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Ok, I'll try to answer all these questions.
Kristen's question,Which is better; stomping or rubbing your feet?
It doesn't matter. What you are doing is making a scent pad. You disturb the ground so that it smells different than the surrounding area. I don't like a whole lot of scuffing with a more experienced dog. A little scuffing with a young dog is ok. I like to stomp it in.
Connie asked, How many is a few? A few days of squares?
Yes, only a few days. Then start to make the area smaller.
Mike said,The way my trainer is teaching me tracking with 100% beginner dogs is basically "you can use a flag if you want but its not important", he doesn't use the flag at all, we only used one because a club member had one with them n offered to use it....
Mike I always start with a flag right off the bat. Try to make it as simple as possible. If the dog sees a flag everytime he want worry about a flag being there at a later date. And to the dog will learn when he comes up to the track he knows it starts right here with no questions asked from him. This is where it has always been.
Kristen asked,I hope this isn't an extremely dumb question, but does the flag need to be any particular color? The reason I ask is because I use white flags to mark the boundary of the yard, and I don't want to confuse him.
What I use is an arrow with colored ribbon tied to it. Don't use white for the very reasons you said. Anyone else could use white. I like the arrow because anyone else in our club knows that that is my track. I tape a short piece of cloths hannger wire to the bottom so it pushes into the groung easy. ( Georgia red clay)
Kristen again,Also, exactly where does the flag go; at the first footstep??
The flag goes to the left of the scent pad. The dog will associate it with the start of the track.
Kristen said, It rained today, which helped me to see the edges of the square.
The flag will always let you know TOO where the track is.
Mike asked,Can someone please explain this "Squares" thing to me? Either it's more advanced than the first steps we are doing with my dogs, or it's a different technique... just curious!
Different technique. Some people use a triangle with the point pointing towards the track.
When I start a new dog I go to the area I want to lay the track. I take the dog with me and have someone hold him about six feet from the flag. I make my scent pad and make sure he is watching me. I will turn to him and toss him a piece of hot dog. That's what I use. I'll take a step out of the scent pad and place treat at the toe of that foot. I take another step and place treat at the toe of that step and on and on.I'll go about ten steps and place a small pile of hot dogs. This is his reward for following the track.At the beginning I stay beside the dog to block him from wondering off the track. When he's off I say ( find it in what ever language your are using) or point to the next hot dog and say the command. NO CORRECTIONS. Keep it on a nice even kill. Don't upset him let him work.
After he has finished the small reward pile of hot dogs I play ball with him. He needs to enjoy tracking. You are just directing the dogs natural ability and it must be fun for him.
Kristen's question,Which is better; stomping or rubbing your feet?
It doesn't matter. What you are doing is making a scent pad. You disturb the ground so that it smells different than the surrounding area. I don't like a whole lot of scuffing with a more experienced dog. A little scuffing with a young dog is ok. I like to stomp it in.
Connie asked, How many is a few? A few days of squares?
Yes, only a few days. Then start to make the area smaller.
Mike said,The way my trainer is teaching me tracking with 100% beginner dogs is basically "you can use a flag if you want but its not important", he doesn't use the flag at all, we only used one because a club member had one with them n offered to use it....
Mike I always start with a flag right off the bat. Try to make it as simple as possible. If the dog sees a flag everytime he want worry about a flag being there at a later date. And to the dog will learn when he comes up to the track he knows it starts right here with no questions asked from him. This is where it has always been.
Kristen asked,I hope this isn't an extremely dumb question, but does the flag need to be any particular color? The reason I ask is because I use white flags to mark the boundary of the yard, and I don't want to confuse him.
What I use is an arrow with colored ribbon tied to it. Don't use white for the very reasons you said. Anyone else could use white. I like the arrow because anyone else in our club knows that that is my track. I tape a short piece of cloths hannger wire to the bottom so it pushes into the groung easy. ( Georgia red clay)
Kristen again,Also, exactly where does the flag go; at the first footstep??
The flag goes to the left of the scent pad. The dog will associate it with the start of the track.
Kristen said, It rained today, which helped me to see the edges of the square.
The flag will always let you know TOO where the track is.
Mike asked,Can someone please explain this "Squares" thing to me? Either it's more advanced than the first steps we are doing with my dogs, or it's a different technique... just curious!
Different technique. Some people use a triangle with the point pointing towards the track.
When I start a new dog I go to the area I want to lay the track. I take the dog with me and have someone hold him about six feet from the flag. I make my scent pad and make sure he is watching me. I will turn to him and toss him a piece of hot dog. That's what I use. I'll take a step out of the scent pad and place treat at the toe of that foot. I take another step and place treat at the toe of that step and on and on.I'll go about ten steps and place a small pile of hot dogs. This is his reward for following the track.At the beginning I stay beside the dog to block him from wondering off the track. When he's off I say ( find it in what ever language your are using) or point to the next hot dog and say the command. NO CORRECTIONS. Keep it on a nice even kill. Don't upset him let him work.
After he has finished the small reward pile of hot dogs I play ball with him. He needs to enjoy tracking. You are just directing the dogs natural ability and it must be fun for him.
:lol: but I haven't seen any problems with the dog quitting on them. I always take the dog away before it finds all the food. That always seems to build frustration to continue.
