Skip to content
Dog Sport Clubs

Tracking: a beginner's guide

Following a person's footsteps across fields, finding the articles they dropped.

Find a Tracking club

What Tracking is

In tracking trials the dog follows a track laid by a person earlier, nose down and at a steady pace, and indicates the articles left along the way, usually by lying down beside them.

Tracking can be done on its own or as part of IGP. It suits almost any dog and is a calm, thoughtful sport.

Titles, in order

  1. 1FH 1 and FH 2National tracking dog titles, used by some organisations.
  2. 2IFH-VEntry-level international tracking title.
  3. 3IFH 1 and IFH 2International tracking titles with longer, older tracks.
  4. 4IGP-FHThe highest international tracking title, with a track laid the day before.

How to begin

  • Start with short, straight tracks on short grass, with food in each footstep.
  • Make the track longer and older slowly, over weeks.
  • Find a club or a land owner willing to let you use fields; access to land is the main challenge.
  • Rules change from time to time and differ between organisations. Check the current regulations with your club before you enter.

Kit you need

  • Tracking harness and a 10 metre line
  • Tracking flags or poles to mark the start
  • Food rewards and small articles (wood, leather or fabric)
  • Permission to use the land

Tracking clubs

Search by distance

Upcoming Tracking events

All Tracking events