- Forest / urban agility or parkour
- Canicross
- Bikejöring
- Hiking, camping or backpacking
- Kanoeing and kayaking
Scent tracking
Several reasons why scent tracking is a great outdoor activity
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, we can't even get close to imagine how dogs will perceive the world around them. So why not work with this awesome talent! I promise you that it will both amaze you how gifted your dog is, and excite you about all the possibilities that suddenly open up... Why not teach your dog to find your keys or the always disappearing remote? Or find a lost person in the forest?
And ofcourse for the dog it is fun too, they will have to really use their nose, work their brain and develop their sense of smell.... working with one of their most natural behaviours!
It can also give you a way of controlling your dog outside when they smell exciting things.
It will boost your dogs confidence every time they manage to find the hidden object and hear the praises of their proud owner.
And probably the best reason... you don't have to go outside when it is cold, but practice in your own comfy home!
How to start
There are many different ways of teaching the dog to track down a scent or to follow a track. I will explain the methods that I used myself.
Indoor practice
I started by trowing a treat on the ground, on the dark hairy carpet so she wouldn't be able to see it straight away (if you don't own a hairy dark carpet, you can also hide the treat under a small piece of cloth for example, as long as the dog starts sniffing to find it). I then said 'zoek!' and pointed down towards the location of the treat, and she naturally started sniffing on the ground to find it. I repeated this several times, with more treats as well. After some repitition she reached a point where she started sniffing as soon as I said 'zoek'. After this I started hiding the treats in the house, first in simple spots, like on the armrest of the sofa, behind a toy etc. Whist building up from there, making the hiding places more difficult (on top of drawer, under the rug... ) and using more treats every time. I would make her sit in the room and watch me hide the treats, I first let her try herself, but if I notice that it is too difficult I point her in the right direction, which is normally enough for her to find it straight away.
I now let her wait outside the room to hide the treats, she still finds them in record tempo though... she really loves this game, it's fun for both of us and really creates a bond between us, her knowing that I will help whenever it is too hard, making eye contact with me and relying on my cues and body language. It also teaches her some self control and patience, having to wait until all the treats are hidden, and a massive reward as soon as you give her the command to search.
You can ofcourse also hide treats in toys and hide them, hide treats in boxes with paper, puzzels, you name it! I also sometimes hide a toy after which we play with it or I give her a treat for bringing it to me.
Outdoor scent track
I took a tracking course of 4 lessons, I will describe what we did in every lesson.
Lesson 1: We got 4 rectangled wooden blocks which we had to hold in our hands to get our smell on it. We would then put the blocks on the ground at the grass and as soon as Amber smelled on the block I would praise and treat her. After some repetition she understood that she had to smell this block to get something. We would then walk in a straight line of around 5 m, dropping the blocks on our trail every meter or so (someone else would hold Amber). I would then walk with Amber over this trail and everytime she would sniff one of the blocks I would treat her. We got instructed to make the trail longer and increase the space between the blocks and practice more at home. It really helped that Amber already understood the word 'zoek' and my pointing gesture.
Lesson 2: We went to a forest with small bushes, grass and branches all over the floor. Someone else would hold Amber whilst I went in the forest. I first whiped my feet on the forest floor and put some high value treats in the middle of this spot. I then slowly walked 4 meters after which I dropped a block and a treat on top of this block (I use wet catfood because it sticks nicely to the block and she loves it), I repeated this until I was out of blocks (4 blocks so around a distance of 16-20 m) and made some small turns whilst brushing my feet over the floor and my legs on the plants around the trail. At the end of the trail I put a little plastic container with a bunch of treats inside as a price. I used coloured tape and a clip to attach to the trees around my trail and to mark the start and end of the trail, so us humans, with our terrible sense of smell can find the track back :). We then had to wait at least 30 minutes (the scent molucules take time to descent to the floor). I then took Amber to the start of the trail, pointed at the start and said 'zoek'. To my surprise she instantly started sniffing and following my exact footsteps without getting distracted, straight to the end of the track!
