How to Teach Tracking to Your Dog

Teaching a dog to track is useful for hunting, police work or just for enjoyment. Dogs will naturally smell items and register different scents, so teaching tracking is an extension of the inborn abilities of a dog. Starting the training while the dog is young can get the dog ready for finding scents when they are old enough to track.

Things You'll Need

  • Scent article (item with smell)
  • Treats
  • Large grassy area
  • Dog harness (optional)
  • Helper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tell the dog to stay or tie the dog to something like a tree or a bench.

    • 2

      Prepare a track to follow. The scent track to follow will vary depending on the item. For example, crush a small piece of hot dog into the grass with a shoe, then tramp down the grass to the scent item at the end. Initially, add more hot dogs every few feet. Alternatively, use a shirt with your scent or the scent of a family member, such as a sweaty shirt. Crush down the grass and lay the scent trail by pressing the shirt here and there along the trail.

    • 3

      Put the scent article at the end of the trail and put a treat with it.

    • 4

      Let the dog go and say "track" or "find" for the command. Allow the dog to smell the ground and offer light praise when the dog finds the trail and starts following the smells. Allow the dog to lead. You can follow, but avoid distracting the dog. Give praise when the scent item is found.

    • 5

      Repeat the process, but create a few false leads away from the end result. These should go only a short way and should have an item with scent, but should not have the treat since they are not the item the dog needs to find. This teaches the dog how to get back on track and find right the scent again.

    • 6

      Make another track which turns, makes corners, and goes around an object and curves. This will teach the dog that every trail is not straight and that many trails change directions.

    • 7

      Work on air scenting when the dog has mastered scenting on the ground. A helper is needed for the air scenting. Start with finding an area with hiding spots and space to run. Your helper should show a treat or toy and tease the dog to get him excited. You hold the dog back while the helper runs away a short distance and hides.

    • 8

      Let the dog go and say "track" or "find" as used previously. The dog already knows the command, so she will start looking for the scent. When she finds the helper, the helper gives the treat while praising for a job well done.

    • 9

      Make the air scenting more challenging gradually, starting with different wind directions, working through zig-zags while running away, changing hiding spots to confuse the trail and not allowing the dog to see when the helper runs away. This allows the dog to work through different challenges and figure out different tricks to deal with the challenges.

    • 10

      Be consistent and repeat the training exercises until the dog has mastered tracking.