# Lenko Tracking.



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

A new beginning.
He was already tracking good but i noticed that he had problems with almost invisible footsteps, he followed the track good even with corners but not with a deep nose and very fast. The last weeks i tried a couple of different approaches but i did not improve very mutch.
So i decided to restart the training from the ground up. 
I will try to keep here a video log of the process.
Please feel free to comment on the video.


----------



## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

was there a video for this thread yet? if so it is not here  Good Luck with your training


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Training 1. 

Date: 15/08/2013
Time: 08u30
Activity: 3 x scent box
Location: Football field
Weather: Dry
Temp: 15 c
Wind: normal
Track-layer: myself
Track length and time: scentboxes are 10 min old.
Terrain conditions: short and medium grass.
Food used: Frolix, rolled meat, hotdogs. 

Scentbox 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=vcTuuETYztE

Scentbox 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=DHDm22xOGT4

Scentbox 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=LVYzGj6Qv24


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Joby Becker said:


> was there a video for this thread yet? if so it is not here  Good Luck with your training


I was uploading it. Thx


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Training 2. 

Date: 16/08/2013
Time: 17u30
Activity: 3 x scent box
Location: Football field
Weather: Dry cloudy
Temp: 15 c
Wind: heavy
Track-layer: myself
Track length and time: scentboxes are 10 min old.
Terrain conditions: short and medium grass.
Food used: Frolix, rolled meat, hotdogs. 


Today no video because i accidentally erase them.:sad:
But overall the same as yesterday, without as mutch leaving the box.


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> A new beginning.
> He was already tracking good but i noticed that he had problems with almost invisible footsteps, he followed the track good even with corners but not with a deep nose and very fast. The last weeks i tried a couple of different approaches but i did not improve very mutch.
> So i decided to restart the training from the ground up.
> I will try to keep here a video log of the process.
> Please feel free to comment on the video.


I will tell you what I now do. There are many ways to Rome. 

I would use smaller scent pads and more of them with this dog. More like a two foot square and five or more per training session. Distribute the food evenly and I would not let him deviate more than 12 inches off the scent pad. By doing so he can quickly find the solution and also will prevent bad habits like circling, air scenting, and wandering off the track. I also only use dry dog food and the kibble is counted out. And, it's stamped into the ground. I start with 25 pieces of kibble and gradually take a piece out one at a time over a long period. 

After this, I would teach him short source tracks (10 feet or less) where there is a clear end which allows him to go past source and then teach him to immediately back up if he loses the track by dropping a small depot of dog food at the last footprint as you pull him back to source with the lead. Using a bottcher helps with this as you can pull him back straight instead of him going slightly to the left or right. You want him to back up straight. Stay close to your dog and again, only allow about 12-20 inches for him to lose scent so he can immediately recognize loss of source and quickly find the solution by backing up to where he last was at source. That way, if he loses the track, he knows to back up to where he was last on the track which prevents circling, air scenting, wandering off, etc. Once he doesn't leave source, include a short turn and repeat the drill. Food in every footstep in this training exercise. Do five or more source tracks per training session so he gets an understanding. 

When a short source track with a turn is perfect for a few times he has learned what to do if he loses source and you can move on. 

Then I do a circle track with a buried film canister to end the track. I help him down at the film cannister. At this point one piece of dry kibble is buried in every footprint and the circle track only is two meter radius in length. The buried film canister is about one meter from the start point and is filled 3/4 with dry dog food. I only use dry dog food because I don't want any favoritism at the end. I work my way up with this exercise until the circle track is 10 meters in radius and he is tracking perfectly with food in every footstep. 

Then I go back to five meters and start lifting bait. One piece at a time per meter. When I get to a 10 meter circle track again, I am now up to lifting 6 pieces of dry dog food at a time. 