I continued to practice this at home, making the distance between the blocks bigger. I did not practice every day, because I don't want this to become a boring routine, it has to be and stay exciting for her.
Lesson 3: This time someone else would make the track in the same way as I did the week before, making it quite long with some bends here and there. I had my doubts if she would understand, but after looking surprised at me 2 times...she followed the track straight to her price at the end without hesitation.
Lesson 4: This time someone else made the track in an open field. Unfortunately this time didn't go so well... This person did not use any treats on the blocks, which you are supposed to fade over time, I didn't get to the fading part yet, so this got Amber very very confused. She reached the first block, couldn't find a treat and looked up to me surprised... but then put her nose down again to follow the rest of the track... she then reached the second block, and again, couldn't find a treat.... she completely got confused and started walking in all kinds of different directions sniffing everywhere and eventually giving up and looking up to me whilst sitting down.... This was such a downfall that I had to almost start training all the way at the beginning again, it was like she lost the whole idea of what scent to follow... So, a good lesson for you, fade the treats very carefully and not all at once!Another tip, mind the wind! The wind can actually blow you scent away, making it very confusing for the dog. I got the tip to keep the wind in my back, and if I make a turn, to do it with a round bend, not too sudden. If you do want to start using sharp turns, really wipe your feet on the floor these first times, so they don't miss the turn.
I still make tracks once a week or so, keeping it interesting and exciting. However, when it started snowing she didn't do too well, so I decided to stop during the winter months and continue again when it is spring.
Outdoor search game
I joined a small search training group. The way they work is by first walking over a square bit of field or forest, marking the borders with little flags, so the dogs will smell the people and know in which area they have to find the object. They then one by one hide a toy somewhere in this forest or field and let their dogs search for it. When the dog finds the toy they bring it to the owner and get to play a little bit or get a treat. I started doing this with Amber by first putting the toy close to her and encouraging her to pick it up or to at least smell it, I would praise and treat her as soon as she did. I then started by hiding the toy further and further. Unfortunately Amber is not very toy motivated, especially when a bunch of people are watching her from the side and she hears and smells dogs all over. She does like to play this game when I am alone with her. So I sometimes take a toy with me on a walk, tie Amber to a tree and make her watch me hide it. I then put her on a long line and let her search it, when she finds it (she normally just throws it in the air and runs back to me without the toy, but oke) I give her loads of praise and treats, then get the toy and play with her for a bit.
How to continue
Practice and make the game more difficult, or the track longer. Make sure that you don't overdo it, take baby steps, go a step back if you need to and don't make it into a boring routine. I got the tip of sometimes making a mini track outside in the grass, of only 5 meters, putting treats in every footstep and a pile of treats at the end. Again with this excercise you will have to wait around 10-30 min to give the smell time to get in the ground. This excercise will encourage the dog to keep the nose down whilst following the track and gets them really excited and motivated.
Forest / urban agility or parkour
Why urban agility is awesome!
It keeps the walk interesting, it makes you during the walk more interesting, it keeps the dog excersized, and boosts the dogs confidence. And... you do not need to get any equipment or specific area to do it!
So basically, you teach your dog to jump, balance or walk over or on objects outside (you can always start in the home if you have a fearfull or easily distracted dog). I tell Amber to get 'UP!' and point towards the object, this can be a little wall, bench, rock, tree trunck, you name it! At first, of course she was a bit scared, especially when the object has holes in it like a bench. I would then start by letting her put her front paws on it first, and praise and treat her a lot. After a while she would get accustomed to the scary bench, and she would dare to jump on it. I also let her climb rocks and fallen down trees. She absolutely loves it, likes looking round from this new height, sticks her nose in the air and seems very proud of herself.
Because Amber is easily distracted, this makes me and the walk a bit more fun, she has more focus for me and listens better. Overall, perfect excersize and fun for both!
