# Nosework sport vs IPO tracking



## Shepdad (Oct 24, 2017)

Has anyone here ever tried training for both IPO tracking and the sport of nosework? Either in the same period or in sequence? Anyone here familiar with nosework? I am familiar with IPO tracking and AKC tracking and I know that it is not recommended to do both at the same time but to do IPO first, then AKC. Anyone see any potential conflicts in training between IPO and the sport of nosework?


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

I just finished a basic nosework course, and have entered a trial that will take place in July. I am also preparing my dog for her IP01. I don't see any reason why you can't do both!


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## Elisabeth Ann Parent (Dec 1, 2016)

I actually did see some bleed over that affected my tracking.

We did scent detection for 2 years, both classes and trialing. 

Then started back up with IPO. My dog decided that looking for the articles meant not having to keep her nose down or deep. At the flag I could see her scanning the immediate area for the articles with her nose then sorta just rushing the track. The article became more important than the actual track.

We worked it out but it was annoying. 

Personally, I won't do that with my other dogs. I'll concentrate on one type of "nose activity" at a time. 

We also did rally and obedience while doing IPO but had no issues since I didn't have two different expectations.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

As long as you teach IPO style first and use different commands, there shouldn't be an issue. I would not even attempt housework until the IPO tracking was super solid


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Jax08 said:


> As long as you teach IPO style first and use different commands, there shouldn't be an issue. I would not even attempt *housework* until the IPO tracking was super solid


Yeah, I wouldn't either. I think the wife ends up picking up after me even if I'm not tracking, but I may borrow this excuse anyway. I'm generally one thing at a time too, but I do let my dogs hunt for things on a release just for fun. All the cues and setup are so different that I don't notice a conflict with that. Something else formal though, I probably wouldn't.


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

I taught my first GSD nosework before I started IPO style tracking with him. In his case, starting nosework had zero impact on how he tracks. I use different equipment for each activity, and when we started tracking, I made sure he understood that he was to keep his nose to the track. He does really well with both activities. I taught my second GSD nosework after she had already learned IPO tracking. Again, I use different equipment for each activity. I have seen no problems with her tracking now that she also does nosework. I have never attempted to start both activities at the same time, and I don’t think I would. But once they have a good grasp on one, I see no problem starting the other.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Steve Strom said:


> Yeah, I wouldn't either. I think the wife ends up picking up after me even if I'm not tracking, but I may borrow this excuse anyway. I'm generally one thing at a time too, but I do let my dogs hunt for things on a release just for fun. All the cues and setup are so different that I don't notice a conflict with that. Something else formal though, I probably wouldn't.


I think autocorrect had a Freudian slip. It knows me so well!!


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

Nah, no housework for me either until IPO tracking is solid. No nosework either. 

If IPO is the goal, keep it at the forefront, and any other titles can happen after IPO. I'm sure it can be done, I just think IPO is challenging enough on its own, and is a young dog's sport for the most part, so get your titles and then dabble in other stuff.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I used to think I was seeing more women training IPO then men because they were just better at it. This is a new angle I hadn't considered.


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## Shepdad (Oct 24, 2017)

Since I wasn't familiar with nosework, I just thought that housework was training nosework routines at home.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I do two types of scent work. Two different words, two different environments. If anything I have found that doing something other than IPO tracking has helped my dogs in IPO when the tracks are difficult. I do, though, start with a foundation in IPO tracking before I start the other.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

I've done nose work and IPO. I also train my work dogs for article searches, hard surface scent discrimination tracking and detection work. Dogs with proper training and the proper drives should have no issue transferring from one discipline to another. 

With our patrol dogs, we run tracks to a building, where the dog has to find the correct entry point, the door or window that the track layer entered. Along the track articles may be placed and the dog has to indicate. Once the dog finds the entry point into the building, he has to enter and do a building search and then fight and apprehend a bad guy. The fight will be stressful and challenging. We will have narcotics set out in the building as well as distractors and the dog must ignore the narcotics aids and focus on the search for the man. After the fight, we will then direct our spun up dogs to do a narcotics search. The dogs are in drive to fight, gassed after the track and the bite work and must change gears to now do detection work. It's a matter of changing the dog's mindset and getting it on the task at hand. 