I got this system by going out and seeking the best tracking trainers in the world this year. It's a blend of three of the elite tracking trainers I know of. I was tired of screwing up my dogs in tracking and went out and sought after the best tracking trainers I could learn from. That's how I now start my tracking. - Greg


----------



## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

^^^^^^^^^^^


Probably the most concise, accurate and effective tracking advise I've seen


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Gregory Doud said:


> I will tell you what I now do. There are many ways to Rome.
> 
> I would use smaller scent pads and more of them with this dog. More like a two foot square and five or more per training session. Distribute the food evenly and I would not let him deviate more than 12 inches off the scent pad. By doing so he can quickly find the solution and also will prevent bad habits like circling, air scenting, and wandering off the track. I also only use dry dog food and the kibble is counted out. And, it's stamped into the ground. I start with 25 pieces of kibble and gradually take a piece out one at a time over a long period.
> 
> ...


 Thx for the advise, i wil give it a try. I like your approche in the scentbox and the circles. But do not understand the short tracks before the circels.


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Nice video and nice advice. I'd like to add that it looks like you called the dog away from each of the boxes. I don't like to use a command to take a dog off the box or track. I'd prefer to slowly pull on the lead till I create a bit of resistance. That opposition reflex makes the dog want to stay with the scent as long as it doesn't create a serious pulling problem from the dog.


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Gregory Doud said:


> I start with 25 pieces of kibble and gradually take a piece out one at a time.
> 
> Do you keep count of the pieces he find. and when do you pull hem off..


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Gregory Doud said:


> I will tell you what I now do. There are many ways to Rome.
> 
> I would use smaller scent pads and more of them with this dog. More like a two foot square and five or more per training session. Distribute the food evenly and I would not let him deviate more than 12 inches off the scent pad. By doing so he can quickly find the solution and also will prevent bad habits like circling, air scenting, and wandering off the track. I also only use dry dog food and the kibble is counted out. And, it's stamped into the ground. I start with 25 pieces of kibble and gradually take a piece out one at a time over a long periode


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> Gregory Doud said:
> 
> 
> > I start with 25 pieces of kibble and gradually take a piece out one at a time.
> ...


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> Thx for the advise, i wil give it a try. I like your approche in the scentbox and the circles. But do not understand the short tracks before the circels.


A source track is a straight line footprint track with food in every footstep where there is a clear end. Once he is at the end of the track, let him go off the track by 12-20 inches so he knows he's off source and can smell the difference between disturbed ground and undisturbed ground. When he leaves source, pull him straight back and drop a small depot of food at the last footprint. Stay with it until once he recognizes loss of source he backs up to the last footstep without being pulled back or helped. Then start including one turn and end it the same way. You want him to understand that when he loses source he recognizes it immediately and knows the solution (back up to where he was last at source). Always drop a small depot of food whether you pull him back or the dog does it independently. The tracks are very short. Start at four feet or so and are no more than 15 feet in total length when you include a turn. Again, a bottcher harness helps because it aids in pulling him back straight if he goes off source. 

Then move on to circle tracks with a clear end. 

I hope this clarifies this process better and helps you start out successfully. - Greg


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks again for the explanation.
Today is tried is with kibble but he was not so intense searching as for meatrolls. Is this a problem or do i just have to go further with the kibble . 
And give it time? Or may i use the meatrolls?
He was also a little stressed because i held him closer than otherwise. He didn't had so much room.

I think the video's will tell it better than that i can explain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=n9TIXVqQ69o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GEh0-HpD7aA


----------



## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Meat roll odor is too strong that's why you use kibble. Maybe cut back on his regular kibble ration and feed him on the scent pad only?
Also be careful about doing scent pads too close to a building.
The air flows different next to buildings and that will interfere with trying to imprint ground disturbance and kibble rewards


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

The problem with the dry kibble is , that he normal eat raw. So the kibble isnt a high value reward. So if i only feed him kibble on the track, and direct after and no meat anymore, his drive will come higher on the kibble? Or not.
So i dont have to worry the first days, and maybee dont feed him until he tracks good? In finding al the pieces of kibble.


