Precision tracking is a highly skilled and complicated discipline. It involves the dog following the scent of an artificial track to find a hidden target such as a cone or glove, usually after several left turns. The handler must communicate with their dog to direct them to the right cone or other target. Several different factors come into play when training for precision tracking. The most important is effective handling techniques that can keep your dog close, focused on you, and always obedient. If your dog tends to wander off because they’re distracted by smells or other dogs, there are some things you can do to help your pup focus more on you and your commands. How to achieve precision tracking with your dog? These tips will also help keep your dog from straying too far from you so that you can give them quicker and clearer direction on where to go next time.
Stay low to the ground
The lower you are to the ground, the easier it is to keep your dog close to you and focused on your hands and voice. If you’re standing while walking your dog during the training session, they’re more likely to wander off, sniff new smells, or follow another dog or person. If you want to keep your dog close and focused on you, you should try to stay on the ground as much as possible. This way, your dog will be lower to the ground as well, making it easier for them to follow your body language and stay close to you as you walk around the track. Depending on the track you’ll be walking (land or water), you can kneel or go down on one knee. If you’re walking on land, kneeling is a great option. If you’re walking on water, going down on one knee is more appropriate.
Use rewards effectively
Rewards are essential when training your dog, but they aren’t as simple as giving your dog a treat after each successful attempt. If you give your dog a treat every once in a while, they’ll either lose interest in the training or become dependent on that treat to do the job correctly. In either case, they won’t learn how to track on their own. Instead, you should give your dog a treat after they’ve completed each desired behavior. For example, if your dog has found the first cone and wants to stay focused on finding the next cone, give them a treat after they’ve returned to you.
If you give your dog a treat for each successful attempt, but only after they’ve returned to you, they’ll begin to understand that staying close to you is essential. That way, when they find the next cone and come back to you, you can give them a treat as a reward for doing so. Rewarding your dog each time they do something correctly helps them learn what’s expected of them and keeps them focused on you.
Don’t make corrections in motion.
While your dog is on track, you shouldn’t make corrections such as pulling on their leash or trying to redirect them physically. You should only make corrections or pull on their leash before they start the track or when they’ve made a mistake and need to be returned to you. If your dog is on track and you’re pulling on their leash to try and get them to go in a different direction or stay closer to you, they won’t understand what you’re trying to do. Using your voice is the best way to communicate with your dog while on the track. Rather than physically pulling on their leash, calmly tell them where you want them to go. If your dog has wandered off to the wrong side of the track or is too far away from you, use your voice to tell them where you want them to go.
Conclusion
Precision tracking is a challenging and competitive sport, but it isn’t something that you have to do competitively to benefit from it. Whether you’re training on a competitive level or just for fun, precision tracking can help you build a stronger relationship with your dog by teaching you how to understand their body language and effectively communicate with them. If you train your dog with patience, consistency, and practical handling, they’ll be able to understand what you want them to do and how to do it. With practice, your dog will learn how to track, and you will be able to communicate with them effectively so that you can both have a great time during training.