Tracking & Scent Free Rubber Boots - Page 1

Many new rubber boots are so called "scent-free" with high-tech neoprene rubber, mainly hunting boots.

Has anyone used these boots in tracking and do they pose a problem for dogs finding tracks that have been laid down? If anything, it might make your dog a better tracker if it leaves behind a little less scent in training........

Anyone have them?

Do you think that the scent, if any, from a tracklayers boots is stronger than that of crushed vegetation?

If you want to test your dog's tracking why not look at hard surface tracking?

None of the things hunters use to hide scent [e.g. charcoal infused chlothing, head masks, scents] seems to fool a good dog.

Interesting....never heard of scent free rubber boots. 

Most of the shedding that leaves scent falls from skin and clothing (even through clothes) not something like rubber boots so I can't see it making a difference.  The broken vegetation and actual impressions from steps seem to be far more important in my expereince.

I have laid easily 25 TD/TDX tracks in full gortex rain gear (heat to toe, hood and all...it always seems to rain on test day!) and it doen't see it making any difference vs shorts and a t-shirt....not sure how that would compair to scent free rubber boots.

Good replies and you are correct in that in sport tracking the dog is on the ground scent. The human skin or rafts will spread out depending on several variables but mainly the speed and direction of the wind. In training if you allow to get off the track then the dog is usually on raft scent.  In training trailing dogs they are allowed to get off track and it is very interesting to see how the pattern develops as the dog works the scent. Not unusal to see a zig zag pattern with the dog working back and forth between the end of the blown scent and the actual foot steps.

I do know some narcotic dogs who trainer used rubber gloves and they would actually hit on some items that had the latex or rubber smell.  Myself I would not spend my money on scent free boots.  A good tracking dog will stay on track even when another person walks over the track but I think that is more to due with the age of the track the dog is on vs the scent of the boots, size and weight of the person can also make a sudel difference.  Fun part of tracking and trailing is being able to read the dog and stay one step (figuretively) ahead of him. 

To clarify when I say get off track I should have said off the ground scent.