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Tracking Work for Dogs – Successful scent search

By Tina Holliston
Published on 01/29/2024
Reviewed by Dr. Monica Sanders

Search Work: Professional or Playful

The olfactory capabilities of dogs are truly incredible: they can not only locate people buried under deep snow but also sniff out minute amounts of explosives or drugs. They can even detect cancer cells or changes in blood sugar levels. Behind this lies extensive and thorough training. If you want to engage in search and rescue work or mantrailing with your dog, regular training with a professional is essential. However, you can also send your dog on a few simple tracks that will physically and mentally challenge him.

Tracking work is suitable for everyone

What’s special about tracking work is that it’s truly suitable for everyone:

Since it’s not about speed or physical agility, both young dogs and senior dogs can participate.
The dog owner also doesn’t need any special physical fitness.
Since the dog remains on the leash, this training is especially welcome for dogs that cannot be let off the leash due to fear or aggression.
Very little equipment is needed, and the preparation time is minimal.

How to Start Tracking Work

To start with simple tracking searches, you don’t need much. You probably already have everything at home.

You’ll need:

Dog harness
Tracking leash
Bandana
Tiny and delicious treats, such as cheese cubes
Fresh tripe

Preparing for the search work

First, you need a suitable surface for your tracking work. A large field is well suited. It’s best to choose a field that isn’t constantly used as a dog park, so your dog won’t be distracted by all the smells. And besides, other dog owners might not appreciate finding some treats from your trail lying around. Your dog should wear a harness during tracking work because if he really puts in effort during the work, a collar would only choke him.

Extra Tip: Always put a bandana or a colorful vest on your dog during tracking work. This item should only be put on him when it’s time for tracking work. Alternatively, you can use a new harness that is clearly different from the one you use for regular walks. The point of this is for your dog to learn that the bandana or the special harness means that it’s time for tracking work – and that he’s only allowed to follow a trail during this time. After a short while, your dog will understand what this extra accessory is all about.

Then, attach your dog to the tracking leash. There are two reasons for this: firstly, you can control your dog’s pace, and secondly, your dog should realize that both of you are working on this track together. This way, he learns that he’s only allowed to follow a trail with you.

Laying the First Track

Tie your dog to the edge of the field. He can watch what you’re doing but shouldn’t follow you.

Now, go to the starting point of your track. It’s important to always remember a landmark at the starting point and the destination so that you can find your track again. Don’t mark with a stone, leash, or keychain – your dog will quickly recognize this and cheat. Instead, remember a tree, a molehill, or a small depression, etc.
At the starting point, trample the grass with your feet on a small area, about 50 x 50 cm. Place some of your small treats in the middle of the area.
Now, walk in a straight line from there to your destination. Take tiny steps so that you slightly crush the grass under your feet. Place a treat in your track every few steps behind you.
After about 20 meters, you reach the destination. Flatten a larger area here and place a handful of treats there.
If you can see your track in the grass, walk exactly on this track back. If that’s not possible, take a wide step out of the track and then go back to your dog in a large arc.

Now, it’s time to wait. Because the track needs to mature. This means that the bent grass blades, the roughened ground, and the body cells that have fallen from you will ferment into a specific scent mixture. It’s best to wait for 10 minutes, then the fermentation process is completed.

Extra Tip: Pay attention to the wind direction when laying the track. The wind should preferably come from the side or from behind. And it shouldn’t be too windy either, because otherwise, the scent molecules will swirl so much that the search will be very difficult for your dog.

Sending Your Dog on a Tracking Mission

Now it’s time for the first tracking search:

Go with your dog to the starting point. Let him sit there, bend down, and look “excitedly” at the trampled grass piece. Your dog should notice that you have discovered something great. Then call him to you, show him the treats lying there, and send him from there onto the track. If you like, you can establish a command now, for example, “Follow!”
Hold the tracking leash so that it’s in your open hand. This way, there’s less risk of unconsciously trying to steer your dog. Only if he gets too fast, you can briefly grip it to slow him down. Otherwise, the leash should lie loosely in your hand.
At the first meters, your dog will probably pick up every single treat, but often after a few meters, he’ll realize that it’s not primarily about the treats but about the track itself. He will then leave some pieces and continue to search purposefully.
Once he has reached the destination, he can eat the jackpot there and will be praised extensively.
Now tie him back to the edge of the field, lay a completely new track elsewhere, and repeat the process. For starters, two tracks are enough.

Alternatives in Tracking Search

Once your dog understands what tracking search is about, you can make the work more varied and gradually more challenging.

Laying a Scented Tripe Track

A great alternative to a treat track, for example, is a tripe track. For this, you’ll need a piece of fresh tripe, which you can get (frozen) at the pet store.

Caution: Fresh tripe smells delicious to dogs but rather unpleasant to us. That’s why you should wear a pair of disposable rubber gloves when working with tripe.

Attach a string to a piece of thawed tripe and drag the tripe behind you as you walk the track. This way, the scent of the tripe will spread onto the ground.
At the end of the track, untie the tripe and leave it there as a reward.
Now, send your dog on the track as usual. But this time, there are no treats for him to pick up along the way, only the reward waiting at the end of the track.

Find tripe repulsive? You can also fill a bottle with some beef or chicken broth and sprinkle it along your track every few steps. But of course, a great reward must await at the end of the track.

Working with Different Types of Ground

The crushed grass, the slightly disturbed ground, and the scent trail – all of these are scents that the dog can relatively easily follow. It becomes challenging when the ground on the track changes, for example, when the track crosses a dirt road or a stretch of asphalt. If your dog is eagerly participating in the tracking search, you can increase the difficulty level in this way.

Right Angle: Adding a Twist to the Track

So far, your tracking searches have always been straight ahead. If you want to make it more challenging, add one (or more) right angles to your track. You’ll see that this isn’t so easy for your dog.

Important: Again, remember a conspicuous clump of grass, a stone, or a tree where you initiated the right angle. This way, you can check if your dog is on the right track.

Be wary of wanting to help your dog in tracking: he usually knows better than you. Perhaps he’s taking a curve because the wind has dispersed the scent molecules. Yet, he still finds the goal of the search. Always keep the tracking leash loose to avoid – unconsciously – influencing him. Only if you notice that he has completely lost the track do you lead him back to the track.

Once your dog understands what tracking search is about, you can soon tread the track only with your feet. And with your imagination, where it could lead – over hill and dale – there are no limits.