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Why are we so excited to get puppies started with Mantrailing? Because it’s such a fantastic way for them to burn off energy, build confidence in new situations and around new people, and most importantly, strengthen the bond between you and your pup. Unlike some other training where puppies are often just following commands or forced into focus—which can lead to frustration or even conflict—Mantrailing lets puppies explore and learn at their own pace, right alongside you. This activity gives them the freedom to approach new things on their terms, helping them build confidence in a way that feels natural to them. Plus, they get the chance to make positive choices in situations they might otherwise find intimidating. You can start mantrailing with puppies at any age! However, it’s usually best to let your puppy settle into their new home for a week or so first. Puppies are born with a strong sense of smell—it's one of the first senses they develop, right along with their ability to detect heat. From day one, they use their noses to find their mother’s milk, guided by scent to survive. As they grow, their scenting skills sharpen, allowing them to recognize familiar people, animals, and surroundings, often by associating scents with positive things like food or affection. You can even get your puppy started with simple scent games right at home. Many owners actually start training their pups to trail without even realizing it! Walking away from your puppy when their little legs can’t quite keep up or playing hide-and-seek are both great ways to encourage them to use their noses. Fun games like hiding bits of food or toys around the house also give your puppy an opportunity to practice and strengthen this amazing skill. To join in on an introduction course with your pup to get started, contact your local Mantrailing Global Instructor . You can join after their second vaccinations. This is purely from a health and safety point of view for your puppy. There are going to be other dogs in the introduction, who may be carriers for things, as well as likely to be trailing in a place where lots of dogs frequent. Some instructors even do puppy only introductions to help you start your Mantrailing journey. Mantrailing also really helps to bond with your puppy and become a team in a very natural way. When we start Mantrailing with puppies, we adjust the game to match their short attention spans and energy levels. Long, complicated trails aren’t likely to keep a puppy excited; instead, we introduce them to “hunting trails.” These are short, exciting trails where the puppy gets a bunch of quick rewards from the trail layer. This setup makes the game super fun and keeps the puppy engaged without overwhelming them, so they’re left wanting more. Once the puppy understands that following someone leads to rewards, we gradually introduce the regular starting ritual. We keep things light and fun—no pressure if the puppy wiggles around or is a bit unsure about the harness. The goal is to make the whole experience enjoyable. We even adapt the ritual if needed, but we always want to build a solid foundation for the game. Like any training, good foundations now help prevent issues later on. Check out our other blog about Mantrailing foundations . When starting your puppy in Mantrailing, it’s really important to set a good pace. Puppies are only going to get faster as they grow, so if you’re already running to keep up, they’ll be dragging you off your feet by six months! Running may feel tempting, but keeping a steady pace is better for their joints and helps reinforce good habits for long-term trailing. Getting puppies comfortable with the basics—wearing a harness, dragging a line, and eating from scent pots—makes a big difference. Trying out different foods in the pots, like wet dog food, roast chicken, or cream cheese, lets you see which reward gets your puppy most excited. Once you find their favourite, keep it as a special treat just for Mantrailing. This way, they know the game is extra special. The celebration at the end of the trail needs to be just right for the puppy, too! Sometimes trail layers get too hands-on because they want to pet the cute puppy, but it’s key to figure out what your  puppy enjoys. Some pups love pets and cuddles, but others might prefer a treat or a little extra playtime instead. Getting the end-of-trail “party” just right helps make the game amazing for your puppy and builds a fun bond between you. Trail layers should stay aware of each puppy’s preferences so the celebration is always a positive experience.

