# Night Tracking



## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Who night Tracks? Last night I took my dog night tracking for the first time. 600 paces. 4 turns. two articles. Tiny food drops randomly through out, never closer than 15 paces together. He tracked better than ever. He was slower, more methodical. Deeper nose. Hit every corner perfectly. One time I even realized I forgot something in the car so I dropped the leash and ran back to the car and left him tracking. When I got back he was still going. I don't think he ever lifted his head while I was gone. He missed the first article that I dropped but downed on the second. During one part of the track, the terrain got very dry and weedy. It was towards the end of the track. For about 10 paces he acted like he lost the trail but he never got more than a dog length off the trail and eventually found it again. I never said a word until we got to the end (where the last article was). He did great and I was very happy. Anyone else night track?


----------



## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

I track at night a lot. I see the same things... Less distraction/more methodical. Less wind and fresh dew plays into it, as well as weakening the ability to use the eyes


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I tracked at night early in the spring(snow was gone for a day or two)
I should do it more often!
As Hunter posted, the eyes aren't used as much as the olfactory. But the critters come out, so there is some distraction(even early in the am, the animals are moving and their fresh scent across the tracks are a distraction)
Still, something great to train for!


----------



## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

It's something I would love to try. How dark was it when you tracked, presumably not pitch dark and you could walk around without the need for lighting?

I'm trialling my dog next weekend for Obedience and Tracking portions of IPO1 so I may try some nighttime tracking after that.

I tracked this morning right over an area of ground where a beach soccer tournament was held over the weekend. I remember doing the same thing about a year ago and she could not stay on track. With all the barefoot soccer players running around, people sitting/eating food on the sidelines, it's a tough challenge for the dog to stay committed to the track. This time she did really well, hit all the corners and articles. After the track was done I let her loose and she was all over the place digging into the sand and sniffing around. I was pretty happy.


----------



## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

It was dusk when I layed out the track and completely dark when we ran the track. I did not use a flashlight. I made mental notes of the terrain for the corners and just trusted my dog to find them in the dark which he did.


----------



## schh3fh2 (Oct 12, 2011)

I don't night track but I often track in the dark before work... I lay the track with a headlamp and run the track in the dark, go home and get ready for work 


Frank


----------

