alex
Hunter/worker
Posts: 130
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Post by alex on Dec 8, 2005 12:08:28 GMT -5
Curt,
She did very good for the first time tracker - we did use Maughs manual, Ryans and yours advises. We started with a box on a neighborhood's loans. So far so good, she understands the command, loves doing it - nose down+tail is wagging, looks very happy in the end. I think she like doing something new after 2 years of only obedience training. I heard that you will have difficulties tracking now considering that you've got snow already?
Alex.
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Post by Wolfer on Dec 8, 2005 12:24:17 GMT -5
Hmmmmm Why would SNow create a problem with tracking... COld air and Moisture hold scent better?
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alex
Hunter/worker
Posts: 130
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Post by alex on Dec 8, 2005 12:39:33 GMT -5
Hmmmmm Why would SNow create a problem with tracking... COld air and Moisture hold scent better? because dog sees the track and will use eyes to track it. if you lay the track before snowfall - its ok to track, since your steps will be covered. |
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Post by hicntry on Dec 8, 2005 12:54:11 GMT -5
Just who was it that said the dog will see the track an knoiw what he is looking at? Most dogs can't find a person, standing in the open in front of a broken background unless you move just a little. MPO is that he is smelling the track but it just looks like he is following it visually because they are together. Dogs don't follow old track with no scent left in them.....they run right over them but, if I ever catch one of my dogs do an about face and head out at a run on a week old frozen track. I will be the first to tell you.
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alex
Hunter/worker
Posts: 130
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Post by alex on Dec 8, 2005 13:15:20 GMT -5
Just who was it that said the dog will see the track an knoiw what he is looking at? Don, I have not done schutzhund style tracking in winter for more than 20 years, but do remember doing it in the 'old country' in winter - dog does see the track on a FRESH snow if there is no more tracks around. |
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Post by hicntry on Dec 8, 2005 16:21:38 GMT -5
Ok, let's say he see's a track, will he follow it without any scent. Again, let's say he is following this scentless track and there is another one that crosses it, also scentless, what is the dog going to do if he is good enough to track by sight. Now, let's forget the snow. We are now hunting in soft dirt and there are tracks that are just as obvious as , if not more so, than the snow. Will he take the track if there is no scent. No, he will not. I may be wrong Alex, but I have yet to see a dog run a scentless track regardless of how obvious it is. You say the dog can see the track, that might be, will he follow it without a scent trail? If the dog drops his head, he is scenting. JMHO of course but I have never done schutzund but I wouldn't think it was much different than following game where there are tracks every where. Take five people out with you. Have everyone start from a common point and each one leave at about 70 degrees from the next. You will be laying five tracks in a cartwheel. Bring the dog in and see if he follows your track. If he does he is scenting regardless of what it looks like. Age the tracks first if you want, I don't think it will make a difference but I may be wrong. I have read and heard many things regarding some of this technical training that I would have to question. One being that the dog is actually following a nitrogen trail from crushed vegitation. I think a lot of this is derived from opinions from various sources. From watching the dogs in the field, predator vesus prey, I just find some of the conclusions that have been drawn, about what a dog is doing and why he is doing it, a little far reaching. I am not being critical of opinions, I just want to know how they were arrived at Alex. Are they opinions or fact?
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alex
Hunter/worker
Posts: 130
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Post by alex on Dec 8, 2005 17:23:57 GMT -5
Don,
I wasn't talking about facts - that was only my opinion, based on my old (20 years ago) experience and proved by my conversation with a few schutzhund friends over the last weekend.
I dont think the dog will track if there is no scent, does not matter how big the traces are - I agree with you 100%.
In the beginning stages of schutzhund tracking it was not recommended to start in a snow for inexperienced dog - one other reason was (except those that I mentioned earlier) food was in each of your tracks and you want to make sure that dog can not see it.
I do love to read your analysis of dog behavior based on real life experience. They give me very valuable information.
-Alex-.
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