When trailing with your dog at a Mantrailing Global session, you will hear may terms and phrases being said. We have put all the main terms into this blog so you can familiarise yourself with them. Starting Ritual – The dog is brought to the starting point where the scent article is. The dog circles the trail layer and/or scent article, and is then placed in harness and on the long line, before being given the cue to sniff and then trail. Intensity Start – The dog gets “fired up” by the trail layer before they go off and lay the trail. This start is the beginning and foundation of most dogs mantrailing journey. It is individual to the dog, but always involves something which the dog finds rewarding. Intensity Trail – The trail which always follows the main trail. This is a fun consistent reward which motivates dogs to find the trail layer and keep the motivation for the game high. A short trail where the dog is “fired up”. Trail Layer – The missing person. Reward – This can be food or a toy or a mix of them both. The reward needs to be something which the dog enjoys, and is usually reserved for Mantrailing. The presentation of such reward is also important. Party – Let´s throw a party, because your dog just found the trail layer! This is how we celebrate when our dogs did a great job and succeeded at the end of a trail. It is important that this party is tailored to each dog to make sure it is a positive experience. Delayed Start – The dog gets “fired up” before the starting ritual. Then the then is taken away until the dogs’ motivation drops slightly and is then harnessed and asked to take scent. This is the step up from the intensity start and building the bridge between that and the scent article start. Scent Article – The item which has the trail layers’ scent on, and is left behind for the dog to take scent from before trailing. This can be a variety of things such as clothing, phone, keys etc Scent Article Start – Start from a scent article. The trail layer has already left, and the dog does not see them leave, Split Start– The trail layer and a decoy go into different directions from the scent article. The dog needs to follow the trail from the scent article not the decoy. Indication – A specific behaviour from the dog that can be interpreted by the handler that person they have found is the trail layer. This is usually a sit, bark or jump up. Blue Line Training – The dog handler and instructor/flanker know where the trail lays. Single Blind – The instructor/flanker knows where the trail goes, the dog handler doesn´t. Double Blind – No one knows where the trail goes other than the trail layer him/herself. Split Trail – The trail layer and decoy walk together from the scent article and then split up, going into different directions. The dog needs to follow the trail from the scent article not the decoy. Split Start - The trail layer and decoy split in different directions straight from the article. The dog needs to follow the trail from the scent article not the decoy. Aged Trail – A trail which has been laid for 30 minutes plus. Walking Find – The trail layer moves/walks and the dog has to indicate on the walking trail layer. Obvious Find – The trail layer is displayed in an obvious way, not hidden out of the dogs sight as normal. Door Indication – The dog needs to indicate on a door/gate where the trail layer has walked through. High Find – The trail layer is hidden in an elevated position. Flanker – The person that is with the dog handler team while trailing, making sure that they stay safe and depending on the exercise may know where the trail lays. Hunting Trail – Multiple short trails after another with an intensity start and the same trail layer. Often used to build confidence, motivation or intensity for the game. Not already started your Mantrailing journey? Find your local Mantrailing Global Instructor .

When people start Mantrailing with their dogs, a common question we get is, “Will this undo all the training I’ve done so far?” The short answer is no! Mantrailing won’t suddenly make your dog forget how to walk nicely on a leash or encourage them to jump up on people. Instead, it provides an outlet for all that excitement and energy in a constructive way. At Mantrailing Global, we use a special ritual and unique equipment for Mantrailing sessions. We even use different words and cues that the dog doesn’t associate with everyday commands. This helps set clear boundaries for when it’s time to Mantrail, so the behaviour stays in the context of the game and doesn’t spill over into everyday situations. Because of this setup, dogs learn when it’s okay to pull forward on the lead or even get excited when they find the “missing person”—behaviours that wouldn’t usually be encouraged. In fact, a lot of owners find their dogs are actually calmer and more focused in day-to-day life because Mantrailing tires them out mentally. It gives dogs a purpose, so they’re often more relaxed when it’s time for a regular walk or training. Another thing people often wonder is if it will encourage their dogs to start sniffing more on walks. The answer is usually no. Dogs will still do their usual “checking the pee-mail” on walks, but some owners say they notice the sniffing more now. It’s a bit like buying a red car and then suddenly seeing red cars everywhere—you’re just more tuned in to it! Sniffing is actually really good for your dog’s well-being, so letting them pause and sniff during walks is a great way to support both mental and physical relaxation. And if you’re wondering whether Mantrailing will interfere with other sports or training, it won’t. The specific ritual, as well as the commands, we use for Mantrailing keeps it separate from other activities, just like how other sports use unique commands or cues. Many of our students do multiple activities with their dogs, from obedience to agility to scent work, and each activity has its own distinct set of expectations. Mantrailing can also strengthen your bond with your dog, improving focus and teamwork that often carries over into other activities. Many owners have found their dogs are more attentive and engaged with them in general. With an outlet for their energy and a fulfilling activity that taps into their natural instincts, dogs are often happier, calmer, and more tuned in to their owners.