How to start
Start with little baby steps, you don't want to traumatize your dog, because they will never jump on something again.
I started by asking her to put her paws on tree trunks, benches, walls, etc. I guided her up with a treat.
She already reall quickly got very excited and started jumping on the objects instead, I would then let her sit or stand still for a moment before I would give her the treat. I would try and let her balance on smaller walls for example, or fallen trees. I now also use a harness with a handle on the back, so when we climb higher rocks I can help her getting up if it is too steep.
If she is not able to get up or over, or if she somehow does it wrong I always make sure to ask her something easier straight away so she doesn't lose her confidence and keeps a positive experience.
How to continue
On youtube a lot of videos can be found of people doing parkour with their dog. A lot of videos show dogs balancing on impossible objects, crawling through tubes, climbing trees, and thats all really great and fun to teach your dog! Some videos show some extreme examples of dogs jumping on roofs of buildings and doing backflips from trees etc. Do not start doing this without thinking about it first... and considering if your dog is made for such extremeties. Some dogs are more prone to get problems with hips or joints, and if you own a puppy or young dog, beware that the bones are still growing and sensitive, so first consult if these kind of activities are a smart choice for you and your dog.
Canicross
Why everyone should get into canicross
Because excersize is good for your dog AND for you! I personally dislike running a lot, I think it's boring, my lungs feel funny, and I feel very consious running whilst people look at me. But it's so much more fun running with Amber, people look more at her, she loves to run, she can pull me and make me run faster which also motivates me to run just that bit longer too.
How to start
So basically, you run with your dog in front of you. I use the pulling harness that I made for her (see DIY projects) and a running belt which has elastic, bungee like attachments for the leash to absorb the shock.
I thought Amber to start pulling, go faster, slow down, stop and left and right (which is also a good start if you want to start bikejöring). I know what you are thinking... it just took me 2 years to teach my dog NOT to pull, and now I have to teach it to pull again?! Well... yes. I use only the pulling harness so she will associate that particular harness with pulling. I taught Amber to start pulling by just running forward, whilst saying: 'gogogo!' getting her pumped up, and she started pulling naturaly whilst I praised her for it. If you have a dog who doesn't naturally pull, you can start by asking someone to help you, stand in front of you and your dog, lure the dog forward and praise when they pull. Use a command when they start pulling, and build it up until they pull you forward whilst they run.
How to continue
Just keep on running!
Bikejöring
Why bikejöring is every active dogs necessity!You can bikejör with every dog that likes pulling, obviously, with smaller dogs you will need to help them to go forward more than with bigger, stronger dogs. Amber really likes running at full speed, and with a human attached to her that is often very difficult, but a bike with wheels and a human paddling on it, then she can go as fast as she likes!
How to start
First, get a mountainbike with good brakes, a pulling harness, a good leash attachment (check DIY projects), helmet and other biking gear you prefer, and most importantly... get a dog that likes running and knows these commants: left, right, slow down, stop and go! It might also be a good idea to get some dog booties or paw wax for when you run through snow, ice or rough pavement. If you are planning a longer trip, don't forget to bring a first AID kit, bike repair kit, and always always bring water for you and the dog!
So how to start, I personally started with canicross, and got Amber accostumed to pulling me and listening to the commands (check the canicross section above). I then made the equipment and attached her in front of the bike, because she already knew the commands she got the idea very quick and just started running like crazy! Amber is not so strong, so when I brake or turn suddenly, she does not have the strenght to drag the bike in another direction. If you own a bigger dog or if you bike with 2 dogs you might want to consider this first.
Always keep it fun! If they get tired, painfull paws or something else 'scary' happens, they might not want to do it again. So start off slow and easy, and increase from there. Amber is easily bored so I only took this on once a week to keep it interesting.How to continue
If you are lucky and live in an area where there is a bikejöring club, then it would definitely be fun to train together, I think the dogs will really enjoy it as well when they run with other dogs and they can race each other. You can start training for competitions or small trips with others.
