Dog Tracking

Hi all
I have been looking into several so called jobs that we can give our dogs, but to be honest he was useless at plastering. Blue has a very high prey drive but ratting etc is a touchy subject and I wouldn't want to upset anyone or get on the wrong side of the law. So I am thinking of starting to train Blue to be a sniffer dog. I think it will be fun for both of us and give Blue's mind a workout to help him from getting bored.
Does anyone know of any good books/websites or even tips on how you start training your dog this and the steps you introduce to build their confidence up at the correct pace.
Any tips no matter how small will be greatly recieved.

Av tryed kuma as a guard dog.. so when the door goes she barks or even alerts us ... NOT a chance she just looks at me when it goes like what do you want me to do am busy chilling like a villian on that £100 shag pile rug you bought !!

Hay Blue, the only thing I do with Moo is when we're at the park and playing sticks I'll suddenly tell her to sit and wait then take the stick as far as I can go and hide it, she can't see where I've gone and stays in one place. Then I return and tell her to go find, she always does. Not quite the same but its still good for her.

I lost my purse yesterday and thankfully a man phoned who had it, apparently his dog found it and was shaking it around! Went to pick it up earlier and it was a staffie who found it!! Bless!!

Contact the police, I'm sure they'll help you train her up as a doggy community officer!

Bluestaff no good at plastering thats unusual there normally very good at that, have you let him try bricklaying its still working with his paws but more manual

i was going to say ask caryll but she has already giving her answer

try turning him into a drug sniffer dog if he anything like memphis he will already be good at sniffing crack lol

bigwazza wrote:try turning him into a drug sniffer dog if he anything like memphis he will already be good at sniffing crack lol

Always 1 who lowers the tone.........just shocked cos its normally me

If you're really serious find a good training club in your area or get the dog papers & write to the correspondant who deals with working trials or agility. I get Dog World & they have a nice section on obedience/working trials/agility.

Nice one Caryll
Just after something to do with him. Something to challenge his mind so he doesn't get bored.
Would love to go the police station but not sure they would be as keen to see me lol. Ill look out for Dog world and see if their is anyone in my area. Might have to wait until after xmas......4 kids and all that.
I've managed to find a couple of exercises that they use to train tracker dogs so might try them and increase the level and see how he gets on.
Cheers for all the replies all. Who knows I might be able to do some videos in 6 months on how to train tracker dogs.

BlueStaffBlue wrote:
Would love to go the police station but not sure they would be as keen to see me lol.

Maybe they'll be a little too pleased to see you.................

you could blend up some chicken and water put it into a squirty bottle make a trail to his favorite toy which would be hidden, let them sniff a piece of chicken then show her where the start of the trail is and say track or what you want to use I'm currently training my dogs to find each other so if one gets out which i hope won't happen they could find each other. you can also use something like popuri in a sock drag it along a certain path leading to treat and have her follow it, kinda like what fox hunters use to train their dogs. good web site to look at fox hound training. just use different scents.

Thanks Miss Rouge I didn't even think about using scented water. I like the idea of that since scents are surposed to be easier to track in the wet.
I have tried Butting hot dog under a tub then when he touches it with his paw I click and reward. Then the idea is to get to 2 or 3 tubs but the hot dog only in 1 which he sniffs and touches with his paw. He's not getting the idea of that game lol he just wacks all 3 with his paw in 1.2 seconds and darts for the piece of hot dog.
Ill try your idea and let you know how I get on. Thanks

take away containers just stab one hole in them place different scents in the other containers to throw him off.
grease proof paper wrap up some meat and stash around the house rather than give him food in his bowl. just remember where they are you don't want any going off and finding it weeks later.

BlueStaffBlue wrote:Thanks Miss Rouge I didn't even think about using scented water. I like the idea of that since scents are surposed to be easier to track in the wet.
I have tried Butting hot dog under a tub then when he touches it with his paw I click and reward. Then the idea is to get to 2 or 3 tubs but the hot dog only in 1 which he sniffs and touches with his paw. He's not getting the idea of that game lol he just wacks all 3 with his paw in 1.2 seconds and darts for the piece of hot dog.
Ill try your idea and let you know how I get on. Thanks

sounds about right!

MissRogue wrote:wrap up some meat and stash around the house rather than give him food in his bowl. just remember where they are you don't want any going off and finding it weeks later.

It'll be alive with maggots! :-&

I punched a hole in the tops of the tubs. Started by clicking and praising everytime he used his nose on the tub. The clicked and praised when he touched the correct tub with his paw but I think he gets too excited and is heavy pawed lol tubs just ended up going everywhere. It was probably my fault maybe I need to go back to step 1 for a while and tyake the stages slowly, im just so used to him having the ability to learn a new trick with 30mins.

You might need to teach him to track before the containers then, so he gets into work mode when you use the word track, I use jam jars each with different scents just so their heavier. Cassie can now track and find Taz all she wants is to do is be around him but Taz doesn't seem to concerned about finding her at the moment lol. I seen this awesome tracking training the other day this guy had small pool filled with kiddie balls multicoloured things he chucked his dogs ball in there and the dog found it. you could also try hidding things in cuboards lol if he is too heavy on his paws. Tracking isn't a trick its a game to them you gotta make it exciting as possible, just bare in mind about nasal fatigue.

Caryll wrote:

MissRogue wrote:wrap up some meat and stash around the house rather than give him food in his bowl. just remember where they are you don't want any going off and finding it weeks later.

It'll be alive with maggots! :-&

We rescued a very very fat cat before and i got the idea about hiding food etc so he'll be more active more natural to him i forgot where i stashed one tiny piece of fish and within a few days of it being summer our kitchen stank like a 24/7 365 days a year fish factory lol

I was shocked when a policeman friend told me that police sniffer dogs are trained by getting the dogs addicted to drugs, and that is why they are so eager to sniff them out.

whmon wrote:I was shocked when a policeman friend told me that police sniffer dogs are trained by getting the dogs addicted to drugs, and that is why they are so eager to sniff them out.

They used to do that, they don't now. They use reward training with a toy that they only get when they find the right scent.

I'm very pleased to hear it Caryll

Hiya, not sure how far you've got with this but i've seen something that looks really fun for you...

There is a 2 day-long course in teaching your dog some fun tracking. Not sure where your located but it might be worth a look!

http://www.apdt.co.uk/derbyshirecaninecentre.asp (jul31st/aug 1st)

I wish they had something like that over here or even a blimming dog park would be alright they don't have anything for dogs etc shelters and vets sad really.

whmon wrote:I'm very pleased to hear it Caryll

I only know that because I saw them training in our local bus station & I had to nosey & ask questions! The guy with the dog was walking up & down the bus station & as he went past this guy the dog just stopped dead & sniffed at him, then he went really waggy & started to bounce around this guy. Then another guy came over & said "congratulations, that's the right man, treat your dog". The dog's handler got a small squeeky ball out of his pocket & bounced it for the dog to catch - he was SO pleased! What they'd done was they'd placed several people with a small amount of drug smeared on their clothes in the bus station just like ordinary passengers, and the handlers had to find them. There were 4 or 5 handlers working their dogs & every dog caught someone!