Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:10 am Post subject: German Tracking Tests
We did three tracking tests, first one was the VGP which includes a 500 meter track either +/- 6 hours old or if the handler desires +/- 12 hours old. We did the 12 hours track.
IMHO the VGP tracking is just to observe the basic tracking abilities of a dog and although difficult enough not a measure of the dogs real abilities.
The second test in Germany is the VSwP 20, which is a track with a length of 1 kilometer. The track is more than 20 hours old before starting and is created by either dripping or stamping 250 cc roe- or deer blood over the length of a kilometer.
Furthermore it contains two 90 degree changes in direction marked by extra blood and likely some hair.
The third test is the VSwP 40, which is the same length as the 20 hours track and contains just as much blood but it is at least 40 hours old before the test starts. It contains three 90 degree changes in direction and eight indicator points that contain a little bit more blood. It’s a good thing if the dog points out the indicators.
When a dog passes the 20 hours VSwP it is indicated with one of the following abbreviations SWI/, SWII/ or SWIII/. Meaning he passed in either first price, second prize or third prize, a indication of the level of the dog.
When a dog passes the 40 hours VSwP it is indicate with one of the following abbreviatioms SW/I, SW/II or SW/III. (note the difference of the position of the slash). Prizes also an indication of the level
When the dog has both it is marked with SWI/I, SWI/II, SWI/III or SWII/I, SWII/II, SWII/III or SWIII/I, SWIII/II, SWIII/III
We passed both in second prize which means SWII/II
Ewart is a DL owner in Holland, thought this may be of interest to those who believe in maintaining a tracking instinct in our breeds, or not as the case may be! _________________ Home of pure German Longhairs ,Ch HV's and Ch GSP's.
Well done!!! I've a tracking qualification in Holland, ZwF I. This means a first place (with maximum points) in a bloodtracking trial F (500 mtr's and 24 hours old). So I know how difficult it can be.
We're planning on doing a VGP later this year and we want to do the schweissprufungen as well. Can't wait!!!!
(you have to have a hunting licence btw to be able to do these tests (with a Weimaraner) in Germany.) _________________ www.langhaarweimaraner.nl
Did you introduce the tracking element at the same time as field work or did you teach field work first before starting tracking Marjolein.
Did you teach the dog to differentiate a training day by putting on the harness and leash for tracking ? How does your dog know the difference ?
Also have you trained only on cows blood for the JVP, HZP and then train for deer scent for the VGP or VSwP
In a schweissprufung are you tested on the same day with schweisshunds? Do they always include verweiserpunkt containing heart and lung pieces on their tracks?
At the end of the track are the dogs allowed to make contact with the carcass?
Thanks Brenda _________________ Home of pure German Longhairs ,Ch HV's and Ch GSP's.
When we were doing 'ordinary' tracking years ago it was the harness going on (after a while obviously) that told them what they would be doing. The same with the Search & Rescue and the coat they had to wear for that.
Police Dogs are the same ,the harness is the trigger as they always wear one when practicing/training and not being daft switch on to it. _________________ Dave A and Britts Fern,Gill and Molly
Brenda, with this particular dog I started with the fieldwork. Unfortunately he wasn't as good as I'd hoped so made the switch to bloodtracking.
I am convinced that if you have a good FT dog, you shouldn't start with bloodtracking. I think they can differentiate the difference between the two disciplines, but I am also positive that you can never compete at the highest level if you ask all these things of your dog.
It's not impossible, but I haven't seen dogs yet that can compete at their top in more than one discipline.
I haven't done any bloodtracking for the VJP and HZP. When I train for the bloodtracking trials I mainly use freeze dried cow blood. I also use roe or deer blood every now and then, but when they're used to cow blood, roe or deer is easy for them.
Billy for example was only trained on cows blood when he was entered in his first trial. He won it with 100 points and the qual. excellent.
Depending on the trial, it is possible to compete with schweißhunden. So far we've competed in a Vizsla trial, with only Vizsla's and one Weim. In Weimaraner trials with only Weims and in a schweißhunden trial with only one Weim, the rest were specialists. We didn't make it in this trial btw.
Yes, you'll find lung, heart, liver and bone for example during the track.
The dog is allowed to make contact with the roe, but isn't supposed to bite it.
Mar, what happens at the end of the track, when the dog reaches the find? And what is the reward for the dog, does it just enjoy the tracking itself and find that rewarding? Or does the dog need something at the end, to reward it?? _________________ Slate and Grey
This is different per dog. The dogs get a reward at the end of the track and that's what they do it for. Billy for example is something else. When he reaches the end, he wants to go on. The reward or the roe at the end of the track doesn't do anything for him. So for Billy, the track itself is the reward. _________________ www.langhaarweimaraner.nl
Is the reward a food treat, or is it the actual deer at the end? I'm just asking because the WSRHP club seem to have a tracking element in their open working test, so I probably should have a practice with Slate before attempting it! I know roughly about the working trials method of training tracking but I figured this is different. _________________ Slate and Grey
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