Training and Care 
77 
Trailing is taught in various ways, the one most 
generally used is carried out as follows: The dog 
is taken to a rather moist or soft ground. An as¬ 
sistant approaches with an article that is carried 
about his person continuously and that has the body 
scent of the assistant. This is thrown to the ground 
and the dog is commanded to fetch it. The assist¬ 
ant then goes back several steps and the same thing 
is done and this is repeated for some time gradually 
increasing the distance. Finally the assistant goes 
out of sight of the dog and hides, but always before 
he does so, he drops his object. The dog now has 
become familiar with the scent and instead of merely 
seeking begins to trail. When he is familiar with 
this the assistant makes a trail out of sight of the 
dog, the dog is taken to it and his nose held to it 
and he is told to “Fetch.” When he has fully 
grasped the idea to trail, the dummy is again re¬ 
sorted to, the assistant hiding with it before him and 
the dropping of the object is dispensed with. As 
the dog approaches the man or rather the dummy 
and upon catching sight of it gives tongue, he must 
be encouraged to “Speak” and is praised by the 
trainer. 
When the dog works well in this direction the 
exercise can be utilized in various ways. The train¬ 
ing suit is donned by the assistant and he again 
makes his trail, after the dog finds him and “Speaks,” 
he then tries to run away, when the dog is given 
the “On Guard” command and urged to take hold 
whereupon the assistant immediately becomes quiet, 
and in this manner the dog is beginning to trail and 
