I realize there is already a couple threads related to using tracking dogs but didn't see any that really focused on the training or owning of them. I’m a beginner owner who has chosen to stumble through training. Hopefully without making too many mistakes. I know i will make some. I also know this thread may not get a ton of traffic, as not many people have tracking dogs, but wanted to put it out here in hopes that whoever may have experience or is interested in learning how to train or use a tracking dog may kick around ideas, offer advice, and maybe touch on the do’s and don'ts. This has become such a hot topic in the recent past. Its one of the common phrases heard in hunting lingo now (“better call a dog”) when there is a questionable hit. Almost as common as “When in doubt back out”. Both are good advice in many questionable shot situations. So does anyone else out there own a dog(s)they track with? Trainers? I’ll start, I have a 4mo. Old GSP female pup with excellent bloodlines. Not that the bloodlines are the most important thing but she does. I have only done a few tracks with a kit i bought online. Deer hide and scent on a rope tied to a 10ft pole saw so my tracks are well away from hers. Every track she has been blind to and every one successful so far. Her longest track was almost 150yds. To be fair none of these tracks have been in challenging terrain. I give her a little liver as a reward reward when she finds the hide. She loves doing it it and you can tell she has an excellent nose. After a good amount of training sessions with the scent i will buy some (deer shoes) and will save all my deer legs to train on digital gland scent. Then ill do bloodless tracks. Thats the plan anyway. If anyone has advice, stories, feel free to chime in!
We started off with one of those kits with the antler scent and the blood scent when our dog was probably about 4 months. Barley is a Cane Corso and loves to work so we did this so she’d have something to do and MAYBE it would work out and she’d help find deer. She’s three now and we did a track last Saturday. She picked up blood down in a ravine 30 yards away from last blood. I would’ve never looked down in that steep sucker. She followed it till the doe bumped and the doe eventually quit bleeding. This was after a year of no work or track jobs. The only problem is shes 110lbs and it’s hard to slow her down. My wife was on the end of a 25’ lead getting drug through everything. We have a pinch collar (some special name) we use when she’s not working and save the harness for work time. As soon as she sees that harness she gets jacked. Maybe in a year or two she’ll understand she doesn’t have to go full tracking speed through a briar thicket lol.
Also, we made sure her first few actual tracks were sealed deals. I knew the deer were dead and they weren’t very long. Once you get that confidence instilled in them and the mature a little bit, it’s pretty awesome to watch them work
That’s awesome! Those dogs are beasts. Ive seen some guys use 100’ check cords and even “accidentally” drop them and catch up later. Obviously trying to keep up as much as possible. I would definitely think once that dog is locked on a scent the last thing you want to do is distract or impede in any way. They should be able to come to a halt on command for safety reasons though i would think. I started using an e-collar with my pup. No shock just vibration and the results were mind blowing. Very smart pup she is. Just a handful if you dont help her burn her energy off.
