Tracking

Slow down. Tune in. Follow the track.

Discover the art of following every footstep as your dog learns to track a person’s scent and ground disturbance across the ground. Tracking is a calm, methodical scent activity that encourages concentration, problem-solving and teamwork, while giving your dog an incredibly rewarding job to do.

Discover Tracking
A brown and white spaniel wearing a harness walks through a grassy field at sunset while on a lead.

What is Tracking?

Tracking is a scent-based activity where your dog learns to follow the exact route a person has walked by working the scent picture created along the track.

Rather than simply following human odour, a tracking dog can use ground disturbance too. Every footstep changes the environment beneath is, crushing vegetation, disturbing soil and creating scent that is different from the untouched ground around it. Alongside human odour left on and around the track, this creates a scent picture for your dog to follow.

As they work along the track, your dog will also learn to locate and indicate on articles left behind by the tracklayer, adding another element to the search.

Unlike Mantrailing, where the aim is to find a specific person and the dog can follow their scent wherever it has travelled, Tracking is about accuracy along the route itself. We encourage the dog to work methodically along the track!

It’s a slower, thoughtful style of scent work that gives dogs a fantastic opportunity to concentrate, problem-solve and use their nose with purpose!

No previous experience needed.

Why try Tracking?

Tracking gives your dog a chance to slow down, concentrate and really put their nose to work. Following a track requires focus, persistence and problem-solving, creating a rewarding activity that can be adapted to suit the individual dog.

Develops concentration

Tracking encourages your dog to settle into their work and concentrate on following the track, taking their time to work through rather than rushing towards the finish.

Builds problem-solving skills

Tracks aren’t always straightforward. Changes in direction, different surfaces and environmental influences give your dog problems to work through independently using their nose.

Provides purposeful enrichment

Tracking gives your dog a clear job to do, combining scent work, movement and mental challenge in an activity that can be incredibly satisfying.

Builds teamwork

Tracking teaches you to observe your dog closely, recognise when they’re confidently on the track and spot when they’re working through a problem. As your skills develop, you learn when to trust them, when to wait and how to support them without solving the track for them.

Who is Tracking for?

Pretty much any dog! Tracking can be adapted to suit different breeds, ages, abilities and experience levels. Your dog doesn’t need to be naturally calm or already brilliant at scent work. That’s what we’re here to help them learn.

Whether you’ve got a busy dog who could benefit from learning to slow down and concentrate, a thoughtful dog who loves using their nose, or you’re simply looking for something new to enjoy together, Tracking gives every dog the opportunity to work at their own pace.

Already Mantrailing? Tracking can be a brilliant complementary skill too! It encourages dogs to slow down, work more methodically and place value on following the track itself rather than simply racing towards the person at the end. It can help develop accuracy and persistence, while giving handlers more time to observe those subtle changes that happen when their dog is confidently on the track, loses it and works to find it again.

Your Introduction to Tracking

Our Introduction to Tracking is a four-session, 1-1 programme, giving you and your dog time to learn the foundations and build your skills at a pace that suits you both.

Each session lasts around an hour and is completely tailored to you and your dog. I usually recommend leaving around two weeks between sessions, giving you time to practice at home and complete a little homework before we build on your skills at the next session.

Building the foundations

We’ll start by introducing articles and teaching your dog how to indicate when they find them. You’ll also learn how to lay a track before we get you and your dog started on some simple first tracks. You’ll go home with some article indication homework to practice before your next session.

Building your skills

We’ll build on those first tracks and start developing both your dog’s tracking skills and your own track laying and handling. What we introduce will depend on how you and your dog have progressed between sessions.

Adding new challenges

As your dog becomes more confident in the game, we can begin introducing new challenges such as corners, multiple articles and changes in surface, always progressing at a level that’s right for your individual dog.

Putting it all together

We’ll continue developing your tracks and bring together the skills you’ve learned throughout the programme, giving you the confidence and knowledge to keep practicing independently and take your Tracking further.

Keep Tracking between sessions

One of the great things about Tracking is that you can practice it yourself! Throughout your introduction, you’ll learn how to lay suitable tracks for your own dog, so you can continue developing your skills between sessions and after you’ve completed your introduction course.

Once you’ve finished your introduction, you can also join us for progression sessions to take on new challenges, explore different environments and continue building your skills.

Tracking FAQs

Got questions before you book? Here are a few of the things we’re asked most often about getting started with Tracking.

Not at all! The four-session introduction is designed to teach both you and your dog everything you need to get started. We’ll begin with the foundations and progress at a pace that suits your individual dog.

You’ll need a well-fitting Y-shaped harness, some tasty food rewards and ideally an 8-10 metre long line. If you don’t have a long line yet, a normal lead is absolutely fine to get started, and I have spare long lines you can borrow.

I’ll provide the articles, tracking poles and other equipment we need during your introduction, so there’s no need to buy lots of kit before you know whether Tracking is for you!

Tracking involves skills for both ends of the lead. Your dog is learning how to follow the track and indicate articles, while you’re learning how to lay tracks, handle your line and read what your dog is telling you.

Four sessions give us time to build those skills gradually, with opportunities to practise between sessions rather than trying to squeeze everything into one lesson.

A little practice between sessions is encouraged, particularly your article indication work at the beginning. You’ll be shown exactly what to es! A little and often is key, particularly when you’re building your dog’s article indication. At the beginning of the programme, I’ll ask you to practise your article indication every day, keeping the sessions short, simple and rewarding.

As we progress, I’ll give you homework tailored to you and your dog, so you know exactly what to practise between sessions. I usually recommend around two weeks between appointments, giving you time to build those skills before we add the next challenge.

Absolutely! Tracking can be a brilliant complementary activity for Mantrailing dogs. While Mantrailing gives dogs more freedom to solve the scent problem and find their person, Tracking encourages them to slow down, work methodically and pay closer attention to the track itself.

It can also give handlers more opportunities to observe their dog’s subtle changes in behaviour and become more confident at recognising when they’re working scent, when they’ve lost it and when they’ve found it again.

Yes. Because Tracking introductions are taught on a 1-to-1 basis, sessions can be tailored around your dog’s individual needs. We can choose suitable environments, give them the space they need and progress without the pressure of working around a group of other dogs.

If your dog has any particular worries or needs, just let me know before your first session.

Tracking sessions take place at suitable locations across West Yorkshire, with the environment chosen to suit the skills we’re working on and the individual dog. As you progress, we can introduce different surfaces and environments to give your dog new problems to solve.

You’ll be sent the exact meeting location before your session.

You’ll need a well-fitting Y-shaped harness, some tasty food rewards and ideally an 8-10 metre long line. If you don’t have a long line yet, a Once you’ve completed your introduction, you’ll have the skills to continue laying tracks and practising independently with your dog at home.

You can also book progression sessions with The Underdog Project, where we can continue developing your skills, introduce new challenges and work in different environments.

Ready to start Tracking?

Whether you’re looking for a new activity to enjoy together, want to develop your dog’s scent skills or you’re already Mantrailing and looking for a new challenge, our four-session Tracking introduction will give you the foundations to get started.

Start your Tracking journey