Owning a reactive dog can definitely be tough. It’s hard to just enjoy a walk without constantly worrying about whether your dog is going to react—whether it’s barking, lunging, or any other behaviour you’d rather avoid. So, what actually happens when your dog reacts? Many of us see the barking, lunging, or other unwanted behaviours as a problem, but to your dog, these actions are just natural reactions. When your dog reacts, their body releases chemicals like cortisol, adrenaline, endorphins, and norepinephrine. These hormones are being released all the time, but when your dog has a strong reaction, they get a big surge of these chemicals. This is why your dog can still feel on edge even after the trigger (like another person or dog) has passed. In fact, it can take up to 72 hours for these chemicals to return to normal levels—without any other reactions happening. And since many dogs experience multiple triggers on a walk, those chemicals just keep building up. On top of that, we, as owners, also feel those same chemicals when we're faced with our dog’s triggers, which can lead us into a cycle of stress and reactions, making every walk feel like a challenge. So, how can Mantrailing help with all this? Mantrailing is a sport where your dog follows a specific person's scent to find them. They get a reward at the end—something tasty or fun—and get to use their nose for a task they naturally love. Dogs link experiences with scent and these associations can be either positive or negative. We want to create positive associations, and as a result, your dog will release endorphins and serotonin—the "feel-good" hormones that make them feel happy and calm. It’s similar to how you feel excited before a fun trip or when you're about to have your favourite treat. However, these scent experiences need to be carefully managed. Negative experiences can have a lasting impact, which is why we focus on making sure every Mantrailing session is fun and positive, especially for nervous, fearful, or reactive dogs. Our instructors are trained to help ensure your dog has a great experience from the start. Each dog works individually has has their trails set up accordingly to meet their needs. The goal is to build a strong positive association with the activity itself, so that over time, your dog begins to feel more relaxed. Many dogs who start Mantrailing eventually become able to walk past other dogs, horses, bikes, and cars—without reacting, in day-to-day life too. They learn that trailing is much more enjoyable and less stressful than reacting, which helps reduce their overall reactivity. Dogs that are reactive to people can absolutely join in to. Our instructors are great at tailoring the experience to each dog's needs. Dogs who wear muzzles are 100% still welcome at our sessions and we’ll either have experienced trailers hide for the dog or ask people your dog already trusts to be their "Trail Layer." We’re very mindful of the setup, ensuring your dog still has fun and doesn’t feel restricted. If this sounds like your dog, we recommend getting in touch with your instructor ahead of time so they can make sure the setup is right for them. Starting Mantrailing can do wonders for both your dog's confidence and your own. It can also help you feel more relaxed as an owner. We know that having a reactive dog can sometimes feel isolating and discouraging. It’s easy to feel like you’ll never get past your dog’s issues and that you’re in it alone. But one of the great things about Mantrailing is that while each dog works individually, it's still a group class, so you get to meet other like-minded owners. It's a huge boost to see your dog succeed at something, especially when you’ve often had to skip group classes due to anxiety or reactivity. Mantrailing is for all dogs—no matter their age, breed, or behavioural issues. How to get started? It’s super simple! Just find your local Mantrailing Global Instructor and sign up for an introduction course.

