Tracking (dog)
Encyclopedia
Tracking is a technique in which dog
s are trained to locate certain objects, such as a downed bird
, using the object's scent
. Many bird and rabbit
hunters train their dogs in tracking. The scent hound
s are generally regarded as having the best tracking abilities among all dog breeds.
In dog sports, there are tracking competition
s.
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s are trained to locate certain objects, such as a downed bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
, using the object's scent
Odor
An odor or odour is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors...
. Many bird and rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
hunters train their dogs in tracking. The scent hound
Scent hound
Scent hounds are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. The Scenthound breeds are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among canines....
s are generally regarded as having the best tracking abilities among all dog breeds.
In dog sports, there are tracking competition
Tracking trial
A Tracking trial is an event to encourage dogs to make use of their strongest facility, the ability to follow a scent trail. The competition emulates the finding of a lost person or article in a situation where the performance of the dog can be fairly assessed...
s.