Making Scents of Tracking

Within the pages of MAKING SCENTS OF TRACKING are detailed handler training exercises to help you and your dog learn. You will also find many self-tests with which to measure your progress. A well known tracking expert, Ruth Harris, read the manuscript and stated, "I have gone over your book thoroughly and find it well written. There is nothing in your description of how to start a dog on the track that I could add to. In fact, I think you have supplied details that I find lacking in other 'how to' books. I would recommend your book without exception." MAKING SCENTS OF TRACKING covers all aspects of training and preparing your dog for an AKC tracking test. A partial list of topics includes: the author's training philosophy; plotting and laying tracks; line handling; reading your dog; planning your training sessions; getting started by imprinting; the tracking process when imprinting is completed; article indication; how handlers fail; training those cantankerous turns; properly starting & ending tracks; aging tracks; working blind tracks; working varied ground cover; how to track with a puppy; basic training equipment needs; how and why to maintain a tracking log book; using flags and other markers; what to expect on your AKC test day; recipes for tracking treats; and on-line tracking resources.

Deborah Davis is a mid-west tracker, seminar leader, and author who has placed AKC tracking titles on multiple dogs. She is Tracking Chair for the upcoming American Belgian Tervuren Club (ABTC) 2010 Nationals Dog Show. Successfully training, handling and showing both dogs and horses her entire adult life, Davis bases her tracking training methods on two basic premises. First, we don't teach dogs how to track - they are born knowing how to track. As handlers, our job is to teach them to want to track for us and to follow a particular scent trail of our choosing. Second, if the dog is not doing his job the handler must be doing something wrong. Davis titled both of her current dogs at an AKC tracking test put on by the Indian Nations Tracking Club at John Zinc Ranch north of Tulsa, Oklahoma on Dec 2, 2007. At 8 months of age "Forest" earned his TD while "Yaqui" passed his TDX test at 16 months. Deborah travels the Midwest to give seminars on handler skills.