OCTOBER 2017 | Jan Collett

MEANDER VALLEY is boasting three new champions.  These champions have four legs, waggy tails and noses that know best.

Hungarian Vizsla, Rosza, owned by Pat Hallam of Prospect Vale; Rottweiler, Poppy, owned by Ang Fry of Carrick; and German Shepherd, Belle, owned by Jan Collett of Golden Valley achieved their Tracking Champion titles during this year’s tracking season.

Tracking is a canine sporting discipline in which dogs are challenged to use their primary sense, the sense of smell, to track persons who have walked a designated route. The person sits at the end of the ‘track’, waiting to be found.

The handler has no knowledge of where the person has walked, and must allow their dog to sniff out that person’s scent.  The dog then follows the trail, after being presented with an article of clothing such as a sock (that contains that person’s unique odour).

Sport Tracking is one of many disciplines recognised by the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC).  Titles are awarded at various levels through to the ultimate prize of Tracking Champion.

Any breed of dog from Affenpinschers to Weimaraners are capable of tracking.  Meander Valley has seen a plethora of breeds such as Daschunds, Dobermanns, Border Collies, Welsh Corgis, Rottweilers and Retrievers achieve titles.

Most recently, Chester, an Italian Greyhound, (handled by Jacquie Cullen of Westbury), achieved his Tracking Dog Excellent title at a trial held at Elizabeth Town.

Tracking has been going for about 20 years, according to Pat Hallam, (who was first attracted to help with the sport at her local dog club).

Pat has trained 3 Tracking Champions in the past 12 years. “I first went over to Victoria and did a weekend workshop to learn how to do it.”

She adds, “our first trials were held over one day and combined with an obedience trial;  we had about 8 tracking entries.  Our last trial down at Ross saw 49 entries.”

Ang Fry was doing the show scene and decided there must be a bit more for her dogs to do.  After doing an Endurance Test, she was invited along to give Tracking a try about 7 years ago and got hooked.  “If tracking went 12 months a year, I’d give some of the shows a miss,” she said.

Sport Tracking dogs can start their career at any age but the younger the better.  Sport Tracking does not prepare a dog for ‘real life’ situations (such as search and rescue), as that involves much more intense training and commitment.  Tracking dogs and their handlers form just as much of a bond; and learning to ‘read your dog’ is paramount to doing well in sport tracking.

The Tasmanian Dog Training Club in Launceston run a tracking course each year, commencing in April.  Trials are held from the end of May through August, keeping to the cooler months to avoid heat and snakes.

Ang and Pat both note how much they learn from their dogs, reading body language and how much they teach them.  “Tracking teaches you to trust your dog,” says Pat.

Photo | Jan Collett