repeat the actions described before.
If a dog does not take the article when he founds it make it sit
beside the article with a command and give a treat. Praise a dog
with a treat and word "Good". Take the article and hide it in the
bag. Then send a dog to track the next article. The aim of this
exercise is to train a dog to indicate the found article by sitting
beside it.
After the final finding of the article with a command "Sit" make a
dog sit beside you, unleash him and command "Go" let a dog walking
off leash. Repeat the exercise after 10-15 min rest.
When a dog learns to track articles actively enlarge the territory
of a tracking field to 90-100 m long with the same width. Throw
articles at different distance from each other to send a dog
sometimes into a wrong direction. Change the type of tracking
fields, enlarge the number or tracking articles and time between
throwing and start of tracking. In the result of dog tracking
training a dog is to track actively a field of 50x100 m territory,
find articles himself, pick them up and bring to you or indicate the
finding by a sitting beside.
In the process of dog training you are to learn the peculiarities of
dog behavior in tracking, learn the technique to lead a dog by a
leash and navigate the terrain.
Change the surrounding circumstances of training gradually.
Repeat the exercises no more than 3-4 times a week in various time.
Do not forget to praise a dog for each found article.
Train dog training in familiar and strange circumstances.
Change the quantity of articles and the schemes of their placing for
each exercise.
Related links:
Schutzhund Dog Sport
Dog leads - types, features and intended use
Dog Sport. Weight Pulling
Dog Trainer and Dog Training Field Choice
Dog Attack Work Training
Dog Breeds for Dog Sport and Service
Dog Games Outside. Interactive Dog Games.
Clicker Training for Dogs | How to Clicker Train a Dog
