Wilderness Tracking Level 1

The purpose or goal of participating in any tracking class with K9 Leadership is for pure fun. It is an amazing experience to work with your dog while it is following a scent, as anyone who has taken the classes can attest. Dogs are amazing creatures with an incredible olfactory gift. If you wish to pursue a tracking title with the Canadian or American Kennel Clubs we can help you with that, as well.

Wilderness Tracking Level 1 teaches introductory wilderness tracking, scent discrimination theories, reading your dog while tracking, use of a long line, introduction to cross tracks, blind tracks and more.

Classes are comprised of 5 weekend classes that are 1.5-2 hours in length over 5 a week period (excluding civic holidays unless otherwise stated). The current class schedule is posted here

A maximum of 4 dogs per class
Cost is$225.00

Tracking is:

• mentally stimulating;
• stress relieving;
• excellent exercise for high drive dogs;
• opportunity to improve guardian dog relationships;
• challenging; and,
• mutually rewarding

Classes teach the guardians to assist their dogs to discriminate between all the other scents in a forest and follow a predetermined scent which is attached to the ground on command. Tracking is always done on leash and we will show you how to use a ‘tracking-line’. Tracking is a team effort, if your dog follows a scent without you working with them to get to the destination they are simply hunting, not tracking.

Canines 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 than other breeds but they all have the instinct and desire to track. This is because tracking is a form of hunting which is an instinct that was handed down to canines from their wolf cousins. If a dog has a nose we can teach it to track.

Wilderness Tracking Level 1 classes combine scent theory, how a dog uses its nose to follow a scent, forest orientation, practical tracking laying exercises and interpretation of canine body language while tracking. You will be taught how to work with your dog to follow a track.

NOTE: The only pre-requisite required to particiapte in a level 1 tracking class is your dog must be able to sit on command. Prior obedience, age or breed is not a factor at all!

All dogs must take and pass the level 1 tracking to proceed to the level 2. To proceed to level 2, handlers and dogs must be able to do a a 300metre unknown/blind wilderness track aged no less than 30 minutes with 4- 90* turns, cross contamination and basic article indication...no exceptions!... sorry.