tracking bait - Page 1

Ok where are all the tracking experts? 

What are some good types of tracking bait that are still tasty enough to be a good incentive but do not have a strong odor (err not overpowering vs the scent of the disturbed terrain)? I need to try something different, and the less smelly, the better. I was thinking of maybe chicken hot dogs? They don't smell as strong as the regular ones (to me). Does dehydrated meat have less odor than freshly cooked or raw? Or would raw be less smelly than cooked?

My dog tracks like a bat outta hell just for his dry food (food drive is insane), but I think its too smelly....perhaps a suggestion of a bland or not strong smelling kibble?

Another thought....would teeny tiny bits of bait (or whatever I try) be better? An idea I had would be going back to hot dogs but cut them up into really tiny bits so he really has to smell and find it and not just boink his nose around a few times and find it.

Problem is, I've inadvertantly taught my dog to track food and not "tracks lead to food". So I figured I would try something not as smelly as the kibble. Maybe its the particular brand? *shrug* I was using mostly kibble after I learned that it slowed him down alot (hehee...still fast though, but he's a mal and not a GSD), but before, I was using hot dogs, Natural Balance rolls, etc. And read that if I didn't want overpowering smell, don't use liver. lol. That's fine because I hate the smell myself.

So I want to try to minimize the food as much as possible while still rewarding for working the scent and I guess I am basically starting back from scratch. If the food is not there, he really doesn't know what to do. Any ideas would be great...thanks very much. I'm kind of stuck. I'll have firsthand help this weekend from the TD but I wanted to try a couple of things beforehand so help get a better picture of what's going on. And I want to get this mistake worked through before I track my pup so I don't screw up his tracking as well. LOL. :-)

PM is fine.

I would have guessed that kibble smells a lot less than hotdogs of any kind - but maybe I'm wrong :)

You can try nuking cut-up pieces of hotdogs until they are dry and not so greasy.  Or, maybe meatroll smells less than hotdogs (not sure it smells less than kibble though).  The only kibble that I can smell distinctly is Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato -whew that does smell.  Otherwise I never noticed kibble smelling too much.  I'd try kibble.  Or, try teaching your dog articles, then you can take food away completely, put more articles down on the track, and reward for the articles after he indicates them (with any kind of food he likes).

molly

Boiled skinless boneless chicken breast is pretty good too.  Cut into very small pieces.  I don't like greasy feeling bait.....

I usually use leftover meat or ? from last night's dinner. My 100 pt. dog tracked for pot roast most of his careeer, ha ha ha. Failing that, I have been using Natural Balance dog food rolls. The sausage-looking stuff doesn't smell as strong as fresh meat/hot dogs, more than dry kibble,  doesn't muck up your pockets, and won't go gooey or mold for several days when you forget to put what you don't use in the fridge. It only needs refrigeration after its seal is opened so you can throw the unopened rolls (several handy sizes available)  in the training bag and forget about it till you need it. Not sure how good it is for a dog food, smells a little smoky, but the small amounts used for tracking shouldn't matter.

I do not suggest using teensy weensy bits of food on the track. IME the dogs smell the food, stop and dig at the turf or soil till they can get at it, totally distracting them from the work at hand and sometimes even needing a restart if they aren't veteran trackers.  I don't have a problem with hot dogs, but hate to introduce all those chemicals on any regular basis. For what little one needs for a track, pot roast is cost effective and a LOT better for us all. (IF there's any left after dinner)

SS

I always use boiled chicken breast.  Not too expensive when you buy it from Costco, I buy a bag for like $16 and it last me two months or so.  Much healthier for the dogs than hotdogs and rollover!  Plus if I get hungry on the track I can snack too

If you boil it, and then put it in the fridge over night to cool, it is really easy to cut into cubes for tracking!  When I use it for rewards on articles the pieces are just large chunks.

Good luck!!

typical mali.  Best thing to do is trade him in for a GSD.  Just kidding!  Mybe you should try rice cakes.  They have no smell and he'll probably quit tracking after two steps to get a drink of water.

hahha....rice cakes...don't tempt me :-)

I would have thought kibble smelled less also. I tried tracking for the articles, and I tried tracking for the toy at the end of a short track. He seriously did not understand what was asked of him. I thought he would at least 'try' to track past the scent pad and be like "ooooo there's my toy!" So...the food was my only idea. Maybe I'm trying to wean the food off too soon? I have such limited experience in tracking. I thought he was doing really well until I started trying to wean the food. He was doing long tracks, negotiating corners, dealing with the wind issues, working slightly aged tracks also, and I was really happy with it...especially since we don't have exactly ideal tracking conditions and I am a newb. Maybe I'm just doing too much too soon?

I'm really lost....no pun intended. lol.

www.schutzhundtracking.com

Frozen Bil-Jac, defrosted of course, has always been my hands down fave.  Color of dirt, smell is not overwhelming.  When I was teaching articles, I always included a nice smelly can of sardines in the glove at the end of the track.  One of my females is a picky eater and these things have always worked.  I've always used Bil Jac, that was how I was taught to begin with and it has always worked

Cole

It is most likely just the dog, Mals tend to track fast. Rather then switching food, (I have always used kibble for the track and a "treat" on the articles)  work on having the dog slow down by introducing serpentine tracks, longer aged tracks and corners.  If your dog is tracking fast with food in every step then you'll most likely see an increase in speed as the food comes off. I find tracking my guys every second day works well, and I always track on a prong collar, if they want to run I hold them back. It is not something that will come over night and most Malinois will never track methodically as the GSDs tend to but as long as they are hitting every step, not missing corners and articles and keep the pace consistent you will do fine in trial.

Aren't Mals fun?? I have a SchH 3 male and a SchH 1 female and I find training them addicitve, but so is a good GSD

Tracey