|
| |
BEGINNING MANTRAILING TRAINING...
Getting Started Right
I
prefer to start puppies (or dogs with no training, regardless of
their age) with a method referred to as "food-tease-reward".
However, if you are training a breed other than a bloodhound and
want to use a toy or play as a reward, simply substitute your choice
of reward for the food treat.
This
method begins by repeating the procedures and commands that will be
used for the entire working life of the dog.
In addition, this method provides the following advantages:
-
The
dog is worked by the handler from the beginning, and does not
necessitate switching from a temporary handler after the initial
training as is necessary when the handler lays puppy trails for
his own dog.
-
The
dog learns that he and the handler work together, as a team, to
find other people.
-
The dog
learns from the beginning to associate the starting command with
the scent on the scent article, and the scent trail the dog is
to follow.
-
The dog
learns from the beginning that the harness is the “switch” that
turns his trailing mode on and off, and signals when he is to
“play the game” and when the “game” is over.
-
The
dog learns from the beginning that trailing is a fun game, and
that he will be rewarded with a food treat and lots of attention
and praise when he successfully locates his quarry.
To start training with this
method, go to an area relatively free of distractions as possible.
The handler (you) places the dog in harness and attaches the
trailing lead to the harness "D" ring, and your runner approaches
the puppy and gives it a smell, or even a small sample of the food
treat that is going to be used as a reward for the dog. The runner
then begins backing off from the dog,
all the while calling the
puppy by name, using a high pitched, excited voice, and waving the
item that is to be used for a scent article. The handler
restrains the puppy, and believe me, he will need to be restrained,
as he will want to go with the funny acting person with the treats!
When the runner is about 10 or 12 feet away from the puppy, he drops
the scent article, and continues running away from the puppy...still
calling his name, flailing his arms, and acting very excited. The
runner goes out in a straight line about 100 feet for the beginning
trails, and then ducks partially out of sight--behind a tree or some
other obstruction.
The handler then
brings the puppy up to the scent article, and with the dog over the
scent article, gives the chosen starting command
one time,
using the correct tonal inflection. It is not necessary for
the dog to stop and smell the scent article, nor will it be
necessary for the handler to pick up the article and hold it up to
the dog's nose. The puppy will go running very enthusiastically to
the runner where he is loved, petted, and given some of the food
treat. Do not skimp on the praise at this point.
In the beginning
stages of training, I like to run four of these trails in
succession, two sets per day.
The next step would involve trails with one 90-degree turn.
Even though the puppy is still watching the runner leave, his
short attention span prevents him from remembering where the runner
went, and he is forced to rely on his nose to locate the runner.
When the puppy thoroughly and completely understands the association
of the scent article/starting command/finding the runner/getting
rewarded, then you can advance to short, simple trails where the dog
does not see the runner leave.
When a puppy reaches this stage, I like to work on one or two
trails per day, four or five days per week.
From
this point, you can advance to trails of increasing difficulty, in
both length and age, keeping in mind that:
-
Training must always be fun for the dog.
-
Training must always end on a happy, successful note.
-
Repetition
is the key to successful training—use the exact same procedure
every time.
-
The
difficulty of trails should be advanced only after competency is
developed at one stage and the dog is working consistently.
-
You
put the dog in harness
only when you are ready to start him on a trail, and you
remove the harness immediately upon completition of the trail
-
.The starting command is given
one time only—at the
start of the trail and when the dog is over the desired scent
article.
The
training of a mantrailing bloodhound is a long, never-ending
process. This procedure
will help you get started using proven, tested training techniques.
This guide is offered as assistance in the training of the
hound in his beginning stages.
Good luck and happy trails.
Copyright © 1998 by Jack R. Shuler. All rights reserved. No part of
this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise),
without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
To Return To Training Articles
|
