| Dave Port and Hunther vom Haus Tyson, at their successful Schutzhund 1 trial. |
The Way Of The Dog
Red Star Tracking Log
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| The Way Of The Dog 1684 Decoto Rd. #207 Union City, CA 94587 (510) 279-3257 David@innu-no-michi.com |
Track Laying Basics: Articles
According to the United Schutzhund Club of America’s rule book, “articles may be made of wood,
carpet, leather, or any suitable material.” The articles must be no more than 1 inch wide by 4 inches
long by ½ inch thick. The tracklayer must wear them on his/her body for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Article training is a basic “shaping” exercise. From the Karen Pryor website,
www.clickertraining.com:
For the student that is unfamiliar with clicker training, visit the website listed above and watch the video
titled, “An Introduction to Clicker Training.” This video gives you the basics in one minute. It’s a simple
skill, but it’s not exactly easy; practice without your dog for a few sessions until you are comfortable with
the technique.
A sample shaping protocol for article indication might be this:
1. Present article by conspicuously laying or dropping it on the floor in front of your dog. When he/she
looks at it, click and treat ("C&T"). Repeat 10 times, take a break of at least 10 minutes (so your dog
can absorb the lesson). If your dog is crate trained, house the dog in the crate for the break period.
2. Place article on the floor in front of your dog. Wait for him/her to look at AND sniff the article (most
dogs will do this in a short time). C&T for 10 correct repetitions, take a 10 minute break.
3. Traditionally, in Schutzhund tracking the dog is taught to "down" at the article, although no behavior
is specified in the rules. So, to teach the "down" at the article, once your dog is consistently sniffing the
article give your "down" command when he/she sniffs it. C&T for 10 correct repetitions, take a 10
minute break.
4. Toss the article a short distance away, then let the dog find it. He/she should lay down immediately
upon finding the article, but if not, give the command. C*T for ten correct repetitions, then take a 10
minute break.
When your dog is spontaneously laying down when he/she walks up and sniffs the article, you're
there! Make sure the dog is "dropping in his tracks," not turning to face you to find the reward. It's
important to remember that you only get the behavior you reinforce, so require your dog to do it
correctly. Training is always easier than re-training!
According to the United Schutzhund Club of America’s rule book, “articles may be made of wood,
carpet, leather, or any suitable material.” The articles must be no more than 1 inch wide by 4 inches
long by ½ inch thick. The tracklayer must wear them on his/her body for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Article training is a basic “shaping” exercise. From the Karen Pryor website,
www.clickertraining.com:
- “Clicker training" is an animal training method based on behavioral psychology that relies on
marking desirable behavior and rewarding it.
Desirable behavior is usually marked by using a "clicker," a mechanical device that makes a
short, distinct "click" sound which tells the animal exactly when they're doing the right thing. This
clear form of communication, combined with positive reinforcement, is an effective, safe, and
humane way to teach any animal any behavior that it is physically and mentally capable of doing.”
For the student that is unfamiliar with clicker training, visit the website listed above and watch the video
titled, “An Introduction to Clicker Training.” This video gives you the basics in one minute. It’s a simple
skill, but it’s not exactly easy; practice without your dog for a few sessions until you are comfortable with
the technique.
A sample shaping protocol for article indication might be this:
1. Present article by conspicuously laying or dropping it on the floor in front of your dog. When he/she
looks at it, click and treat ("C&T"). Repeat 10 times, take a break of at least 10 minutes (so your dog
can absorb the lesson). If your dog is crate trained, house the dog in the crate for the break period.
2. Place article on the floor in front of your dog. Wait for him/her to look at AND sniff the article (most
dogs will do this in a short time). C&T for 10 correct repetitions, take a 10 minute break.
3. Traditionally, in Schutzhund tracking the dog is taught to "down" at the article, although no behavior
is specified in the rules. So, to teach the "down" at the article, once your dog is consistently sniffing the
article give your "down" command when he/she sniffs it. C&T for 10 correct repetitions, take a 10
minute break.
4. Toss the article a short distance away, then let the dog find it. He/she should lay down immediately
upon finding the article, but if not, give the command. C*T for ten correct repetitions, then take a 10
minute break.
When your dog is spontaneously laying down when he/she walks up and sniffs the article, you're
there! Make sure the dog is "dropping in his tracks," not turning to face you to find the reward. It's
important to remember that you only get the behavior you reinforce, so require your dog to do it
correctly. Training is always easier than re-training!
| All photos of Dave and Britta are courtesy of Grace Chen, unless noted. |