Hiking / camping or backpacking
Why I and Amber love it
You have to be the kind of person to like being outside. I really do, when the weather lets me, I put on my hiking boots, grab the tent and I'm off. I like to take Amber with me, she really loves being outside to explore.Because Amber cannot be offleash, this can cause some difficulties sometimes. I normally keep her on a 2m leash attached to a belt, so it leaves my hands free. Because she tends to walk around me this can cause me to get tangled up in her leash all the time, quite annoying when you are walking with a big heavy backpack. I am still looking for a good solution, and am now thinking of making a small belt with a ring attached to it, I want to get Amber a bungee leash which I would then attach to the ring so she can walk around me and the leash will just follow.
We are lucky to live in Sweden, where lakes and seas with millions of islands are everywhere. So we normally take her on our inflatable canoe and camp on an island, here she can run around and explore, whilst we have some rest and no worries that she will go after wildlife.
If we decide not to sleep on an island we take a long leash with us (20m) and attach her on that instead.
She sleeps with us in the tent under a little blanket, and sometimes she decides to sleep right inbetween us and cuddle under our sleeping bags.
Tips for when you go on a hike with your dog
First make sure that your dog is up for a long walk, get them accostumed to longer walks before you take them on a full day hike. If your dog needs to be on leash (check online or at an tourist information desk of your dog needs to be on leash in the area where you want to hike) best is to keep them on a short lead, not longer than 2m, believe me, you don't want them to constancly get tangled up in bushes and behind trees. To keep your hands free for taking pictures of the nice scenery, and carrying your backpack, attach the leash to a belt. To avoid your dog damaging your spine when they pull you towards all those interesting smells, get a bungee leash to absorb the shocks of pulling.Bring enough food for your dog, possibly a bit more since they are excersizing more than normal. Always bring enough water, and for your and the dogs convenience a dog bowl that can be folded up.
Bring an first AID kit, some dog booties and or paw wax in case they injure themselfs or walk on a rough track.
I like to bring a harness with a handle on the back so I can lift her over obstacles or help her when we climb rocks.
Check if there are some poisonous animals that you can come across, you might want to prepare yourself for some of these encouters first. Check with your vet if there is any precautions that you can take.
Tips for if you go camping with your dog
Be aware that it can get cold at night, we always bring a jacket for Amber just in case, she gets cold easily.
Always bring enough food, we normally let her eat some of our scraps as well. Because we make her own dogfood we always bring a container, but if we go on a longer camping trip it is easier to just take dry dog food. Take the same things with you as I mention in the hiking paragraph, and then you should be fine!
If we are in an area where we do not want her to roam around, we attach a long 20m line to a tree close to the tent.
Tips for using a dog backpack
I haven't walked a proper hike yet with the backpack on, only a short 2,5 hour one. I first walked her with it a couple of times around the block. I only filled it up with some treats and poop bags, not more.
Make your dog get used to the backpack first and make sure that it is a good fit (no shaving of the skin or obstructing any movement). Gradually increase the weight, do not straight away pack the bag very heavy and go on a 2 day hike... it's not going to make the dog want to do that again. Don't ever use more than 1 third of the body weight of the dog, keep it light enough and enjoyable.
Kanoeing / kayaking
Amber knows that when we go kanoeing we go to exciting places. The first time we took her on a kanoe she was scared, we carefully lifted her in and I kept her between my legs. She was also wearing a lifevest since she can't swim so well and is scared of water.
The quickly found all the smells and the birds in the water very exciting. When she figured out that going in the kanoe meant that we would probably go to an island where she can run around, she got very excited by it. She now jumps in the kanoe herself and places herself on the front tip of the boat, balancing like an experienced surfer, ready to jump on the island and start exploring.We don't use a lifejacket anymore, only if we go out at sea where the water is much rougher.
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