In Finland clubs arrange tracking trainings called in Finnish 'Möllimejä'. This "test" is not actually any test or competition, it is more like opportunity to train your dog and to see if your dog has aptitudes in tracking. Usually dogs not even get points from their tracking and they are not put in order of merit. This kind of event is just a very good chance to go and see if your dog has abilities to enter tests or start practical tracking. There you hear more from more experienced people how they see your dog's tracking abilities and sometimes you may speak also with official tracking judges.
Tracks are made usually day before actual tracking. In official tests in Finland usually all who enter the actual test, must also come day before to do tracks. If you feel interested also how to do blood tracks for dog, you may contact the club arranging the test if they also arrange separate trainings for making tracks.
When you go to this kind of test, take with you:
- water for the dog
- rubber boots (there might be wet in woods)
- packet of medicine against viber bites
- string of 6 meters and harness for the dog
attention, these you usually may also borrow from arranger if you not yet own suchIn tracking you test your dog's abilities to track a wounded deer. This is the reason you use blood of cow or deer when you do tracks (not pig). Dogs are used in practical tracking for example after car accidents when wounded deer or wild reindeer has run to woods and it must be found.
In this kind of unofficial tests the tracks are from 200m to 400m long. The length of the track depends usually from dog's age. To young dog you do shorter track than to older. This is why usually the arranger want also to know your dog's breed, sex, age and tracking experience.
Track is built from start, angles, laying places and end (game). In start the ground is little broken and a bit sprayed blood in area of 30x30cm. From this the track start going to first angle of 90 degrees. In angle there is first laying place, which is done same way with start. Dog should show this place by stopping and for example sniffing the place. From this angle the track goes to other angle and laying place (attention, all training tracks maybe not have two angles, but in test there is!). And then from this angle track goes to the end where game is waiting. Game is usually just killed or as fresh freezed (and melted) bunny or rabbit. In training situation as game you may also use duration bunny. The dog should notice the found game. Dog may take the game in his mouth or lick it, but it should not claw it.
Very often judges in this training also give written critique from the dog's work on track, but also give advices for further training.
Already before this kind of unofficial test you may train your dog. First step with young puppy is to make it familiar to woods by walking there with it and also to make the puppy familiar to smell of blood. You also may do tracks for your own dog or do training together with some other dog owner (and do tracks for each other). Clubs also arrange separate track making trainings. But remember, do not kill the excitement of your young dog by training too much and too often with it.