Tracking Food. - Page 1

What are you folks using for tracking food. I have been using their kibble (crave) and a can of tuna fish, mixed with it. Let it soak overnight to get the kibble softer. Creates good odor. Not highly visible. Curious what everyone else is using.

I use small, sliced pieces of hotdog, it's smelly and quickly consumed. They seem to track very well with it too.

Option #3: Home baked liver cake with garlic* is likewise smelly enough, can be cut up small, not too easily seen. Easily carried, too. Has been useful to me and others in starting Tracking, and in other training.

 

* but don't overdo the garlic as it is onion family !

I guess it also depends on what you want your finished 'tracking picture' to look like and what you are teaching? I like the teach that both the TRACK itself (and then articles later) brings on reward. Therefore, the TRACK is rewarding

For me it depends on the terrain i'm tracking and how lazy i'm being... Like others, I try not to use food on my track that is easily visible as this can lead to a dogs nose coming up from the track and then sighting the food up a head. I also do not like to use 'smelly' food as the dog starts to track the smell of the food which gets pushed around by the wind. IMO, its very hard to clearly communicate to the dog about behavior that is acceptable when they are following a food sent vs the sent on the track itself.  

Here is a recipe that i stole somewhere a while ago for what i call 'Tracking Loaf'... I vary the cooking time and the dish sizes around depending on how much i want to dry it out.

Ingredients
½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 lb Fresh Raw Beef Liver
3 Eggs
¼ Cup Canola or other vegetable oil
1 Clove Fresh Garlic, crushed
2 Cups Instant Oats
Filtered Water sufficient to make a batter

What To Do

Process the liver in a blender or food processor, until completely pureed.
Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour in the oil.
Add the liver.
Mix in the dry ingredients slowly, stirring continuously so they are thoroughly combined.
Add water gradually, until you have a ‘batter’ consistency. Pour into a loaf tin.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.