Tracking in Winter

doxsee · 12-02-2008, 06:30 PM

Hey everyone,

Do you continue to teach an inexperienced dog how to track over the winter? We are starting to accumulate some snow around here and I'm not sure if I should continue tracking with her or hold off until spring. She's still in the very beginning stages.

SeriousConfusion · 12-02-2008, 06:32 PM

Keep on tracking!
Being able to see my footprints and not lose my own track is half my problem

doxsee · 12-02-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted By: SeriousConfusionKeep on tracking!
Being able to see my footprints and not lose my own track is half my problem

Yeah, tell me about it! That, and I seem incapable of walking in a straight line...

Lynn_P · 12-02-2008, 06:45 PM

I love tracking in snow... I'll do serpentines... because I won't lose my track...LOL.

SeriousConfusion · 12-02-2008, 06:52 PM

Well tracking when I am hung over leads to very crooked lines too!

Yes, serpentines and U's in the snow and dew are so much easier than warm weather and dry, short grass.

Kayos and Havoc · 12-02-2008, 07:00 PM

Snow tracking rocks! It is really fun to see what your dog does too, I love to watch mine stick thier noses in every footprint. We did not have enough snow last year to do any snow tracking. Hope we do this year.

doxsee · 12-03-2008, 06:34 PM

That's good news!! I tend to have more snow than grass most of the time anyhow!

I did her first track on the snow, she seemed to struggle with it a bit. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Kayos and Havoc · 12-05-2008, 09:38 AM

The moisture in the snow really holds scent so it is different and may overwhelm a bit at first. Expect to see the same when she tracks on dry ground again too. She will work it out.

Uniballer · 12-06-2008, 06:06 PM

My tracking background is in schutzhund, so take this with a dose of salt. I was trained from the beginning to avoid situations that will allow an inexperienced dog to "track" by sight because he will probably not be learning to use his nose. An "invisible" track is the best training for the dog if you know where it is.

I did prepare a dog once for a December trial that I suspected would require tracking in the snow. This dog would (over)react to any visual clues (e.g. flags, stakes, blue chalk, etc.), so I routinely covered the articles with grass or dirt so he had to use his nose to find them. To prep him for snow tracking I would wait until the snow was just starting to come down before I laid my track. When the snow had covered the track so I could not see any footprints or articles then I could run it. V score on trial day.

On the other hand I routinely teach article work away from the track, and indoors or in the snow is fine for that.

SeriousConfusion · 12-06-2008, 09:31 PM

How do you teach article work away from the track?

I've never been taugh that. Just curious ( I am new to SchH) and haven't started my articles yet.

12-02-2008, 06:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
doxsee Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 441	Tracking in Winter Hey everyone, Do you continue to teach an inexperienced dog how to track over the winter? We are starting to accumulate some snow around here and I'm not sure if I should continue tracking with her or hold off until spring. She's still in the very beginning stages. __________________ Erin Jayda "The Flying Super Puppy" Vom Geistwasser (08/08/08) Jester J. Dog- Papillon (11/11/00) Pippin Vom Doodleman- Cat (09/02)

12-02-2008, 06:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
SeriousConfusion Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,252	Re: Tracking in Winter Keep on tracking! Being able to see my footprints and not lose my own track is half my problem

12-02-2008, 06:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lynn_P Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 8,852	Re: Tracking in Winter I love tracking in snow... I'll do serpentines... because I won't lose my track...LOL. __________________ *~Lynn~* *Dante v. Wildhaus, SchH 3 (HOT)* *Laos v. Hünxer Wald (My Wild Child)* *Novak v. d. Alte Baum (puppy in training)* *Jackson, RIP, I miss you bud.*

12-02-2008, 06:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
SeriousConfusion Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,252	Re: Tracking in Winter Well tracking when I am hung over leads to very crooked lines too! Yes, serpentines and U's in the snow and dew are so much easier than warm weather and dry, short grass.

12-02-2008, 07:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kayos and Havoc Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: McAlester, OK Posts: 16,921	Re: Tracking in Winter Snow tracking rocks! It is really fun to see what your dog does too, I love to watch mine stick thier noses in every footprint. We did not have enough snow last year to do any snow tracking. Hope we do this year. __________________ Kathy The Wrecking Crew URO3, UCD "Kayos" CD,TDX,RE,CGC,HIC,TC URO1, UCD "Havoc" CDX,GN,RE,CGC,HIC,TC,BH At the Bridge: Lucky, Wolf, Max Gone but never forgotten

12-03-2008, 06:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
doxsee Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 441	Re: Tracking in Winter That's good news!! I tend to have more snow than grass most of the time anyhow! I did her first track on the snow, she seemed to struggle with it a bit. Practice! Practice! Practice! __________________ Erin Jayda "The Flying Super Puppy" Vom Geistwasser (08/08/08) Jester J. Dog- Papillon (11/11/00) Pippin Vom Doodleman- Cat (09/02)

12-05-2008, 09:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
Kayos and Havoc Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: McAlester, OK Posts: 16,921	Re: Tracking in Winter The moisture in the snow really holds scent so it is different and may overwhelm a bit at first. Expect to see the same when she tracks on dry ground again too. She will work it out. __________________ Kathy The Wrecking Crew URO3, UCD "Kayos" CD,TDX,RE,CGC,HIC,TC URO1, UCD "Havoc" CDX,GN,RE,CGC,HIC,TC,BH At the Bridge: Lucky, Wolf, Max Gone but never forgotten

12-06-2008, 06:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
Uniballer Master Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western New York Posts: 666	Re: Tracking in Winter My tracking background is in schutzhund, so take this with a dose of salt. I was trained from the beginning to avoid situations that will allow an inexperienced dog to "track" by sight because he will probably not be learning to use his nose. An "invisible" track is the best training for the dog if you know where it is. I did prepare a dog once for a December trial that I suspected would require tracking in the snow. This dog would (over)react to any visual clues (e.g. flags, stakes, blue chalk, etc.), so I routinely covered the articles with grass or dirt so he had to use his nose to find them. To prep him for snow tracking I would wait until the snow was just starting to come down before I laid my track. When the snow had covered the track so I could not see any footprints or articles then I could run it. V score on trial day. On the other hand I routinely teach article work away from the track, and indoors or in the snow is fine for that.

12-06-2008, 09:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
SeriousConfusion Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,252	Re: Tracking in Winter How do you teach article work away from the track? I've never been taugh that. Just curious ( I am new to SchH) and haven't started my articles yet.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement