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Subject: Is CKC/AKC Tracking training a good idea

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acolic

Posts:8

03/04/2010 5:07 PM
Hi, there is a local club running a tracking course. The course teaches skills needed to finish a CKC or AKC tracking test. In the test a person walks out and places a glove at the end of a track.The dog is brought up to the track and it must follow the track and find the glove. There is no blood involved. I thought it would be a fun thing to go through this course but I don't want what he learns on this course to impact his hunting training. Will this type of sent training impact his hunting ability? Thanks Alex

jlp8cornell User is Offline

Ithaca NY

MH
Posts:461

03/05/2010 5:59 AM
Hi Alex: There are most certainly people who do field work and track with their dogs. For AKC, there are 3 levels- TD (tracking dog), TDX (TD excellent) and VST (variable surface). If you get all three titles, your dog is a CT (champion tracker). Long process with lots of hard work. Anyway, I am assuming your club is running a tracking clinic- usually a 1-2 day clinic that works with advanced handlers as well as starts beginner handlers? My club is running one as well in May. I plan on going. I started tracking my boy when he was 4 months. he did very well, almost too well, and then started searching and not tracking. I am starting him up again, now a year later. I don;t think anything you do with him as far as tracking will impact his hunting. What you will be doing most likely is going through basic tracking concepts and starting tracks. If you are really interested you should buy a few books on the subject. Each level of tracking will take you time to train for. It's not a quick thing. Not at all! Have fun!

Jen http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2440

pixie bee

MH
Posts:3916

03/05/2010 6:42 AM
tracking should not hurt his hunting. Tracking will teach him to refine his nose.And you will find out the quality of his nose and focus thru tracking. You will find out if he prefers his head up or down when scenting. I made my own AKC tracking course a little while ago,I made it much more difficult then I should have, and the dogs did ok. But my dogs had been bloodtracking a lot before this and had the concentration they needed. I found human scent,when in the wind, really diminishes fast. Don't begin on windy days,use flat land and markers and show the dog the objects. It's not terribly difficult,really is a matter of time and patience on your behalf. It is really FUN. Francine

"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle

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