Tracking
Tracking is another sport that harnesses a dog’s natural abilities to find and follow odours. In this sport, dogs detect the odour of a person (the ‘tracklayer’) and follow a ground scent trail through the natural environment and find articles (items that smell like the tracklayer, usually socks) left along the track.
In Victoria, this is mostly a winter sport because it takes dogs into natural areas where, in summer, there are risks associated with heat stroke and snakes.
Tracking involves two types of scent: Ground and Body scent.
- Ground scent is the scent of ground disturbance where the tracklayer has passed through — odours released from damaged grass and foliage, crushed roots, released soil bacteria and mould, and disturbed decay organisms.
- Body scent is the personal scent of the tracklayer left in the air or from touched surfaces and dropped articles.
Dogs of all breeds and ages can participate, not just those traditionally used for scent detection!
Benefits
Dogs find following a tracking trail really rewarding. This is a skill that can be trained anywhere, particularly in the initial stages, and it gets you and your dog outside and active.
Before you start
Dogs will need a harness and a 10-metre lead.
To trial, you will need to be able to walk some distance across variable terrain, as some tracks are through rocky, uneven, hilly areas.
BODC run Tracking workshops during the year. Check back here or on our Facebook page for information on upcoming workshops.
Trialling
Contact
Bendigo Obedience Dog Club Inc
For enquiries please contact: [email protected]
Training Ground: Finn Street Recreation Reserve, Bendigo Vic 3550
Postal Address: PO Box 2396, Bendigo Mail Centre, Bendigo 3554
facebook.com/BendigoObedienceDogClub/
