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  1. #21
    Banned
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    Aug 2010
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
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    55
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    Default Re: How do tracking dogs track - what did you see.

    Quote Originally Posted by pre 64 View Post
    Think of what Zuku said and it all makes scents [pun intended]
    Now you gonna go to the thick stuff and lay a blood spoor for the dog....You are physically gonna walk a route pouring out bits of blood.
    Bet you 10 scents [pun intended] that the dog will air scent you to the end and not ground scent the blood.
    **********************
    Wind is howling here.
    We laid 3 trails, one up wind and across, and one down wind and across about 80 m - no real distinguishing which manner is used for which. She started out head down and then almost looked like she was lifting her head to see over grass. 1 minute 13 seconds, second one 1 minutes 29 seconds. The down wind track she missed every corner and had to back track at each turn. Both bottles were found.

    On the way home we stopped at a public park on outskirts of built up area which had a house size piece of indigenous bush left natural in the middle of the park.
    Cody ran with the spray bottle in hand and sprayed downward every 2nd, third pace from waste height, as he ran. He ran from LDV across wind to bush then around bush almost back to start of track? A big "?" shape trail through all directions of wind, closer to 100 m this time.

    Was interesting to see the dog first sniff other smells, have a wee, smell some turds and walk off over to some cattle grazing near by. She then wondered back to van and sniffed a few tress and posts etc.
    Thought she was not interested. Then Cody started his mantra, "work Rat work rat yeaaa! work rat"
    Nose went down she tracked a bit stopped a few times to read messages left by other dogs, but kept track orientated. Then she started running on trail. In the strong wind she almost followed Codys footsteps kink and swerve, but head close to ground. We throw the bottle away from us on "find" spot so we can see if she is following us or the trail. She always goes to the bottle. She did so do again, 1 minute 39 seconds.

    Have a few video's if anyone wants on whats up - 0824141818

  2. #22
    Banned
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
    Age
    55
    Posts
    11,588

    Default Re: How do tracking dogs track - what did you see.

    I took the Rat for a artificial track again today and observed something interesting.
    I laid a track using one of those trigger spray bottles, first a good double spray on a stump or rock as a start point and from there one spray after 3 paces on the ground,3 paces 1 spray on tree foliage then 2 paces and one spray in air along in front of me at waist height. 1 on ground, 1 in air, one on leaves - 2 paces, 3 paces and rarely 4/5 paces before a spray.
    I laid away from vehicle across wind and then with wind and then into wind to end. The track again was a basic big "?" in the bush ending 20 odd meters from the start point.
    At the end of the track I threw the bottle 6/9 ft away into bush.
    I went and stood on high ground again, about 30 m from end and 30 m down wind . There was no hesitation, she flew along the trail down straight around the "?" circle and back towards me. Solid on the track.
    At some stage she saw me and gave a huge grin (she really grins) and came bounding to me. I sat down and we had a ' awe I missed you, you been gone for so long moment". The words she may be tracking you came to life, F***** , my heart sank.
    Cody, not knowing this then piped up in that beautiful my boy voice, ' come Rat back to work, work rat work"
    She went back to where she got distracted, tracked wrong direction, changed her mind went back, started again went done some path, wondered around a bit, "no clue"

    Cody called from somewhere in Southern Africa asking "are we near dad?" - No my boy she is up shit path without a clue. I just kept quiet, she was just doing dog stuff, she had found me and was finished, whats a man do ? Nice dog she is - ain't gonna kick her. fkt.

    I was just standing there listening to Cody doing his work rat work chant, when he pipes up like he never had any doubt, Ok Dad she found it.

    After she found me which was all exiting, she just went off to check out a few smells and things of interest while noting the blood trail for when she returned on same path.
    Cody said she kinda did a "ja ja, I know, just wanna quickly check this and that - the blood bottle is not going anywhere, I got it marked know where it is".

    Today I think I confirmed, she is going to be just fine as a tracking dog.

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