I recently put my golden retriever to work on a buck I shot but I had lost the blood trail on. He seemed to get right on the blood trail that I knew existed, and hit the ground running, going exactly where I had tracked the deer. He continued past the last known blood I had without hesitation. Keeping in mind, this is his first blood tracking he's been on. He took me about 800 yards with his nose hard on the ground. We came to another creek crossing (2nd one) and he stopped, nosed in the air for a minute, then crossed and began searching for the scent again. He was never able to pick back up on it though. I am very proud of him ( assuming he was on the scent still), and am considering training him a little to help make him a successful tracking dog. I am however worried that once I get him running scent/blood tracking, that he will keep running off. He is currently on an invisible fence and we live in the country. I was wondering if anyone has had good luck with having a family dog that enjoys tracking when you need him to do it, but doesn't run off all the time?
Yes........absolutely. I have a few friends with wirehair dachsunds bred specifically for this and all are family friendly dogs. My own beagle/dachsund/redbone cross has recovered a couple of deer for me. Read this book and it will teach you everything you want to know about it........ http://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Dogs-Finding-Wounded-Deer/dp/0972508902
Absolutely... I had a Lab who would find them. Keep the dog on a leash though. It slows them down and helps them concentrate on blood. Sometimes they get distracted when at a spot where there is no blood and they go off chasing sparrows instead.
