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A Tracking trial is an event to encourage dogs to make use of their strongest facility by emulating the finding of a lost person or article in a situation where the performance of the dog can be fairly assessed. Because of this, the tracks laid are not the wanderings which may characterize a lost person, nor do they include deliberate attempts by the tracklayer to deceive the following dog.

Although different organizations specify somewhat different rules, the basics of a tracking trial are similar for each. The objective of the trial is for the dog to find the deliberately lost tracklayer and any articles they may have dropped along the track.

Generally, tracks are laid, marked and mapped on the day previous to the Tracking trial by the trial judge or steward such that the judge or steward will be able to know where the track is located, and articles are to be placed, even after the marks, ribbons or flags have been removed. The length of the track and the number of corners and the number of articles left on the track will depend on the level of difficulty of the track and the rules of the organization under which the trial is being run.

Tenterfield Terrier in tracking trial.

On the day of the trial, a tracklayer will then follow the marked track and remove any marks which have been placed on the track and leave articles of clothing on the track as specified by the steward or judge. They will then hide or leave an article as directed at the end of the track. After a specified time depending on the difficulty of the track and the requirements of the rules of the organization, the dog and handler will then be directed to the track and find the tracklayer and articles as required. The dog is usually worked on a 10 metre or 30 foot lead, but the length of lead actually used will depend on the terrain.

In general, a dog must work continually as if genuinely looking for a lost person without assisance from the handler, and find the required number of lost articles and the tracklayer at the end of the track, for the dog to be awarded a pass. This pass can also be graded on the quality of the work. After the required passes have been awarded, the dog may apply for a tracking title according to the rules of the organization the trials have been run under.

• ANKC Rules for the Conduct of Tracking Trials (Effective from 1st January 2006)
• AKC Tracking Regulations Amended to June 1st 2005

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