Training tracking dogs is often the work of trainers for police departments, but hunters and even some dog enthusiasts also train their dogs how to track. Schutzhund dog clubs and some kennel clubs hold tracking competitions for club members. If tracking is something you'd like to train your dog to do, you can practice with your dog at to get him started. Some people even train their dogs to track their children's scent, just in case you need to find them in  a hurry. Dogs are gifted by Mother nature with an amazing sense of smell, so with the right training they can find almost anything.

Use these four steps for training your dog  to track.

• You want to start by picking out your dog's most favorite toy. It doesn't matter what kind of toy, as long as he really loves it. We want to teach your dog word association. The toy should be in plain sight in the same room with you both at this point. If he loves his ball, then you will repeat the word ball as you play with him. By repeating the word over and over while playing your dog will soon understand that word. In a short time, your dog will know to look for his favorite toy every time you call for it by name. As soon as he locates the toy, give him a bunch of praise and a reward. Using this positive reinforcement will really speed up the training process. Repeat this step many times until your pet is very good at the word association game.

• The following step of the tracking training is to put the ball into another room. As you say the word ball or whatever it is, your dog should immediately begin looking for his toy. Since the ball is in another room now,  he can't see it-but he will start sniffing for it.  He should start searching for his ball by following his nose. You should follow him and be there to give him a bunch of praise as soon as he does find the toy. You will need to repeat this step until your dog is a pro at finding his toy. The praise and rewards he gets for finding his ball quickly really keep his motivation level high. Repeat the training by hiding the toy in various places, until your dog can located the hidden item no matter where you are putting it.

• Once your dog is an expert at finding the toy, you are ready for the next step of the training. To start, you want to clean his toy well enough to eliminate any lingering scents that are on it. Once the ball is cleaned, wrap the ball with a used item of your son or daughter's clothing (t-shirts or socks should work fine) and let the smell get planted on the toy. Let the ball acquire the odor of the clothing, and then play the ball game with your pet. Your dog will now find his favorite ball by keying in on the scent of your child.

• Now you are ready the next step. All of you will have fun with this part. Rather than hide his ball, have your son or daughter hide in a different room. Give your dog the command to find his toy-he will now be looking for your child's scent. Follow him so that as soon as he finds your son or daughter, you can give him his praise and a reward immediately. By making the tracking training a fun game, he will always eagerly find whatever you need found. You should continue the training by having your child hide out further away to test your dog's ability to track over distances.

With this simple tracking training it won't be long before you can send your dog after your child if they are late for dinner, or need to do some homework. Give the tracking training a try out with your dog-you'll find it is a fun game to play with your dog. In case your dog is a standout at tracking, there are tracking competitions at some kennel clubs.

I hope you enjoyed this article on tracking dog training. For other free helpful articles about dog obedience training and solving your dog's behavior problems, please visit: www.BehaveDoggy.com.

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