How Long should i age a track when training my deer tracking dog?

Question: Love the Tracking Dog Training product, but how long or how many hours could I leave a trail set out for my dog to follow using the deer drag set?

Jer's Answer: That question is all predicated on several variable including your dogs ability and where it is at in its training along with the conditions and manner in which you set the training line up. There are A LOT of variables in that last sentence. I always recommend making small steps in training.

Adding in challenges and distractions is a necessary thing in the process as a whole and your dog will tell you when you're going too fast or not challenging them enough. Remember, training lines are good for the dog but maybe as valuable for us to better understand what the dog looks like and feels like while on the line at particular moments. It helps us better understand what to look for when tracking a wounded deer for real and how and when to offer help if needed.

I have seen dogs capable of following a challenging line as old as 24+ hours in good scenting conditions. The same dog might struggle on that same line after 4-8 hours if scenting conditions are poor. There are always other variables to take into consideration and it's important to remember that and make note of that in your training.

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