KENNEL NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 209, 4 August 1937, Page 7

KENNEL NOTES

INTELLIGENT TRAINING. EDUCATING YOUR DOG. (By “Fancier.”) Any casual observer may see that dogs who have been trained for some useful work, such as droving, guarding property or working with the gun are happier and more contented than uneducated dogs who lead an indolent existence. Dogs who have been trained scientifically to do a number of tricks, to work as police dogs or to act as guide dogs to the blind, appear lo ass-ume a greater respect for their human acquaintances. No harsh measures or cruelty need be adopted in training the average dog. It is necessary to bear in mind the limited brain power of the dog and the channels along which its thoughts run and then develop its intelligence accordingly. A few lessons in mail-tracking may be given with advantage to almost any breed of dog, and they will give interest to the owner. Such lessons develop, by exercise, tho dog’s most powerful faculty—his sense of smell. Methods vary in teaching a dog how to trail a scent, but in giving a novice dog his first lesson every effort should be made to simplify matters as far as possible from the dog’s point of view. A calm day should be chosen, so that the scent is not blown too far from the track. The trail should be laid as strongly as possible, using a dead bird or a piece of decayed meat on a string in a place where there is no likelihood of any cross-trails. For the first lesson it is sufficient to allow 16 minutes to elapse between the laying of the trail and the follow up with the pupil. As a rule, a leash is not required,because if the dog is free of any encumbrance he is more likely to work out the problem for himself than if he is handicapped in his efforts by being pulled up now and then by his handler. If the pupil is unwilling or wayward a long checkline may be used (fishing-line cord makes excellent check-lines). Later, as the idea of trailing is developed in the mind of the dog, the object used for laying a trail may be of a weaker odour until a garment worn by the fugitive is used to set the’ trail. Although certain breeds of dogs are keener on scent than others, almost any breed of dog will respond to the training for trailing by scent. Bloodhounds and German shenhp>'d doers a often used in some parts of the world for their ability to follow a trail w. scent, but these breeds by no means monopolise this faculty. Each dog uses his nose for his own investigation of scents and smells, and it is only necessary to exercise this sense of smell to develop in the dog the ability to sort one smell from a number and follow it hours after the trail has been laid. A number of training clubs exist in England and America for teaching dogs the art of following a trail. At one important competition held in England recently the first prize was won by a Welsli Corgi, or cattle-dog. with a collie second and a German shepherd dog third. Many other breeds took part in this test, poodles being favoured for first place. Once a dog has been properly started on the desired track, ho should be allowed to follow his own ideas as much as possible. It is a mistake to assist a dog too often in distinguishing the scent which he is to follow. All encouragement should he given, and he should be well praised when his task is done well, but no reward should be given until the test is completed. The dog must not be allowed to rely to? much on his handler, or disastrous results may occur when the time conies for an unknown track to lie followed and the handler is not able to point out the correct one. After the dog has been trained thoroughly on uncrossed tracks, he may be tested on tracks which have been recently crossed by persons other than tho track-layer. When beginning any new feature of trailing, lessons should be made as easy as possible. For instance, when trailing a stranger, whose garment the dog has been allowed to smell, only short tracks should be used, and the dog. tracking free, should be left to work them out without assistance other than usual encouragement to “seek.” For a start the dog should be allowed to find the track layer in person instead of the article. The stranger should pat the dog and reward his successful effort. When cross-tracks are used, the layers of the cross-tracks if traced and found by the dog should disregard him and on no account praise him. Most owners will he surprised to know what can be done in a few lessons of tracking by setting a trail. Once a dog’s nose is developed for this work, he will find little difficulty in following even a bicycle tr.ail an hour or two old. So go to it and send in some of vour experiences for us to publish so that others may read of tho fun and zest to be got from training a dog. Any queries or requests for articles sent ‘to '“Fancier,” care “Standard” will be answered through these columns. Mr A. T. Bedingfield has disposed of his two wire fox-terrier brood hitches. Ryburn Reprove and Fascinate of Ruahine. These went to make room for young stock. Miss Nathan reports the disposal of some wire pups by eh. Milo Mercury. and also the arrival of a litter by eh. Crnckley Symbol (imp.) ex Selwor Pegotti, AusL