This is aimed at puppies and adult dogs that have never had the experience of following a man made track.

First of all, I have to say this: You can never teach your dog to track! The ability to track is built in the genetic makeup of any dog, some breeds are more interested in tracking and other breeds are not. Dogs from the different working/hunting breeds are more prone to follow a track than the dogs from sight hound breeds for example - like the Greyhound, Whippet, Afghan Hound and other similar breeds.  Even these breeds can be taught to follow a track with good results.

So why do I say we will teach the dog to track when I say we cant teach a dog to track?

Here is my explanation. You can never teach the dog to track, as they know how they do that and they actually are tracking on every walk they go on.

Like: Oh, here is Mrs. Brown’s spaniel, she is ready to come in heat any day now, and wow, they have had shepherds pie for dinner. Oh, here is the next door neighbours little Jack Russell, he is really stressed and has a kidney condition, and here… has my “dad” walked, wonder where he went? And here is the scent of someone who has been to a farm; it smells manure from their shoes… and here is a scent of the nice Labrador down the street, they have been on a walk on the beach…

These are the things the dog does on walks, without words of course. Every step of the way gives them immense amounts of information about what has happened and when.