Book Preface

It has taken quite some time to plan and collect all of the information presented in “How To Achieve Precision Tracking With Your Dog”. Since I began working on this book, many years ago, an enormous amount of new information on tracking training has emerged. So as I worked to ensure that this book is honest and accurate, I also wanted to incorporate the additional information so that this guide would be complete and not leave out any pertinent facts. Indeed, accuracy and completeness are the cornerstones of this book.

Despite the difficulties I encountered along the way, I am happy to say that this has been an extraordinary journey. A journey that has led me to cross paths with remarkable people around the world who share my passion for the betterment of the working dog. Their knowledge and zeal for tracking has helped to bring this book into existence. It is my hope that this book educates readers and training enthusiast on perhaps alternative ways to train dogs for tracking in order to create efficient tracking teams. With the proper training and coupled with the right genetics, tracking teams can make ultimate achievements: They will be able to work in law enforcement, participate in Schutzhund, or any other urban tracking or tracking competition.

The guidelines for such training are outlined in this book. However, I emphasize that no trainer can successfully develop the special skills necessary by reading alone. To make a lasting effect on your dog, it also requires time, effort, the ability to notice subtle changes, the talent for knowing how to facilitate improvement and the ability to understand animal behaviour as well as the principles of animal learning. 

Trainers also have to be vigilant with the problems arising out of tracking training and remain focused on improving performance and reliability.

While this book is designed primarily for trainers, it is also very useful for all tracking enthusiasts. The information is comprehensive, and provides easy-to-understand and systematic approaches for achieving excellence with your dog. This book also works to dispel the common misconceptions about tracking training that exist today. Without question, there will be people who disagree with the content of this book, in terms of techniques and philosophy. Yet no claim of finality is made, for this book does not claim to be the Bible but perhaps the beginning for new thought, theory, and continuous improvement.