Training with a tracking leash? A few practical tips how not to get entangled in it
A handy assistant not only for dog owners, who need to work on training with their dog, but also for sport cynologists who, on the other hand, are refining the discipline called the “track” with their dogs. The original purpose of the long cord with a carbine, that’s used for it, or the tracking leash, is actually in sport.
A handy assistant not only for dog owners, who need to work on training with their dog, but also for sport cynologists who, on the other hand, are refining the discipline called the “track” with their dogs. The original purpose of the long cord with a carbine, that’s used for it, or the tracking leash, is actually in sport. But today, the tracking leash is more often ranked in the category of training leashes and tools. They are even required from owners at some training courses. From my own experience, I can say, that dog owners go for it most often at the time, when their dog is in puberty.
A tracking leas is a long leash designed particularly to navigate the dog and to train recall commands, but also fetch as well and to unteach it some bad habits such as, for example, jumping, chasing anything that moves - from game to runners and cyclists - and getting food in bushes and rubbish bins. Most often, you’ll encounter a selection from 10 to 20 meters and we can choose both from round and flat leashes. Before we start training the dog on a tracking leash, it should at least master walking on a normal leash on a basic level and a release command, such as “Free”.
For training with a tracking leash, similar principles apply as for training of walking on a standard short cord, particularly to pick a calm place at the beginning and not to forget about rewards. I personally switch the tracking leash with other leashes. When we’re going to a busier place, where I need to handle my dog as much as possible, I choose the adjustable or flexible leash. In traditional walks to the park, when dogs run free, I use the tracking leash. The important thing is for the dog not to feel a pull and not to be restricted when playing, for instance. The point is for it to think, that it’s free. Most dogs aren’t stupid and know that their master has them “in check”. The main role here is played by the habit. A puppy or a young dog should walk on a tracking leash until it won’t notice it.
In practice, you fasten the leash to the collar and you either leave the cord entirely free behind it and in case it’s necessary, we shorten it, or we keep the other end in our hand. On the leash, you can train the dog, but you can also normally let it play with other dogs. In both cases, we should be careful, so that the cord wasn’t stretched too much as the standard leash and so that they all wouldn’t end up all in one pile. At first, I was fighting it a bit. The tracking leash is not only demanding for your reflexes, whether we’re shortening the leash or we’re holding it the whole time, but it also gets easily caught up somewhere or entangled, preferably at night in the bushes. That’s why I recommend getting some flashier colour in the shade of yellow, orange or red, which are easy to see also in the dark.
When it comes to slower reflexes at the beginning at least, it’s handy to make little bundles in certain distances on the leash, that will help when slowing down your darling hurtling into a thick bush. Most experienced “trackers” also know, that it’s good to keep at least ¼ of the cord’s length behind you, so that they wouldn’t have to chase the dog afterwards or it wouldn’t tear their hand off when it gives a tug. Another good thing is definitely to have a harness. When the dog tugs you from any reason or you just need to pull your dog in (for example, because it’s pretending that it doesn’t hear you, see you and that you don’t actually belong to it), the harness will spread the pressure of the leash and the neck muscles won’t get strained.
And what’s it all got to do with the weather? I don’t know a dog owner who wouldn’t plan getting a puppy with respect to the season. We took in our youngest dog in the summer. Only we didn’t realise at that time, that the period of defiance, of first escapes and disobedience and therefore of training on the tracking leash will also fall on winter and the winter mud. And you don’t even have to get entangled in a ten-meter cord for you to bring back the same amount of mud as your four-legged partner :-).
Heroparkour is a great sport for problem dogs. Since a great part of problem behaviour has roots directly in timidity. Such dog is unable to handle more complex situations of ordinary life due to fear. It doesn’t believe non-standard conditions.
The use of dogs in search and rescue (the so-called SAR) is an integral part of natural disasters, mass accidents or, for example, when search for missing people. Do you know, when the first dog rescuers appeared?
Every dog has its individuality and is unique in its own way, so even the period of growing up can differ significantly in every individual. I know dog owners, who didn’t know what to do with puberty excesses of their otherwise loved four-legged...
A handy assistant not only for dog owners, who need to work on training with their dog, but also for sport cynologists who, on the other hand, are refining the discipline called the “track” with their dogs. The original purpose of the long cord with a...
One dog isn’t enough for you and you’re looking for an excuse that will help you vindicate having a whole pack at home? One option is to become a musher - a dog sled racer. For adrenaline lovers, who’d love to ride through the landscape on a sled using...
Of course there are more apps, we chose only the ones for you that intrigued us the most. Have you tried an app or have you got a favourite one that you could recommend to others?
It’s like a rollercoaster ride with outside temperatures this winter, once you’re up and then back down. All the more attention should we pay to the care for our dogs. Since it’s not only us, people, who don’t take well to the changing temperatures.
Unfortunately, in the life of dog owners, even unpleasant situations occur, which aren’t only an intervention in the life of your dog partner, but also affect your wallet. For example, if the dog gets hit by a car or it is otherwise injured and the...
With changes of the temperatures accompanying the autumn, higher demands are put on the organism and thus its immune system. That’s why it’s not unreasonable to start and boost the immunity already now. Remember, that prevention is always better and...
Before we get to winter sports that you can do with your four-legged buddies it’s good to remember the care that you shouldn’t forget about in this period.
If you’re planning to go abroad, even just for a few days, then definitely don’t forget about the animal’s passport. When you’re packing this dog passport, make sure that you check off-hand, that your four-legged friend has all its vaccinations valid....
Kittens, as well as a number of other animal offspring, are born blind. Their eyes open around the tenth day of their life and only after another week, they are fully functional. Even though the sight in a cat belongs among the best-developed senses,...