K9 Track & Trail Cumbria

11/03/2025

“The key to training puppies is in planning very small steps of puppy self-discovery in an environment where the puppy can succeed quickly using human scent as a guide. The puppy must have repeated success in varying distances and conditions where the human scent is strong and easy to follow. The puppy must perfect its skills and become missile locked only on one odor, ignoring all others” (The Tao of Trailing, Jeff Schettler).

25/02/2025

February training addressed some advanced skills in both rural and urban. Scent I.D. Article trails, but also, very importantly, proofing against random articles on the ground not related to the misper; utilising scent inventories on heavily contaminated starts; and problem solving difficult terrain, particularly the topographical challenges of the final scent pool on steep ground.

20/02/2025

Some good problem solving and teamwork from Julie Magson and K9 Remi on this assessment, as the traffic on the main road was dragging the scent down the hill to the roundabout.

19/01/2025

The progress from the K9 Trailing Teams this month has been impressive. The locations were complex, with decision points, obstacles and many surface changes; as well as being very contaminated and full of distractions (a popular country park on a Saturday, an industrial estate on a weekday, and a housing estate at end of school time). The dogs remained focused, detailing well, and worked through visual and olfactory distractions. This is the result of consistent training over a period of time, and the use of component exercises that transfer into overall trailing performance. I am proud of all of them 💫🐾🔥

18/12/2024

This week the teams have worked on extra long trails to build physical endurance and mental focus , as well as contact odor starts, obstacles, and the challenges that height and strong winds create with the scent picture.

09/12/2024

Congratulations Team Spice !

25/11/2024

The teams have been working on dog distraction trails, obstacles and high finds, aged trails, contaminated starts, and building motivation and focus.

19/11/2024

Great work from Team Odin 🐾🐾

18/11/2024

10/11/2024

Continuation Training for the Trailing Teams. The first day included starts from gauze soaks, contact odor, and PLS scent pools. Backtracks, decoy trails, digger distractions, and running sheep! The Teams worked well.
Day 2 was particularly challenging in a difficult urban environment, with the usual traffic, dog walkers and street cats, but also a coach load of school children disembarking onto Jada’s trail right in front of her! This day was a humbling experience for the handlers and me as a trainer. Reading the dog correctly in these situations is so much harder. Everyone left with homework to do!

05/11/2024

Really looking forward to teaching in this Seminar Programme and meeting some of my GAK9 colleagues 🐾🐾

De kalender voor volgend jaar met gasttrainers.
Voor alle seminars geldt alleen nog observer plaatsen.

31/10/2024

Patience is a vital part of good handling. Allowing the dog time to check and assess the environment without pressuring it to work on. In these moments air flow can change and bring the dog scent that may not have been available moments before.

26/10/2024

Some serious distractions for the teams this last week. Workmen on a crane, digging holes, loading scaffolding, a dead rabbit, and short horned cattle everywhere!

23/10/2024

Over the last 3 days the trailing teams have faced urban challenges, aged trails, distractions and contamination, and completed some component exercises.

07/10/2024

Hard surface training today. Selecting environments with minimal productive source to maintain the dog’s focus on the black top. Thanks for laying an expert trail and sitting out for over an hour Julie !

01/10/2024

Suburban Level 3 from Paulina
💥 GREAT WORK Team Aza 💥

26/09/2024

Well deserved Level 2 for Team Remi! Julie is a dedicated hardworking handler as Remi is not an easy dog to handle 🐾🐾🐾🐾

24/09/2024

3 days of trailing in urban and rural environments. Some good work from the teams, and plenty of discussion and learning from mistakes and unexpected outcomes. Aged trails, component exercises, scenarios, and assessments. I am proud of how everyone encouraged and supported one another 💥