Tracking Flags - Page 1

I was a Lowe's yesterday and they had a 100 metal flags for $7.95  they are hard wire with orange plastic flags like they use to mark pipelines etc. For $7.95 you would never need anymore fo life LOL  

These are surveyor's flags. Just be sure to use one at the start of a track only.  If you use them at turns the dog may begin to visually cue off them.  Otherwise, if you need to visualize a landmark, place them a certain number of feet before or after a turn. Don't use them at an article. You may find the fluorescent surveyor's chalk that comes in puffer bottles to be helpful reminders for you to see. I have a gallon jug of this stuff sitting out in the garage and left over from my training days. One uses a funnel from the large jug to place the chalk  in a smaller puffer bottle (available at at greater cost per volume than in gallons) metal washers with a strip of fluorescent surveyor's tape and toss the washers by the tape to the side of the track, at turns, or before articles. The dogs do not appear to notice or cue off them. The late USA judge Floyd Wilson recommended the use of washers. I have found the yellow fluorescent tape and flags to be the easiest for the handler to see. I often tied a piece of the yellow tape to orange or red flags. 

Remember that a wooden flag is used at the start of a track in an actual trial

Any cheaper and you would have to steal them off a job work site!!!!!

Good info Louise.
Thanks, all training tips are appreciated.

I,ve used the washers with a little orange tape on them.

I have used both the washers (or pennies) with orange tape and the surveyor's chalk to mark corners. I like the chalk better, as I think that there would be scent on the orange tape to cue (or confuse) the dog on a track. NO one cares about the chalk--it disappears with the first rain, if not before, and there's nothing to get caught in any mower. The blue and/or yellow colors may be better to use in grass, as dogs can see blue and yellow, but against green grass (blue+yellow=green) it may be harder for them to see than red or orange. I base this on seeing dogs have problems in a Canadian national one year in which yellow blinds were used on a beautiful green equestrian ground.

I use surveyer flags too, I think I got 50 for $3 at TSC.

For corners, I use visual landmarks that pinpoin the latitude and longitude like a tree in front of me and a fence post to the side of me, or I sprinkle some visibly bait like colored cereal or goldfish crackers.  The dog no longer needs bait at corners and tends to ignore it, it's more for me to see the corner.  The best is when I track on full size baseball fields, if you can't just see the corner you can use the signs on the fences that mark certain distances to make a grid.

Dial 811 and give them your address and they'll leave tracking flags all over your yard for free! 

I would suggest that if you are tracking on hay, alfalfa that you have permission from a farmer that you use wood doll rods for your start because forgotten or lost flags that get into the livestock feed is detrimental to the health of livestock ............... farmers up my way are requiring it ................... impress your farmer and use a wooden doll rod with an orange ribbon at the top. Regards ................... Greg

I would also add that using surveyors chalk to mark the track has pros and cons.  The benefit is that there is no human scent which is good, nothing to indicate, it blows away so you don't have to go back and pick it up.  It's not readily noticed by the dogs.  The con is that it is caustic to breath, read the warnings on the label prior to using it.  I have used it for tracking with Police K9's and noticed some come back with blue, red or yellow dust on their nose.  From tracking nose down right through the marking chalk.  This may not be an issue with SchH dogs who rarely deviate from the track.  

I have also used the washers with surveyors tape and toss them about 10 to 15 feet to one side of the track.  After A while I was pretty good at consistently tossing them the same distance from the track and two washers marked the turn.  I've gotten to the point of not using anything but natural landmarks and just following my dogs.  They are like a compass and I just need to trust them, they seem to always be right.

Jim