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> Thanks again for the explanation.
> Today is tried is with kibble but he was not so intense searching as for meatrolls. Is this a problem or do i just have to go further with the kibble .
> And give it time? Or may i use the meatrolls?
> He was also a little stressed because i held him closer than otherwise. He didn't had so much room.
> ...


It looked good. But, make him sit calmly directly in front of the scent pad and put the leash under his front set of legs. If you need to, slowly throw a piece of dog food a little before the scent pad to get him going calmly as you say your tracking command. And, take him out of the scent pad by the collar, not the lead. Never pull him out of the track with the line. His motivation seemed fine to me. Just don't stay with scent pads exclusively - he's ready to move on. I recommend changing from a square to a triangle when you start tracking. - Greg


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Ok, that sitting before the scentpad wil not be a problem, but taking him out on his collar wil be difficult without giving stress to the dog. But it is something he has to work throug. 
So it is time to do source tracks now? Do you combine this with scentpads or is it best to keep them appart. On a different day?
I will take him on a harnass for this. I do not have a butcher harnass because he shewed it up in a ungarded moment, i will order one online but i takes always a week or 2.


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> Ok, that sitting before the scentpad wil not be a problem, but taking him out on his collar wil be difficult without giving stress to the dog. But it is something he has to work throug.
> So it is time to do source tracks now? Do you combine this with scentpads or is it best to keep them appart. On a different day?
> I will take him on a harnass for this. I do not have a butcher harnass because he shewed it up in a ungarded moment, i will order one online but i takes always a week or 2.


Quietly pet him every now and then as he eats so you don't stress him by being that close. And, you can start doing source tracks now. You may combine the two. Start with a four or five foot track and switch to a triangle scent pad to give him a direction out. I recommend doing four or five source tracks per training session. - Greg


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Todays work. I did 5 source tracks and 3 scentboxes. He had more drive than yesterday.
I did let him sit first, but if i give the track signal he jumps on it?


Source track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hyGbK2p0De8

I found the source track difficult to do. Hopefully it doesn't look so bad. I have problems when or how to drop the food on the last footstep, if he comes back.

scent box.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gnncsuwcps8&t=25


Tomorrow no tracking planned, but protection work.


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> Todays work. I did 5 source tracks and 3 scentboxes. He had more drive than yesterday.
> I did let him sit first, but if i give the track signal he jumps on it?
> 
> 
> ...


 
The source track looked good. Let him go one step past the last footprint and then pull him backwards as you drop a depot of food. Calmly grab him by the collar and then stroke him gently after he eats the food. There is no need to grab him so suddenly. You'll know if he understands it by instantly recognizing loss of source and will back up on his own without any help from you to go back to the last footstep. Always drop a depot of food at the last footprint.

Combine a scent pad with a source track now. Make a triangle scent pad about 24 inches wide at the bottom and then narrow the point where it leads directly to correct path out. 

Your dog can track. Good work.  - Greg


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

One more thing. Drop the depot of food back at the last footprint very subtle and quiet. Already have it in your hand as you go along with him and drop the food as he is going past the footstep before you pull him back. Basically, don't let him see you drop the food after you pull him back. - Greg


----------



## angelo sintubin (Jul 21, 2013)

Ok thx, i'm beginning to like tracking.
Do you put food in the triangle combined with the sourcetrack. And so, how many?


----------



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

angelo sintubin said:


> Ok thx, i'm beginning to like tracking.
> Do you put food in the triangle combined with the sourcetrack. And so, how many?


Yes, I would put food in the scent pad like I previously described and do your short source track. The pad is now in a triangle shape instead of a square.

Then include a turn in your source track and end the same way after he immediately knows to back up when he loses source. These tracks are maximum 15 feet in length. This exercise is just to teach your dog what to do if he loses the track (immediately recognize loss of source and back up to where he was last on the track). 

Then you may start formal tracking. I do circle tracks but you may start another way. The way I do circle tracks is a long and systematic process and can't really help you in this medium as it's very in depth. Like I said, there are many ways to Rome. - Greg


----------

