Dog Tracking Classes: North Shore, Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley
What is dog tracking?
All dogs have a natural ability to follow a scent regardless of their breed or mix of breeds. Some dogs, because of their genetic background, may work faster or have a greater need to track than other breeds, but they all have the instinct and varying degrees of desire to track.
This is because tracking is a form of hunting, an instinct that was handed down to dogs from their wolf cousins. If a dog has a nose, we can teach it to track. In these classes, students and their dogs deepen their bond with communication skills through line handling and moving in synchronicity together. You and your dog become a single unit, harmonized on a single objective.
Tracking is a mentally stimulating and stress-relieving exercise for dogs. It is excellent for those high-energy dogs and their human companions who just can’t squeeze enough activity into a day. Tracking is imperative for high-drive dogs with an unfulfilled work ethic. It is an excellent activity for rescued dogs to ignite a trusting, bonding relationship with their new guardian.
Tracking is effective as a tool to build confidence in those with insecurities and amazing therapy for fearful dogs. It fosters an unparalleled relationship between you and your canine, and for this reason alone, it is one of our favourite classes to teach.
We offer three types of tracking classes: variable surface tracking, urban, and urban/field. You can begin at Level 1 in any series.
Students who graduate from this course are welcome to train for the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) and American Kennel Club (AKC) tracking trials in our tracking club, which offers ongoing classes. Many of our members are accomplished tracking and detection heroes.
Variable Surface Tracking with David Wagner
A two-level course that involves teaching a dog to follow a human scent in the form of skin rafts combined with ground and vegetation disturbance and to discriminate between that scent and other scents in the forest and surrounding urban areas. Classes are available in North Vancouver or Langley.
Level 1
Level 1 teaches the foundation of tracking a human scent, working up to a track with changes of direction, along with the basics of human-scented article recognition and indication, which the dog will find along the track. Handlers will learn the basics of line handling and the beginnings of reading their dog while on the track together. This course is designed so that if this is the only level that students complete in tracking, they can always have fun with their dogs doing a simple track in the forest or surrounding urban areas.
This course consists of 5 classes, 1.5 hours in length.
Space is reserved for 3 dogs per instructor.
Classes are available in North Vancouver or Langley.
Level 2
Level 2 continues with more complex tracks and scent discrimination, including a new search exercise designed to develop human-scented article indication. Dogs develop confidence with more problem-solving skills, and handlers become more skilled with long-line handling and reading their dogs on the track. A very exciting finale to the Variable Surface Tracking Series.
This course consists of 5 classes, 2.5 hours in length.
Space is reserved for 3 dogs per instructor.
Classes are available in North Vancouver or Langley.
Urban Tracking with Teri Dunbrack
Handlers who cannot navigate the forest as well or have reactive or special needs dogs may find the Urban Tracking Series more manageable. This varied terrain includes vegetated and non-vegetated surfaces, which are presented to the dog in simple, short components.
Level 1
Level 1 teaches the foundation of tracking on urban grass and non-vegetated hard surfaces in a component format. It also develops human scented article indication and scent discrimination.
This course consists of 5 classes 2.5 hours each.
Space is reserved for 3 dogs per instructor.
Classes are available in Burnaby South.
Level 2
Level 2 continues with putting previous components of urban tracks together to create more complex tracks. Article indication becomes article scent discrimination as dogs need to identify articles belonging to the track layer on the track amongst other human-discarded articles. A very exciting conclusion to this series, which bridges over to higher levels of urban tracking.
This course consists of 5 classes, 3 hours each.
Space is reserved for 3 dogs per instructor.
Classes are available in Burnaby South.
Level 3
These classes are offered on a drop-in basis and will generalize the urban components of tracking to other areas around the tri-cities and Fraser Valley.
CKC Sport Tracking Foundations
An exciting course combining field grass tracking with urban grass and hard surface tracking. This course is designed to prepare students for Canadian Kennel Club Tracking Trials, by simultaneously training for field and hard surface tracking.
Level 1
Level 1 teaches the foundation components of field tracking and hard surface tracking simultaneously. Dogs learn to transition from one surface to another. Article indication is developed more acutely in the process.
This course consists of 5 classes, at 2.5 hours. Fraser Valley locations.
Level 2
Level 2 begins putting short components together and adding simple changes of direction. Article indication becomes more reliable at this level.
This course consists of 5 classes, at 2.5 hours. Fraser Valley locations.
Level 3
Level 3 continues with longer field tracks with changes of direction and more complex urban component tracks. Dogs become more proficient at transitioning and are exposed to problem-solving in the urban environment. Article indication becomes more reliable at this level.
This course consists of 5 classes, at 2.5 hours. Fraser Valley locations. Registration needs to be preceded with a phone consultation with Maureen. New classes on request.
Graduation from Tracking Foundations levels 1-3 is follow by an ongoing drop in program to generalize skills and prepare for tracking tests.
