how transferable are tracking skills
- Thread starter Ooops
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Tim.243
Well-Known Member
Nope.....my spaniels can find teal widgeon pigeons partridges in any setting etc....muntjac legs in the garden but far to mad to look for deer lol55 views and no offerings, ridicule or controversy, I think this might be some kind of SD record
mereside
Well-Known Member
I know of dogs from the Verein Hirschmann that are man trailing for the police in Germany, once the groundwork is done to track then it won’t matter what it is the dogs tracking, I know we use different people to lay trails so the dog doesn’t get use to one person, in the early stages of unlocking certain aspects of tracking and also when a dogs been chasing we teach a dog to find the handler so my experience would be to say yes very possible, regards Wayne
I watched one of my spaniels tracking me this morning. He was asleep in the truck when I went for a walk with the young one. He appeared in my view and head down with no looking about followed where I had walked. 20-30 yds away he looked up and broke into a run. Both have found deer for me in woodland.
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Tracking is a mindset. Key is you don’t want the dogs on too many differing scents as when you think they are looking for one they are looking for the other.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Nah, no record I can put up deer photos with nary a reply....happens all the time,yet mention a cold sore on ya lip or a boil on ya arse and there will be replies galore haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa55 views and no offerings, ridicule or controversy, I think this might be some kind of SD record
To add to your tracking op YES!
tikkathreebarrels
Well-Known Member
Quite. I'd have thought that a dog used for picking up would be in autopilot "find the dead/runner bird" mode. That said I was once encouraged to put such a dog into a field of beet to find a fox which we'd shot the night before. The dog was cast off, found the fox about 150 yards away, stood, turned and looked back at me. Fat lot I know.....
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
The majority of UK police dogs track simply by picking up on freshly disturbed ground not a specific scent.
I have seen a few private companies/individuals who offer scent tracking for missing people using clothing or something with a scent on it.
I have seen a few private companies/individuals who offer scent tracking for missing people using clothing or something with a scent on it.
Doesn’t really apply for police dogs tracking on hard surfaces where ground disturbance is pretty non existent.
Scent association and discrimination is applicable to any successful tracking exercise.
For the best results always train on the scent you are looking to track.
To expect a dog to begin tracking any scent because it has shown proficiency on one is quite an ask and perhaps over ambitious for most dog’s abilities.
Donkey Basher
Well-Known Member
Sorry for off topic post but I just love that photo Sika98k - only a spaniel could look like that & the one behind looking like it's nothing to do with him, classic 
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Must admit I'm always surprised more hpr breeds aren't used for SAR work given their air scenting ability and distances they quarter at esp on open ground.
Would seem an ideal breed choice.
Possibly too hard to train compared to collies?
Also is SAR not more air scenting than ground scenting?
I know it seemed that way years ago when we used to hide for the SARDA dogs out on the hill.
Which would be different to Ur polis dogs.
So a properly trained deer tracking dog would be trained on ground scent.
Would seem an ideal breed choice.
Possibly too hard to train compared to collies?
Also is SAR not more air scenting than ground scenting?
I know it seemed that way years ago when we used to hide for the SARDA dogs out on the hill.
Which would be different to Ur polis dogs.
So a properly trained deer tracking dog would be trained on ground scent.
The issue with using HPRs for SAR is that their natural instinct to point game can make it difficult to get them solely to focus on a specific scent like decomp.
Whilst collies are popular with SARDA police VR dogs tend to be Spaniels and labs.
The downside of collies is that they can be very reluctant to enter cover.
A decent Springer or Cocker will work all day in all terrains and for me is the better choice.
Whilst collies are popular with SARDA police VR dogs tend to be Spaniels and labs.
The downside of collies is that they can be very reluctant to enter cover.
A decent Springer or Cocker will work all day in all terrains and for me is the better choice.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Cheers bp75.
I take it it is hard to discourage pointing game, I know some are trained to point hedge hogs etc. Used to see an advert regular for hedge hogs dogs to go up to the isles.
And full on experienced deer dogs don't indicate game or indicate it differently to fur.
And surely Ur spaniel breeds could have similar issues with game.
Must admit I'm thinking off the open hills for mountain rescue searches where nowadays is bugger all game left and covering big areas.
I take it it is hard to discourage pointing game, I know some are trained to point hedge hogs etc. Used to see an advert regular for hedge hogs dogs to go up to the isles.
And full on experienced deer dogs don't indicate game or indicate it differently to fur.
And surely Ur spaniel breeds could have similar issues with game.
Must admit I'm thinking off the open hills for mountain rescue searches where nowadays is bugger all game left and covering big areas.
Rasputin
Well-Known Member
Used to see them using spaniels a fair bit on the avalanches even toyed with the idea of training mine for it when I was still in the alps. Random things my spaniel has found on a walk that I have lost include wallet, phone, leads, gloves even went after my baseball cap when it blew off into the dunes.
If it’s got a good nose and understands the game will find most things but usual
Caveats with training would apply. In fact my spaniels so good he will go 400+ yards after a damn bird out the back of a drive. Stupid thing
If it’s got a good nose and understands the game will find most things but usual
Caveats with training would apply. In fact my spaniels so good he will go 400+ yards after a damn bird out the back of a drive. Stupid thing
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
That's why these tracks are always least successful.
Keith Edmunds
Well-Known Member
If you are smart enough to get the dog to understand what you want it to track, then it probably would and certainly could track human scent. We play 'advanced' hide and seek with ours when they are puppies, in the fields and woods.
I think the trick - as in all training - is the handler being smart enough to make sure the dog understands what it is he wants it to do. Some dogs are more receptive and forgiving than others.
I think the trick - as in all training - is the handler being smart enough to make sure the dog understands what it is he wants it to do. Some dogs are more receptive and forgiving than others.
Success at hard surface very much depends on the dog, some tracking “monsters” excel on hard surface and almost train themselves to a whole other level where they can quickly track a “suspect” and discriminate against other scent contamination in challenging environments.
