Tracking training for gun dogs

SUMMER TRAINING PART II: TRACKING

By Scott Haugen

Watching a dog effectively track, be it a furry animal on land, an upland bird in heavy cover, or a crippled duck across water, is one of the great rewards of hunting with a good dog. While much of a dog’s ability to track comes down to genetics, a great deal can also be taught.

ONCE AGAIN I TURNED to good friend

Jess Spradley, one of the West’s top versatile gun dog trainers, for advice. In addition to breeding an elite line of pudelpointers, Spradley trains multiple breeds year-round from his home in Lakeview, Oregon.

“The goal of tracking is conservation; that is, not losing a wounded bird,” begins Spradley. “I’ve started many pups tracking at 2 months old, getting them to use their nose on command. At first I place a little piece of hot dog in the yard for them to find. Right away I give the command ‘find it,’ so they know this isn’t a game. Their reward is eating it once they find it, and I always set them up for success. Place it in a spot where they can smell it, even see it once they’ve moved close to it.”

As soon as he can, Spradley progresses to using a dead bird to track. Some pups pick up on a bird smell quickly; others take a bit more time than with hot dog training.

“Using a bird carcass – one I’ve taken the breast meat, legs and thighs from last season – stored in the freezer, I’ll pull it out to train with,” Spradley offers. “As with the hot dog, I set up for success. With a bird, I’ll pull some feathers and make a small pile where

Using a check cord while teaching bird tracking helps keep your gun dog focused and moving forward, as trainer Jess Spradley demonstrates. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Freezing bird carcasses cleaned of all meat, or drying and wrapping bird skins around a bumper, are good ways to teach bird tracking to pups like this. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

the track will start. Then I’ll drag the bird along the ground so the dog can smell it. I put the pup on a check cord or short leash so I can control their movement, as I want them focusing on progressing forward. If they get distracted, I’ll tighten the lead and get them back on track, allowing them to move at their own pace. The thing to avoid is slowing them down by overcorrecting.”

In addition to dragging the bird on the ground, you can rub the skin around to disperse more scent, or pull more feathers.

“I’ll put a few feathers on the ground every 15 feet or so, to keep the pup interested,” Spradley points out. “You can also use white pieces of tissue paper for sight recognition. The pup will go to the tissue, then pick up the smell. Soon they’ll associate the feathers with the smell. Keep them moving forward to the bird, which is placed 50 to 60 feet away. Place the bird and feathers without the pup watching you. If it’s a small pup, start with the bird placed 15 feet away. Keep it short and positive, ending in success.”

Remember, each dog is different. You want to place the hot dog, bird or rabbit skin far enough away so the pup can’t see it and has to cover ground and work to find it.

“Having grass on the ground to hold scent is best,” says Spradley. “Don’t train on concrete, gravel or dirt. Mornings are ideal, as the humidity is higher and tracking conditions better. Don’t train on hot days or in high winds, either. Cool mornings following a rain or gentle mist are great, as are foggy days with dew on the ground.”

ONCE THE DOG HAS straight-line tracking down, Spradley starts making turns. “Drag the carcass in gentle turns so the dogs can follow it, but have to work at it. As they achieve success, make more turns and increase the angle of severity. If the pup gets off track, use the check cord to get them back on it.”

Some dogs like to track on the run or at a gentle lope, others with their nose up, and others with their nose down.

“With dogs that track with their head up, it looks like they’re not doing the right thing, but they’re actually catching the wind as it rises from the ground, so let ’em work,” Spradley advises. “As they progress, increase distance and turns and introduce obstacles like logs and creeks. This is the time to start simulating what you’ll encounter in the field.”

IF YOU’RE A WATERFOWL hunter, first

master the tracking on land, then move to shallow water. Wading and dragging a duck carcass across the water is a great way to teach dogs how to track on water, and yes, they can smell the scent left on the water’s surface.

Yes, dogs can track on water. Here, the author’s 9-year-old pudelpointer Echo did just that on a long-range duck retrieve last season. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

“Once a dog has it, they’ll not forget how to track,” concludes Spradley. “Still, it is a learned skill, so come back to it. With a pup I’ll track at least once a day, often in the morning and evening, and I won’t overload them with other training. With adult dogs I might track train once every couple of weeks, depending on how the sessions go.”

Progress at your dog’s level of achievement and strive for good practice sessions with consistent word repetition. I don’t use electric collars when tracking because I don’t know what the scent is doing as the dog moves away from me and I don’t want to falsely correct them. Keep tracking training fun and brief, and soon your pup will be impressing you with its skills. CS

Editor’s note: Learn more about Jess Spradley’s breeding and training programs at cabincreekgundogs.com and follow his helpful tips on Facebook.