# Is 8 1/2 months old too late to start on tracking?



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

Is 8 1/2 months old too late to start on tracking cuz I see a lot of people start their dogs like 12 weeks.
And I don't really know how to do it. Does it has to be on grass, cement, sand, or dirt?
Does it has to be in the early morning?
Do you lay treats or food on the ground? What if the dogs eat some dirt when they try to get food and then they get sick or parasite from doing that?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

If you want to track with your dog, I would recommend finding a club to train at. The dog is not too old at all.

Typing out instructions to teach your dog to track would be like publishing a small book on the forum.


----------



## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Not too late at all! I started my dog at 7 years old! Definitely find a club, or a trainer, or at least a seminar. I've been to a few seminars and just train on my own.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

No, not too old at all.

Tracking in the mornings when there is moisture is easier for the dog, but not absolutely necessary. 

Grass or loose dirt/sandy loam works best (I prefer the former). 

I still like Gary Patterson's book: _Tracking: from the beginning. _I do a few different things now than when I started my first dog, but this is a very good book to begin with. 

Finding a club is also highly recommended as others have pointed out.


----------



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

Thank you guys for information. 
I feel like most clubs stress on obedience and protection phases, and leave tracking phase for handlers to work on their own. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm just new to this thing. It's my first GSD and I might be over my head to pursue this sport. In the past 6 months, I only tried to build drives in my pup. I just got a working harness, long line, and fur saver( I got a prong when she was 6 1/2months)


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

That is true about most clubs, but they should also be able to guide you in how to get started. You will probably still have to do a lot of the work on your own.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Not too old at all - Keeta started at around 2 years old.


----------



## schh3fh2 (Oct 12, 2011)

My new young dog is 10 months, he will start tracking as soon as the snow melts....I would normally start earlier but I just got him a couple months ago. But no, it is not too late at all...

The reason it seems that your club focusses mostly on OB and Prot is because that is done most in a club enviroment. Tracking requires the most time and effort on the handlers part. I track 5-6 days per week, Obedience 3-4 days per week and protection 2-3 times per week (for each dog  )....if you go just by time consumption, 2-3 sets of protection per week is about 15-30 mins of actual work. 3-4 sets of obedience per week is 40-60 mins of actual work...Tracking 5-6 days per week is 6 hours of time (laying the track, aging the track, running the track) .... It is the most time consuming and a larger club really can't track together every week.

In my club , for one we don't have fields big enough for us all to track together.... So most of us group up together (3 or 4 of us) to meet for tracking before training starts...

Ask the club members if anyone tracks before club starts and ask to join them


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

We've had over 100" of snowfall *so far* this season (it will often snow through April here) so my pup will be that age before I can start tracking whether I want to or not!


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Yeah, I got LB started and haven't been able to track since. No going to any spring events this year with any of my dogs since we can't track.


----------



## HarleyTheGSD (Feb 13, 2012)

Nope. You may get your titles a bit later than you wanted/expected, depending on how fast your dog picks it up, but you'll get there!


----------



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

My pup had a first try on scent pad yesterday morning. She got the last piece of food in kinda muddy dirt.
In the evening she had loose poop. I'm not sure if these two related. Any thought?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Has she ever had the food you used before? It may have been the food, too much to eat, or the dirt. 
When we do scent pads, we don't let them find every last piece, but pull the pup away while they still want more. Then put pup up in crate for a bit to process the session. 
If you are using high value bait, it may be a bit rich for the pups digestive system...if your pup has really good food drive, just use the kibble(if you feed kibble) and use the meals for training.


----------



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

Thank you,
She's on orejin large pup. I use this for obedience too, but the scent pad I used wellness grain free treat cut into 20 small pieces.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

So, another question is that should expect loose poop when you start a pup in tracking?
She got her nose pretty low that when she finished, she dirt all over her nose.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Since the bait in the scent pad was something different then her usual kibble, I'm willing to bet the loose poops were from that, and not from the dirt.


----------



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

Okay, that was my fault then. I'll mix the treat and kibble to train her. So, she will get use to them. Is that a good idea?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Is your dog sensitive to foods/change? I use many things on the track, change it up often. String cheese,natural balance rolls, cat kibble~he's raw fed so keeping him interested in bait is a challenge for me. Especially when ant season hits....I seldom bait the tracks, but do reward him at the articles.


----------



## gabyeddo (Aug 14, 2013)

I think she might be. I've never had her check for that. Anyway she her 2nd scent pad today. And I wonder if I should do scent pad on grass for next time, or should stay with dirt for now?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------