Doing nose work and IPO at the same time is generally not a problem. One issue that can come up is the amount of time needed to train all the various disciplines. IPO takes a sizable commitment and so does nose work. I'd say IPO is more time intensive. If you do not have the time to commit to one sport, then trying to do two sports clearly won't work. 

I do not see any issues with IPO tracking and nose work, quite the opposite. Handlers that do detection work are generally better tracking dog handlers. Because they learn to read their dog's body language and cues better. Articles are a separate exercise and need to be trained off the track. A dog trained in detection work should not start searching for articles or a "find" when told to track. This is a training issue that needs to be addressed in tracking. When starting a track the dog needs to be dialed in to the task at hand and not going off task to perform something else. IPO tracking is easy, it really is easy. The training tracks teach the dog the style we want the dogs to track in. Once at the flag, the trained tracking ritual should kick in. If the dog is distracted, not focused or in a tracking "mindset," simply do not start the track. Get the dog in the proper frame of mind for the task at hand. 

Nose work will enhance your dog's tracking and your ability to work, read and handle your dog. Just have enough training time to devote to the various activities. 

JMO


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

Yup, I think the time issue might be the biggest hurdle. If the focus is IPO, especially if you are new to the sport, I'd lay a real nice tracking foundation first. I think that other types of tracking are more fun, I love the article search in KNPV, but if you are looking for IPO title, keep that focus. It's a sport with points, and if that is what you are doing, go for it.


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## UnlimitedGSD (Oct 16, 2012)

I have one dog who has done both but I did the nosework after IPO. It definitely helped, especially when it came to indications.
OTCh Phyre vom Patiala, IPO 3 Kkl CKC TD CGN TEC AKC CDX RA SD-A(SP)


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Time, lack of patience, I see myself blurring everything.


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## Genalis_mom (Mar 9, 2018)

Jax08 said:


> As long as you teach IPO style first and use different commands, there shouldn't be an issue. I would not even attempt housework until the IPO tracking was super solid



I agree COMPLETELY. I shall absolutely refuse to do any form of housework until Genali is ROCK SOLID. Hubby will just have to do it all. (That includes laundry, right?) >


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Genalis_mom said:


> I agree COMPLETELY. I shall absolutely refuse to do any form of housework until Genali is ROCK SOLID. Hubby will just have to do it all. (That includes laundry, right?) >


You betcha! You heard it here. I'm drinking wine and playing on the internet. My husband is cooking steak for me! 

My dentist DID tell me to reduce the stress in my life so I would stop breaking teeth. You can use that excuse too. :wink2:


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

I have not noticed the nosework affecting Eska's tracking. The nosework also requires a deep nose when checking containers, which are the first thing you introduce after the dog has been trained to mark the scent. She's had no problem switching back and forth.


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## Bentwings1 (May 29, 2017)

Some humor up there. LOL. I started Schutzhund trackI got at an early dog age. Once the tracks became solid and we got into really rough terrain tracking I got us into police detection Work. Finding th8ngs in junk cars and rough places further cemented the scent. Sending pavement on a hot day was harder for me than my dog. But eventually he became very easy to direct to find things. He was not as good at area search like the trained dog was but he got around it by finding the tracks that a person left to the article. It was funny how the AKC judges tried to hide handling articles. The detection dogs just couldn’t be fooled. The more they got rewarded for success the better they got at it. A bag of dog food or treats was a standard bet. I was never short of either. The bomb dog was so perfect that he would he would sit and stare at the object 
. Never tout h it or bark at it.sometimes it looked like he wanted to wave a foot like “hey it’s over here. “. The AKC people would use rubber gloves and plastic wrap to try to fool the dog. We learned a lot about how good a trained dog’s nose really is. I spent a lot of time in the northern woods. Following deer and wolf tracks. Sometimes the wolf would take a turn like he found something more interesting to run down. I suppose food was plentiful and the wolf was conserving energy. We never really gave much thought to it after training our dogs. You surely could not sneak up on them. Watch then through binoculars across a ravine but try to follow them and they would scatter and disappear.


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