Tips for Teaching Your Labradoodle to Track Things

Though the Labradoodle is more of a retriever breed by nature, these dogs still have strong noses and they can be trained to track things. Your Labradoodle might not be able to out-track a Bloodhound in tracking competitions, but he can do well enough in tracking games at home. Keep reading to learn how to train your dog to track things.

Setting the Stage for Tracking

Training your dog for tracking should ideally begin when your dog is a puppy. Though your puppy may not be able to pay attention long enough to really learn much, you can start reinforcing a desire to find things and to use his nose. Hide-and-Seek is one of the best games you can play with your Labradoodle puppy to sow the seeds for tracking training when he gets older. To play this game, have a family member or friend hold your puppy while you say his name and talk to him excitedly – your goal is to make him want to come to you. Then, run a few yards away and duck behind something, letting your puppy see where you went. Finally, call your puppy’s name then praise and reward him when he finds you. As your puppy gets the hang of the game you can start hiding in other rooms and can even begin leaving a scent trail for him.

Getting Started with Tracking

Many dog owners assume that transitioning a dog from playing games to actually tracking is difficult, but it might be simpler than you imagine. If you’ve played enough Hide-and-Seek, your Labradoodle will already have learned how to use his nose – now you just have to harness that ability. Here are the steps to get started with tracking:

1. Place your dog in a crate or have someone hold him while you lay the track within his site.
2. Before you start, show your dog the handful of treats you are holding as well as a small object you want your dog to find – a fabric item like a sock or glove is perfect and you’ll need two of the same thing.
3. Place a flag at the beginning of your track then take a step forward and place a treat in your footprint.
4. Keep taking small steps forward, placing a treat in each step, moving in a straight line.
5. Walk for 10 to 15 feet, placing one or two flags along the way to mark your line, then place a flag at the end of the track.
6. Place a handful of treats and the object your dog is tracking about a foot beyond the final flag then turn and jump as far away from the flag as you can so you don’t continue the track.
7. To get your dog tracking, lead him to the first flag and show him the second object so he can get the scent then tell him to “Find it”.
8. Move toward the start of the track then let your dog take over – when he reaches the end, tell him “Good find it!” then tell him to Sit before you pick up the object and reward him.

The key to any kind of dog training is to make it fun and exciting for your Labradoodle. If your dog is having a good time, he will be an eager and willing participant in whatever game you plan for him. To keep your dog actively engaged, keep your training sessions short – about ten to fifteen minutes at a time – and do them several times a day as you are able.

Photo credit: Kent Johansson/Shutterstock

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