Tracking Dogs and how they track
Firstly, tracking is not obedience. Tracking is a dog sport where the dog takes the lead. This is often very difficult for people from a strong obedience background to grasp when they first begin. The fun is in the handler learning to read their dog and working with the dog as a partnership. 'Trust your dog' is a well known saying in the field of tracking.
A dog tracks naturally by following the scent trail of a specific person or animal using both track and airborne scent. Each dog will track in his own way and his individual style cannot be changed. Depending on the weather conditions, a tracking dog may track 10 to 15 metres downwind from the track as he follows the minute particles of human skin cells (rafts) cast off by the person as they walk, and which are dispersed by the wind.
A tracking dog being followed by the judge, steward and a spectator.
What is scent?
Scent may be defined as an odour that a live, dead or inanimate object emits. Everything has its own distinct odour. In the case of living humans, scent is produced by the continuous, daily shedding of millions of skin cells, and by the action of bacteria upon those skin cells.
There are two parts to the Scent Picture that a dog follows:
Airborne or personal scent: Generated by chemical changes taking place within the body and perspiration. It also includes personal hygiene, grooming products and laundry detergent. It does not matter if the person is wearing heavy clothing
Ground scent: Comes from disturbing the earth as we walk and it also varies from person to person depending on their size and weight and the type of shoes they are wearing.
The scent picture is affected by environmental factors such as the age of the track, weather (wind, temperature, humidity), terrain, ground cover and contamination by people and animals.
Below, a tracklayer walks a track on a cold, frosty morning. Weather conditions and the type of ground cover affect the concentration of the scent on the ground.
Scent may be defined as an odour that a live, dead or inanimate object emits. Everything has its own distinct odour. In the case of living humans, scent is produced by the continuous, daily shedding of millions of skin cells, and by the action of bacteria upon those skin cells.
There are two parts to the Scent Picture that a dog follows:
Airborne or personal scent: Generated by chemical changes taking place within the body and perspiration. It also includes personal hygiene, grooming products and laundry detergent. It does not matter if the person is wearing heavy clothing
Ground scent: Comes from disturbing the earth as we walk and it also varies from person to person depending on their size and weight and the type of shoes they are wearing.
The scent picture is affected by environmental factors such as the age of the track, weather (wind, temperature, humidity), terrain, ground cover and contamination by people and animals.
Below, a tracklayer walks a track on a cold, frosty morning. Weather conditions and the type of ground cover affect the concentration of the scent on the ground.
