Description
There is nothing like the thrill of running behind a dog that is hot on the scent of a lost child, or the adrenaline rush of the handler of a police dog tracking a suspected criminal hiding in a neighborhood. But to reach that point where the dog knows what to do, and the handler trusts him to do his job, requires many practice tracks, in varying weather and varying lengths and conditions. A dog needs approximately one hundred training sessions before testing should be done. This means that the handler should give his dog a solid foundation. Without some way to record these training sessions, it can be difficult to know when a dog is ready to be tested. Originally created by Lisa Preston to train her first tracking dog, the Canine Scent Work Log has developed into a practical, easy to use log book where the handler can thoroughly document each training session. With a wire binding, it can be opened flat to accommodate writing. Following a brief introductory instructions section, the author has included several sample logs to give ideas to the handler of how best to use the log book. A fill-in type table of contents allows the handler to record the date and activity of the track, as well as if it was a test or training session. Each log book has space for 75 tracking sessions. In the body of the log book, there are two page spreads which have an area to record scent work data, and a page to write down log notes. On the scent work data page, the handler can record date, time, activity, location, weather, conditions, distractions, finds, canine status and objectives. There is also a blocked in diagram to allow for an accurate sketch of the track layout. The handler can write down, in detail, notes on the track, and how the dog responded to the track. This would be a great place to also note what the dog did well on and where he may need further work, as well as if there was a possibility of contamination of the track, or other occurrences that may affect the way that the dog handled this track. Any dog owner or handler who is interested in or is actively training a dog for scent work will benefit greatly from this book. It provides a quick reference tool to establish a solid foundation for search and rescue, avalanche, detector, police and recreational tracking dogs. A must-have for tracking enthusiasts!
Related Products