The breed everyone thinks of when the word Mantrailing is used is of course Bloodhounds. History of Bloodhound! Bloodhounds as a breed are one of the few breeds that we can date back to 1000-2000 BC - Where there is a plaque that some say shows a bloodhound type dog, this from back in the Ancient Babylon times. We do know for a fact that when the Romans came to the UK it was documented about finding dogs that were great for hunting/tracking and apart from that there is not a huge amount of documented history of this breed or any breed. Fast forward to 700 AD’s St. Hubert from the French Monastery were breeding hounds that were described as having great noses and endurance, this where most say the true bloodhound dog, we now know today was first being bred, although their colours were blacker with some fawn/red, unlike the fawn colour we are more used to today. In 1066 the French gifted some of St. Hubert's hounds to England royalty and this is the first know time for these hounds being brought into the UK, saying that there were similar dogs already in England, but these were called Talbot hounds and were mainly white in colour. In Scotland there again were similar dogs to the Bloodhound called Sleuth hounds that were used for track and hunting people. The first official dog show in England was held in 1859 and it recorded that in 1860 the breed Bloodhounds were entered into the show and have been involved in shows every year since then. Why are Bloodhounds so good? So, what makes Bloodhounds the first choice for Mantrailing or tracking but not only the professions but by sports enthusiasts all around the world? The first thing we need to talk about is genetics, Bloodhounds have been used for hunting prey and humans for thousands of years, maybe even longer. That is a lot of history in the modern-day dogs we see today, just like other breeds you automatically think about when we say the following… Dog good at herding = Collie Dog good for going shooting with = Labrador Retriever Good guard dog breed = Rottweiler/Doberman Pinscher These breeds have hundred of years’ worth of genetics in them for doing these jobs, that is a massive reason they are so good at these jobs. Scent receptors! Bloodhounds have greater Scent receptors than any other domestic canine breed. On average a human has around five million scent receptors, a German Shepard has around two hundred twenty-five million (around forty-five times humans). A Bloodhound has around three hundred million scent receptors which is another reason they are one of the best breeds for Mantrailing. Wrinkles! Even the bloodhound's face is designed to collect odours, all those wrinkles funnel odour towards the nose. Ears! One thing often overlooked in the Bloodhound is their ears, but why are the ears important for a dog using their nose? Bloodhound ears will drag on the ground as they are trailing which can sweep even more odour towards their nose, next time you see a Bloodhound trailing what the ears moving… Everything else! Along with the about Bloodhounds have strong neck muscles are able to handle the lower head position for longer periods, they have the endurance to keep going and once on a scent trail it is hard to stop them finding the source of that trail which is my many calls this breed stubborn, we prefer to call them focused… On top of everything above their temperament for the job is another key reason they are so often used; they generally get on well with people and dogs. They are deemed safer being used when searching for children as they are more ‘friendly’ towards people than other breeds. Simply put… everything about a Bloodhound is designed for trailing and that is why they are classed as the best trailing dogs in the world!

This month's blog is about why you really should start Mantrailing with your smaller breed of dog. There is no reason they can't get started! Mantrailing is a sport that’s perfect for all dogs, no matter their size! If you take a closer look at the history of many small dog breeds, you’ll see that they were originally compact hunting dogs, specifically bred to use their noses to track down prey. Being closer to the ground actually gives them an advantage when it comes to trailing—they’re right in the sweet spot for picking up scents. Don’t let their size fool you—little dogs are fantastic at mantrailing! To give you a better idea, we asked some of our instructors and students to share their experiences with their dogs’ trailing skills. Here's what they had to say: Dawn and Zebadiah: Dawn Chapman told us about her amazing Dachshund Zebadiah who is deaf and partially sighted and is a natural Mantrailer. He took the sport straight away and really follows the trail accurately, he’s working towards his Level 1 assessment with Davina Roberts at Trailblazers Activity Dogs. He is so excited for Mantrailing as soon as he smells or see’s Davina he starts to squeal with delight and can’t wait to get out to trail. He had previously done scent work, and it was a natural