Tracking, of all dog sport activities, is the most instinctive to the dog and the least understood by the handler. I have been in dog training for over 35 years and experienced the thrill of earning my first tracking title in 1976. To me, tracking, is still the most challenging and rewarding. It takes you to a new level of rapport with your dog and provides you with a whole new respect for his olfactory powers.

To me the mention of a tracking trial fills my mind with a vivid picture of an early morning with a touch of fall in the air. As I walk my dog out to the starting flag I can see the faint trace of my breath in the crisp air.  My dog gently strains at the leash, eager to start the track and he shows a measure of impatience as I put on the harness.  As I give him the command to track and he lowers his head and moves steadily forward along an invisible path no human can detect. 

I let the soft leather leash slip through my hands until he is several yards ahead of me.   His steady pressure on the leash tells me he is on the track and I follow him with confidence that he will be successful in his quest for the article. 


Ahead of me lies gently rolling  fields of ankle length grass and off in the distance the trees are starting to change to the majestic colors of Autumn. Above us, a flock of Canada Geese wing their way south knowing that Winter is approaching. Their sharp call is the only sound to disturb the quiet morning.

My dog slows, the leash goes slack and he circles and pulls forward in a new direction, as he makes a turn. Three more times he indicates corners and with a determination born from a clear understanding of what is required of him, he leads me along a trail I can=t begin to imagine. After more than a quarter of a mile the leash goes slack again and this time he quietly lies down to indicate he has found an article.  As I approach him and see the glove lying at his feet I look in his eyes and can see a look of happiness that comes from his love of tracking and the knowledge he has done his job. A slight chill runs down my back as I feel the bond between us that is seldom experienced  in any other type of dog training.

I hold up the glove to indicate to the judge, we have found the article and I hear a distant cheer from the other exhibitors and spectators. 

While the AKC regulations state that tracking should always represent the best in sportsmanship and camaraderie, it never ceases to amaze me at the genuine display of joy when another exhibitor passes and I know at this time, on this morning, there is no other place in the world I would rather be than right here.   

To earn a CKC tracking title, the dog must follow a stranger's track over a distance of 400 to 450 meters and find and article. There must be at least two right angle turns and the track is between one half hour and two hours old.

Once bitten by the tracking bug there is no cure, but there is help.  To learn more about tracking

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