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Every dog can learn to track!

The dog's nose is exceptionally powerful. The olfactory field of a medium-sized dog is around 15 times larger than that of humans; it has more than 220 million receptors (humans have around 5 million). This means that the dog is able to perceive smells even in the lowest concentration, far beyond human imagination.

Tracking training in a sporting sense means that, in contrast to mantrailing, the dog does not look for the human's individual scent, but rather follows the smell of the ground damage.

The first exercises can be started in a playful way as early as puppy age.

A rectangle (search field) approx. 1m x1m is carefully stamped out. The terrain can be fields or meadows; the search field is usually easier to see in fields. Then distribute soft food chunks in the field and wait about 20 minutes. It doesn't matter whether you're working on the collar or the harness. The dog is placed in the field and while he intensively searches for food he is praised with “search”. This teaches him that it's worth picking out the ground violation.

Little by little the search field becomes smaller and becomes a triangle, from the tip of which the footsteps lead away. Here, too, every step is initially lined with lining. It's tedious work that's not really easy on your back, but it pays off later.

Changing terrain, increasing length and lying time, arches and changes of direction increase concentration and endurance.

Now the objects can also be installed on the track. These are first practiced separately outside the track in the garden or apartment. The display takes place while standing, sitting or standing.

According to the examination regulations, the objects are approximately 2cm x 10cm in size and can be made of a wide variety of materials. For example, various wood, cork, leather smooth and rough, felt, carpet, fabric, plastic, rubber, etc.

The number of objects, the length of the track, the lying time and the number of angles increase with the difficulty of the test level. While in FH 1 only four objects have to be tracked down, in FH 2 there are a total of seven objects that the dog has to point out on the way to the target.

Beginners start with tracking test 1, in which a 300-step-long track and three objects await the dog and handler. Here you can even lay the trail yourself. From the next level onwards, the tracks are laid by a stranger. With the FPr2 the distance increases to 400 steps and with the FPr3 600 steps have to be completed.

The program for the test levels FH1 and FH2 includes routes of up to 1800 steps, 45° angles, bends and leads that the dog is not allowed to follow.

And whoever can finally stop tracking may qualify for the German Championships and perhaps the FCI World Championship.

Author, Ulrike Hailer

Below is a link to the VDH examination regulations.