Tassie Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Finding articles is essential for paddock/bush tracking, but after T.Ch, there is a high likelihood, especially as you move into urban tracks and long "cooking" times, that articles may gabber been moved or removed , soi that's why finding them is not a requirement..although it's still desirable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezzyno.1 Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 in Track and Search you do not have to find articles where in tracking you do.....once you get to the urban streets tests which start at TSD 5 you get the start article which the judge hands you in a sealed bag and then nothing else is placed on the track also in Track and Search you can cut off bits of the track as long as the dog finds the tracklayer at the end but in tracking you have to follow where the tracklayer has been and find a certain amount of articles....its a pity Leah82 that there is a waiting list and I am in Ballarat and we even have people come from a 3 hour one way trip away to train with us....we have a full day of tracking on a Saturday with a bbq for lunch and plenty of food as everyone brings something and we have a ball....I think all dogs can do tracking as it is using their natural ability to use their nose....and thank you everyone for the congratulations to Jessie and Tamika....we think Jessie had a small seizure tonight but has recovered so just close watching for her for now.....I am sure it will not hold her back from doing what she loves to do and that is to find someone who is lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 I did write another thread but I'll put this here too. Wondering whether anyone has any recommendations for books, websites, etc that are good to help a beginner get started? We are booked in with our current basset to do a half day tracking workshop in a month or so which will be great to start understanding how to go about it but there is no tracking club around here so I will have to do ongoing training by myself. Even more excited is that after a very long conversation with a basset breeder who breeds lovely, quite athletic bassets I think there is a good chance we may welcome a new basset to our family in the next 12 months, it will be a show dog and also I want to train for man trailing from day dot. If anyone has any smaller harnesses or anything that their dogs no longer use I'll be looking to buy for while the pup is growing still. :) Any tips on picking a puppy for tracking work greatly appreciated, with any luck we may have more than one option from this amazing litter so once we weed out which ones aren't possible show dogs the next step in choosing one will be to look at temperament for tracking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezzyno.1 Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 kelpiecuddles.....the best thing to do is contact your nearest obedience club that trains in tracking or just a tracking group that can help you start with your tracking....as for what to look for it doesn't really matter.....any dog will track they all use their noses and will track especially if for training you put food under each article.....we also have a reward something really yummy for them at the end which they always look forward to getting...how exciting getting a new puppy....I hope you can find someone local to help you with your tracking as I am sure once you start you will love it :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 The closest club is over 2 hours drive away from here unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 As far as choosing a puppy there is a reasonable chance that this next pup could be the foundation of our own lines as breeders in the future and we wish to purpose breed for tracking(although this is something that is quite ingrained in the breed any way, although some lines are stronger than others as with everything) So it's of great importance to us to choose a pup that not only shows good conformation but has a temperament that is good for training too. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Hey! I started tracking with my girl Elsie at 12 weeks and she is a little tracking star :) I don't train with a club, just met up some experienced people now and then to make sure I was on the right track, and have attended a couple of seminars. I recommended a book to you in your other thread, which is the one I read, it's good and covers the basics. There are loads of ways to teach tracking though, so have a read around and see what works for you. One thing I found really helpful when starting out was getting on the end of a tracking line with an experienced dog so I could see what my dog should be doing, and it gave me the chance to figure out how to handle a line, how to not interfere with my dog. I help a few newbies out now, and I can totally see the difference between someone who has had a turn tracking with my dog and someone who hasn't done any tracking at all! I don't know about picking a puppy for tracking, I would be looking for a foody dog since I like to start with food. I'm not too familiar with bassets, but one of the more annoying things with my dog is her high prey drive, if she sees a bunny on the track while she is working it is very, very hard to get her back working again. I've had to walk off a few tracks as she has been screaming and lunging on her line, not helpful for work! We're getting through it now, but it has taken a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Thanks DD Well a foodie dog is definitely not an issue with bassets LOL. So I think I'll be looking for a pup who is following it's nose much more than it's eyes. Josie does get excited if she sees a kangaroo if we are out walking but once the kangaroo disappears she puts her nose down and tries to follow it that way so that's probably not a bad thing. :) I'm really hoping the trainer will have an experienced dog with them when i go to this workshop in July. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie mouse Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Hi, I have just started tracking and need to get a harness can anyone suggest a good one ? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezzyno.1 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) I use the flexisoft harness from Clean Run....they are soft, comfortable, are fully adjustable and have velcro and a buckle, Clean Run also give you a guide to measure what size your dog needs and are waterproof....also at the end of tracking season I just put them in the washing machine and they are clean for the next season....good luck with your tracking :) Edited June 19, 2014 by dezzyno.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Well excited is an understatement! I was beginning to think I would never get started in tracking having no club and no one here to learn from and feeling pretty lost. Turns out I opened my mouth in front of the right person the other day by sheer dumb luck and now I have a wonderful lady with heaps of experience who's gearing up to train me!! She's given me a list of things to start getting and prepping and set me on a mission to find a good patch of land for us to work on so it's all feeling like it's falling in to place. She's going to work with me and guide me in getting started and showing m the ropes and also mentioned she knows a few others who might be keep to start a club down the track. (pun intended :p ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 That's very exciting. Have fun :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezzyno.1 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 On the 16th of August, 2014 our gorgeous girl Zforce Rock Ina Frock TDX aka Pink gained a very good pass for her Test 7 under the fantastic judge Lynn Klecka at Inverleigh at the Tracking Club of Victoria's trial and not only did she get a very good but also got the judge's track of the day....we are going for our Test 8 at Haddon next weekend so wish us luck and we may have a Tracking Champion which means all three of our Amstaffs will be doing Track and Search next season :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 :thumbsup: :cheer: What a wonderful achievement. Huge congratulations, and the very best of luck for Haddon and the 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezzyno.1 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 thanks Tassie....she did a beautiful track in practice today and I hope she does that next week....so looking forward to doing Track and Search with Pink :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemmy Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 I've read through this entire thread in the past 2 days! Tracking sounds so interesting, I'm going to a track and search trial this weekend where I can see what goes on... I'm worried now I'm going to be hit with the tracking bug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemmy Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I've been doing some reading and was hoping someone could enlighten me as to what 'makes' a tracking harness? How does it differ from other harnesses? Nothing I have been reading seems to tell me what is and what isn't a tracking harness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 My tracking harness is very low in the front so the dog can get her head down comfortably to scent and pull. It attaches from the back so the dog is able to pull into the harness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 There is quite a variety of harnesses used. As DiscoDobe says they should attach at the back, make it easy for the dog to get its head down, and not restrict the range of motion of the shoulders. And should be easy to get on and off. They range from a very simple figure of eight harness to a more complex, purpose designed one, like the new one from Black Dog. Black Dog My Border Collie boy uses a Comfortflexharness and my BC girl has one of the new Black Dog ones, which I really like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemmy Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Thank you both so much for your replies, that helps me out a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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