# Slowing a fast trailing dog down



## Misty Wegner

I have two trailing dogs. My gsd/malamute mix can move fast but he is easy to rate and his speed could be matched with a fast walk, most of the time... My full GSD female is a freaking speed demon and pulls like a mac truck on steroids... I have always run/jogged with her and she gets the job done. However, I have received flack for doing this by many people and have been told by some they won't flank for me. 

I could probably dismiss this and let her record speak for itself but I do need flankers. Also, I do appreciate Jeff Schettler's way of real life trailing /tracking and he says not to run with your dog, at least certainly not when a proximity alert is given.. So my question is, how do I slow my girl down? 

I have tried aged tracks, numerous 90° turns, trying to weight her down (which I abhor as it tucker her out as much as me and puts a horrible strain on her young body... And mine).. I won't run a line through her midsection and pull. Pain doing a job is a fast way to making a dog stop doing their job.. Other than that, I'm open..


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## Brian McQuain

So she's a speed demon who gets the job done? Whats the problem? Other than jealous/lazy teammates...

If shes just running to run, and hectic in her work not getting the job done, then that's what needs to be addressed. Sounds like you have a nice dog.


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## Nancy Jocoy

Does she run on aged trails? That is the real test. If she is doing that on 12 to 24 hour old trails I would get help slowing her down. A fresh trail is like a runaway.

You NEED flankers and you need them who can read your dog so they can mark missed turns, head pops etc. We have real world finds by flankers noting head pops on trailing dogs and sending in air scent dogs accordingly. It is a team activity and running flat out in the woods is not safe.

The only way I do know how to slow her down is a lot of older problems with contamination and challenges such as water, intersections, cross tracks, working out scent pools etc. You know, the real world stuff. 

If not, maybe you need to cut her off lead and make her an airscent dog.


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## Sarah Platts

Ahhh, the Ferrari dogs, gawd love 'em.

A couple of things. To echo Brian, is some flankers are use to strolling along. When you get a dog with determination, things change. Yes, they say work the dog in drive but have little understanding what that means at times. Unless you are working heavy brush or dangerous terrain then a fast walk or a medium jog is fine. Your flankers should be able to jog - not a sprint run - but a jog. Because here's the thing - unless you are trailing to a dead body, or they cop a squat and never move again, or someone decides to turn around and come home - you will never catch up to them at a walk. Well, you can but how many days do you want to spend doing it? Unless you are moving faster than they are then how will you make up for the time lag between when they went missing and you get the call?

First, if she's accurate and the only problem is the speed factor that's one thing. If she's fast but not accurate that's another. 

If it's only the speed then I use a half-hitch on my speed demons. Attach the lead to the harness ring like always then take the lead and put a half-hitch around their groin/flank area. When they pull to hard, the hitch tightens up and when they ease up the hitch does to. This has been the only way I have found to slow a fast dog down without killing their desire. What you still end up with is a fast pace but not as fast as before.

Then what I do is teach the dog to rate themselves and to a slow or walk command. Yes, we jog but when coming up on streets or decision points, I tell the dog to slow or walk to give them time to process without having to stop and cast the dog. It also gave me and the flanker a break from time to time without having to stop the dog. 
The other thing is to make sure you keep your elbows tucked down next to your ribcage on a hard puller. Do not work them with your arms extended out because that hard pulling will tear up your rotator cuffs over time (personal experience here).


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## Misty Wegner

She isn't running running, but a steady jog for her, which equates to a steady jog for a human. She obviously has stopping points where she details an area or working through scent pools etc.. She is consistently 'fast', even on aged and complicated trails. I do believe alot has to do with a team that has been predominantly (solely) air scent. There is a huge difference in how the dog is worked. 

You are absolutely right Nancy, teammates and flankers are needed (and appreciated). I think I will add more distance (we have done 3+ miles, but will add longer pauses.. Good for her patience and focus.. Both my dogs are being cross trained in HRD and air scent, but we NEED trailing dogs on the team. Our air scent dogs are not scent specific (except mine) and air scent dogs get called out maybe one percent of the time... HRD and trail, for urban work are the remaining call outs.. She is still very young, not yet 2,so hopefully she will slow more as she matures.. As to real world situations being run, we do urban, rural, suburban (known, blind and double blind). Crosstracks, contamination, backtracks, water, aged, etc... 

My initial feeling has been 'if it ain't broke why' fix it'. However, as Nancy pointed out, I need my flankers and teammates.. The lost person needs us as a TEAM, so a happy medium is needed ..


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## Phil Dodson

Agree with Brian! I tracked exclusively (off) the lead with my PSDs my whole career and trained all my handlers to track the same way. I can't recall the hundreds of tracks I lost my back up due to them not wanting to run or not in shape while my partners and I were tracking a perp. 

On most occasions I picked my back up and it worked out. The difference is most of my tracks were anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes old and a couple of blocks at most. The quicker I could deploy the better my partners chances were of catching the perp before he could get through the containment. Even then with that little length and time I had back up dropping out leaving my partner and I to engage the bad guy alone.

If it works don't change it.


