Activities For Plott Hounds

Before you head out into the backcountry, both you and your dog need to learn the basics of backcountry and hunting safety. Make sure you take a hunters' safety class and that your dog has basic obedience under their belt. Be sure to have a good grasp of reading maps, terrain, and compass and make sure you both are fit. Big game animals can cover a lot of ground which means the two of you might be hiking for miles. Preparation is key.

It's worthwhile to take a few classes with an experienced hunting dog trainer to learn how to work with your dog on a hunt. Sure, they have a natural ability and drive to pick up scents and follow it until they find the animal, but you want your dog to look to you for instruction. Working with an experienced hunting dog trainer will let you establish cues with your dog, teach them the proper way to follow a trail, and let them know when you want them to tree an animal and when you want them to bark or bray to let you know the animal is in sight.

When you have some experience, it's time to test your skill. Take your dog out and let them start smelling, when they pick up a scent, encourage them to follow it and try to keep up. If you get nervous, take a deep breath and rely on your dog and your training. When your dog has an animal in sight, make sure they stay safe and stay on the trail. If they do everything correctly, you'll have a chance to take a shot. Breath steady and make sure it's as clean as possible. Make sure to do a little celebrating with your dog.

Before your dog can begin a Search and Rescue course, they will need to be proficient in basic training and obedience. Sit, stay, heel, and come are just a few of the skills they need to master. Plott Hounds are known to be stubborn which can make training difficult, so hire an experienced trainer to help you and who knows how to best work with these unique dogs.

When your dog has mastered basic obedience, sign up for a certified search and rescue course. Find a local club to volunteer for and find yourself a mentor. While you and your dog are going through courses on tracking and wilderness travel, you can work side-by-side with a dog and handler team out on rescues. Learn as much as you can in a classroom and with your mentor, and take your dog out to practice as much as possible. It takes a long time to train a dog to be proficient at search and rescue, but the reward is worth it.

When you and your dog have finished your course and training hours, it's time to be an official part of the team. Keep all your and your dog's search equipment at the ready. When a call comes in, you want to get going as fast as possible. During the rescue, stay calm and remember your training, you may work together with another dog and human team at first so you know what to expect and so you can learn from the more experienced members. When you help your first lost person to safety as a team, make sure you celebrate together. It's a great feeling.

Start by setting up the course. This works best in an empty field or open space. Mark out the route you want your dog to follow with flagging and leave a few drops of animal scent along the way. Leave a bone or toy with the scent on it as a reward at the end of the trail. Start with a more straightforward course with a clear scent trail. You can up the challenge as your dog learns to channel sniffing capabilities.

Set your dog up with a well-fitting harness and a 40 ft leash. Most hounds are scent driven and difficult to call off a scent once they are on it. The leash will allow them to move freely through the course without taking off for miles on another animal scent. Show them a bit of cloth with the scent you want them to follow and walk them to the start of your trail. When they pick up the scent and continue in the right direction, give them plenty of encouragement. If they get off track, lead them back to the trail, show them the cloth, and try again. When they reach the end, make sure to give them lots of praise and let them enjoy their reward.

The AKC has many tracking clubs and organizations around the country. These clubs often hold trials for tracking dogs of any kind to test their sniffers. Your local club can help you train for competition and provide a community of dog owners to practice and learn from. Entering a trial will challenge your dog and give you new ideas and inspiration for tracking training.