Tracking for a non-food driven dog - Page 1

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VanessaT

by VanessaT on 27 March 2011 - 07:03

Good morning all,

Are there any ways and means of teaching a non-food driven dog to track?

Regards,

Vanessa


Don Corleone

by Don Corleone on 27 March 2011 - 12:03

Have you simply tried to just feed the dog on the track, that's where it gets its meal?

Slamdunc

by Slamdunc on 27 March 2011 - 16:03

I assume you are doing footstep or SchH style tracking.

Don is correct.  The dog gets his entire portion of food for the day on the track.  If the dog doesn't eat on the track he doesn't get fed at home.  After 10 days of this he will be tracking reliably and be motivated for the food on his track.  The key is to do this when you have several days in a row to track.  If you try it one day then skip tracking the next day and feed normally this technique will not work. 

I would advise carefully spacing the food along the track and not leaving a huge jackpot at the end.  Plan to track everyday for at least 10 days and you will see a huge difference. 

 

Jim

 


Shonnag

by Shonnag on 28 March 2011 - 08:03

One of my dogs is not food motivated, and although she frantically searhed the sent pad and did some food tracking when a pup she now prefers meals in a dish and knows dinner time! she is a real sweetie and I don't have the heart to withhold meals for tracking. She is toy motivated so I have started rubbing a rubber ball in the footsteps and its a slow process but she is getting there and does check broken vegitation when there is no wind otherwise it is a fast track unless I keep checking as the downside is that she air scents, placing the ball in a container she can't open at the end of the track is also helping with article indication as she downs pre reward.

My method is not great and I may need to find rubber boots when/if I'm ready to trial her.

Shonnag


alkster2002

by alkster2002 on 28 March 2011 - 12:03

Jim and Don totally the method you are talking about is my method also........ the primo method ! ...... not being arrogant but Shonnaq ........ the dog must track for food as you will be reluctant to pass the Sch 1 tracking test that way ......................... people you have to look at it this way ?  ....... the dog is like a wolf ....... if the wolf has a drumstick or a hind quarter hidden in the forest he WILL NOT go out and hunt for food ...... if he has to go HUNT and find his food..... he will do it with method and intensity. Just like my dog on trial day ...... If one wants to be seriuos with tracking such as I am ....................... you must track for the reason why a dog tracks....... TO EAT ...........well then in some cases on a leg or upper back when the dog reaches a suspect on a track .... been there done that and Jim you know also .... lol ........   with that said ...... Regards ................. Greg


alkster2002

by alkster2002 on 28 March 2011 - 12:03

This avatar picture to the right is of my dog after a Sch2 100 pt  track last Nov ................ I don't think he looks starved or abused at all  .................  :-)      Greg


Shonnag

by Shonnag on 28 March 2011 - 16:03

Greg, your dog does look in good condition and congrats on your 100. I did not think you were being arrogant I thought it was helpful as you explained the need to continue using food.

Shonnag


VanessaT

by VanessaT on 28 March 2011 - 16:03

Hi,

It's definitely a case of putting this advice into practice with discipline and perseverance. This is actually for a friend of mine who's dog is doing so well with obedience and man-work, the only bug-bear is the tracking. Changing his breakfast and dinner from his bowl to a track makes perfect sense. I have passed the info along to her and she asked to me to send a big thank you to you all.

Regards,

Vanessa


Mindhunt

by Mindhunt on 29 March 2011 - 23:03

I agree with the the meal being at the track.  I always took my female out to the tracking area with her morning allotement of food.  She only got fed on the track, and this was only done for the time it took her to get the idea and be consistent.  After a little while, she would track without the food and she is awesome to this day. 

As a side note, we used to have accelerant sniffing dogs in my department and a couple of SAR dogs that were food trained only.  Their handlers had to lay a track or put out accelerant for the dogs and feed them upon successful completion, talk about some neurotic dogs, never let the handlers out of their sight, would freak if the handler had to leave them in the rig or station.  Point is, everything in moderation and according to the dog's needs.

I also had a couple of male dogs that would not track for rewards (working K9s) and would self-reward.  It was frustrating until they figured it out and then hang on, they were incredible, the younger one still is. 

Good luck and have fun.






 


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