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## Misty Wegner

I missed your post Sarah.. Good info! Yes, she is fast and accurate. If she was blazing through with little thought I would have pulled her until she matured, but she is solid and consistent.. I agree with the mindset you, Phil and (ack, forgot the name of the other poster, sorry) have.. Speed and accuracy mean finds, most likely. Moving at high speed in dangerous conditions is well, uh, dangerous, lol.. Keeping my elbow in is a huge advice as she is freaking STRONG! 

I will try the half hitch.. I am abhorrent to do anything that kills her drive and focus, especially if it is through pain (which has been suggested to me.. Prong collars, shock collars, dragging head down etc..). I do believe alot of the complaints are because nobody wants to jog with packs on... Or jog period... Unfortunate, but true... Thankfully, if she can get direction of travel on hasty searches etc, or the find in urban work, the area dogs can go to work and maybe I can find a flanker who syncs with our outlook and way of working... Trial and error right now as we are the only trailing dogs on the team... In like, forever.. So most are naive to what is needed and expected.. 

Because SAR is a team effort (I know police work is too, but time is of the ultimate essence in that line of work. Where SAR, there is a line of thought that the worst has already happened.. Yes, speed is important, but it isn't priority (unless little kid, etc)) I have to make sure that I have back up and flankers willing to work with me. So, that means I have to try to find a happy medium..


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## Misty Wegner

Thanks Brian! She is a nice dog.. Young, focused, determined... I don't have a problem with he, lol but making sure I have flankers willing to work with me is important.. Having her rate her speed can be good in the long run (No pun intended) as it will probably help her hold up longer under the stress the miles put on a body. I jog with her because I she pulls SOOOO hard, we would both be exhausted (and broken down) if I tried to hold her back.... Maybe she should be pulling weights or in the Iditarod, lol


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## Sarah Platts

I would still try the half hitch not so much to slow the speed but to tone down the sheer pulling. Part of the problem with a hard pulling dog is that it exhausts the handler as much as the dog. There really isn't any pain involved (imagine yourself wearing a belt that's to tight). It's pressure more than anything. 

I know one handler who used to two-fist it. Ran the dog with the harness and lead but then had a flexi-lead hooked up to a prong collar so she could pop it to remind the dog to slow down. I tried it with my hard puller and kicked the idea to the curb because of issues trying to take in and out the long line and then getting both items wrapped in some nasty shrubs. Figured I better just suck it up and live with the pull.

Yep, airscent folks just aren't use to working hard (not like mantrailers do). A jog is not bad. I know I had to troll for my flankers and get the guy who was most in shape. Yep, lost my share too because they refused to break a sweat. A lot of times my flankers (for urban) ride in a car or on a bike when feasible. The car is nice in the city because does serve as some protection when we are working in the roadway. I suggest you take a poll among your teammates and figure out who is able to flank with what dog. Figure out in advance that side of things. Or see if you can use LE for flanker duties. Most of the time the cops are better in shape because they are hitting the gym or doing jogging. Either way, something to think on.

I remember at one search another BH handler and I were talking about it. He was like "airscent people go to cadaver when they say its to hard to work airscent..... Trailing people when they get to broken to run behind the dog, go to airscent because it's slower and easier. Then when we get to broke to do airscent, then we go do cadaver......" The guy was 68 years old and still running behind a hound. Figured when he got to 70-74 then he would switch to airscent.


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## Misty Wegner

I will try the half hitch.. Hopefully it is the too much of a distraction for her.. 

Wow.. I hope to be able to run trail in my late 60's and early 70's! We will see if some of the new members step up and can flank and learn dog handling skills at the same time... Otherwise, LE will be my option, lol.. We might have another trailer soon.. Hope so..


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## Sarah Platts

Some dogs think it tickles until they get use to the feel. Some will halt and spin around the first time they feel the pressure. Some don't care and carry on. Good luck.


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## Brian McQuain

Sarah Platts said:


> If it's only the speed then I use a half-hitch on my speed demons. Attach the lead to the harness ring like always then take the lead and put a half-hitch around their groin/flank area. When they pull to hard, the hitch tightens up and when they ease up the hitch does to. This has been the only way I have found to slow a fast dog down without killing their desire. What you still end up with is a fast pace but not as fast as before.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> I was going to post this in my original response as well, but then thought, screw it. Tell your team mates to RUN!


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## Brian McQuain

Phil Dodson said:


> Agree with Brian! I tracked exclusively (off) the lead with my PSDs my whole career and trained all my handlers to track the same way. I can't recall the hundreds of tracks I lost my back up due to them not wanting to run or not in shape while my partners and I were tracking a perp.
> 
> On most occasions I picked my back up and it worked out. The difference is most of my tracks were anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes old and a couple of blocks at most. The quicker I could deploy the better my partners chances were of catching the perp before he could get through the containment. Even then with that little length and time I had back up dropping out leaving my partner and I to engage the bad guy alone.
> 
> If it works don't change it.


 
This. 

The only time I track/search with my dog on lead is in hazardous/potentially hazardous conditions. My boy lacks self preservation. If it'll hurt him, he'll find it.


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