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to CyberHound This column represents the first in a series of articles about tracking equipment. It is an overview, to be followed by others that include more detail. In subsequent articles, I will include pictures of various kinds of tracking equipment. This time, I will briefly describe harnesses, leads, stakes and other equipment.
The harness is the most important piece of tracking equipment. It is the point of contact between the dog and you; and it must be well-fitting, comfortable, and non restrictive. A non-restrictive harness means one without a strap that crosses over the shoulder. Harnesses may be made from leather, cotton or nylon webbing, or other materials.
The harness I have preferred for the last several years is homemade from 2" cotton webbing, sewn and held together by velcro. This makes for an infinitely adjustable, lightweight, flexible yet strong harness that can be thrown into the washing machine when it gets dirty. In general, a non-restrictive harness has a front loop through which the dog’s neck is placed, and a back loop which goes around the dog’s midsection. A top strap and bottom strap attach the two hoops.
For Basset Hounds, I prefer a 40-foot lightweight parachute cord, with a small snap on the end where it connects to the harness. Unless you have a high energy, rambunctious hound, who pulls you all the way down the track, this will probably be sufficient. This kind of lead is lightweight, and doesn’t get too heavy when wet. It can be easily let out or taken up when the dog is moving away from you or toward you.
When my wife and I were training a Border Collie a few years ago, we used a 3/8" cotton webbing for the lead. The Rottweiler I trained a few years ago required a 1/2" webbing. But for most Basset Hounds, who don’t really pull that hard, the lightweight parachute cord is just fine.
To mark the start and first leg of a TD track, as well as the turns in the early phases of training, you’ll need about six or eight stakes with flags on them. We use wooden dowels, sharpened on the end with a knife, though some people like more sturdy wood (1" or larger). We prefer something that is light, for convenience and ease of use. Our stakes are about 3 feet high, though stakes at tracking tests are often 4 feet high or more.
I prefer bright orange or pink flags to see them at a distance. We usually glue the flags onto the stake, though they can be stapled on as well. Once the dog begins sighting on the corner (turn) stakes however, you need to use markers less obvious than stakes. Some variation of surveyors tape and/or clothespins usually works just fine.
We carry at least two rolls of surveyors tape (1" wide, flat plastic ribbon which can be easily torn to any length) with us when tracking. A one or two-foot length can be tied to a piece of grass or bush, to show the handler where a turn or other feature is. This assumes, of course, that the handler is not tracking a blind track (where neither the dog nor handler can see the track).
Clothespins are often fixed beforehand with multiple tape streamers and placed in our tracking bag, so the tracklayer can easily mark a turn or other part of the track. This is an easier, simpler way to mark turns without stopping, tearing off a piece of surveyor’s tape, and putting the roll back in your pocket or pouch.
A good bag, waterproof shoes and rain gear (preferably Gore-Tex lined), can be invaluable to get you through any weather condition. We use a small bag for articles, a small bag for harnesses and leads, and a large bag for stakes and everything else. Mylar sheets instead of paper will allow you to draw maps of tracks in any weather.
A compass will allow you to take bearings at turn corners, when you get there and can’t tell which tree you used for a landmark. I will cover different kinds of compasses in a future article.
A belly pouch, or a pouch in the front of a jacket, is a handy thing to have, to keep all the stuff you are going to carry on a track. This might include the glove (plus other articles for TDX), turn markers (tape or clothespins), food and maybe your pencil and eraser for a track map.