Authors: Rob Hewings
Format: Paperback
Length: 194 pages with 130 illustrations
Release Date: 2023

Tracking, the ability to identify and follow a scent that we cannot see or smell, is a skill unique to dogs and one that humans cannot replicate. However, we can harness this superpower and make good use of it. Dogs can be trained to track down criminals, locate vital clues, find missing persons, and search for victims of natural disasters who may be trapped under rubble and other debris.

We can also use tracking simply to have fun with our dogs and give them the opportunity to use their amazing skills. Plus, scentwork is highly valued by dogs. Award-winning author Rob Hewings, a former police officer who now runs the College of Scent Dogs, describes the sport as "the training your dog loves to do."

Rob is dedicated to making this aspect of training available to everyone—all types of handlers and all types of dogs. Starting from scratch, he has devised a program which includes:

• Early learning to identify and follow a track
• Negotiating turns
• Finding articles on and off the track
• Laying a track and reading a track plan
• Hard surface tracking

In addition, if you want to spread the word and become an instructor, there are bespoke lesson plans, ideas for scenario-based training and team training, and a troubleshooting section with solutions for issues that crop up in training.

Illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and track plans, Tracking For Every Dog will take you inside the extraordinary world of scent detection, giving you the chance to acquire new skills and attempt fresh challenges. This could involve joining a club and enjoying the camaraderie of working with fellow enthusiasts, progressing to competitive tracking, having a go at mantrailing, or branching out into conservation tracking. But, perhaps most important of all, this book will give you the means to work with your dog, enhancing your relationship with him, while getting exercise out in the fresh air. What's not to like?

About the Author
Rob Hewings spent 30 years in the Metropolitan Police in London, first as a dog handler and then as an instructor. During that time he gained wide experience in all types of scentwork in hugely differing environments. Working at crime scenes taught him to react to unfolding situations, getting the best from his canine partner, yet always putting the dog's welfare first. His time as an instructor showed him that dogs are individuals and have different ways of learning. When Rob left the Met, he studied scent detection training and gained a doctorate, thus combining academic theory with his operational background. This, combined with his passion for positive training, puts him in a unique position in the world of canine scent detection.

He now runs the UK College of Scent Dogs imparting his knowledge to those new to scentwork, to competitors, and to instructors running clubs and workshops. He says, "My aim is to train my students to be self-directed learners, using positive reinforcement and choice-based training, which creates a great learning environment for both humans and dogs."