transition over to Mantrailing for him. His trailing start was adapted with a visual cue, instead of verbal to make sure he got into the game with loads of wins, and now even in more challenging trails he never looses the trail and works as hard as he can find his Trail Layer on every trail. Rebecca and Myrtle: Myrtle is a 12-month-old Chihuahua x Yorkshire Terrier who is owned by Rebecca Grant, and has been trailing for 7 months with Smart K9s. They put on a puppy specific introduction which she attended at 5 months old. She is also trained in Scentwork and will be starting to compete in that soon and she does obedience under the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme and successfully passed her bronze test at Crufts this year. Rebecca had this to say about trailing Myrtle “ It’s much more comfortable to trail a smaller dog than a bigger dog and she’s a welcome rest after I’ve trailed dogs over 30kg. Myrtle is probably the most enthusiastic of all my dogs who trail, and she will squeal when her misper goes, which is something she only does when trailing! She loves to clamber on her misper when she finds them and she likes carrying their scent article for a few paces at the start of every trail. Being only 3kg it’s been a little difficult finding a good harness which is different to her daily walking harness so Myrtle also has a collar which is her trigger to let her know she’s trailing. She’s more than happy to do the same trails as larger dogs although she sometimes wants to take shortcuts through tiny spaces in the undergrowth! ” Pat, Puff and Munch: Pat Eady told us about Puff and Munch the Toy Poodles. “I used to do grade 7 agility with my toy poodle Puff, and we were quite competitive. When she hurt her back and took some time to get right, I had to reconsider our agility. The amount of pressure that I was putting on her little body as she is so small, we needed to work harder, faster, tighter and it wasn't fair. I had got another little toy poodle, Munch, to start to train up for agility, but when she turned out to be even smaller than Puff, it just confirmed for me that we needed to find something else for them to do” Pat joined Natalie Broughton at K9 Seek for an introduction, she’s been hooked on Mantrailing since June 2021! “I was astonished at how quickly the girls picked up this new game and seemed to absolutely love it! Their confidence levels have increased enormously thanks to mantrailing. In agility, the dog has to win up the grades in order to increase the challenge, whereas with trailing, the instructor knows what you and your dog are capable of achieving, and set appropriate trails to ensure that the dog is successful, while also increasing the challenge for both dog and handler. It’s got to be fun for the dog, and my two absolutely love it!! The moment the long line and the treat pots are loaded, the excitement levels increase!! The boot is on the other foot now as they know exactly what they're doing, and I need to do the learning!! Pat went on to say, “People seem to expect that only the bigger dogs can trail and are amazed that little dogs are just as good, their little noses are just as acute as the bigger dogs, they just have to put in loads more steps!”. A statement we can agree with. Dawn and Storm: One of our Mantrailing Global Instructors Dawn Seago of K9 Lifestyle Dog Training has achieved great success with her Dachshunds not only in Mantrailing, but also in the show ring. Proving that a dog can have several roles in life. Show dog, family pet, trailing dog. Dawn trails with her Dachshund Storm who has passed his level on and is now working towards her level 2, and is an advocate for getting the breed into Mantrailing. “Little dogs don’t care about where you are, they just follow the scent. They are bold and brave, following scents into bushes and under hedges without a care for their owners on the end. Mantrailing helps them build their confidence, be bolder and have fun. They aren’t just little ornaments they are little dogs with big personalities, and they don’t need to be picked up they need to be able to work. They need a job to do and Mantrailing is a brilliant way to give them an outlet for their behaviour which can help reduce behavioural issues within the smaller breeds, such as excessive barking, fearful behaviour, and some aggressive tendencies.” Any dog, no matter its size, breed, or stature, can absolutely get into mantrailing. Don’t let the way a dog looks fool you—every dog has an incredible sense of smell. All dogs are born with the ability to sniff, and mantrailing is just a fun way to tap into that natural talent. A dog’s nose has about 300 million olfactory receptors, while humans only have around 5-10 million. So, saying a small dog can’t trail is just crazy! Of course, with smaller dogs, we might need to make a few adjustments. For example, they might start with shorter trails, and we need to think about the terrain. Some dogs might struggle with longer grass, brambles, or rougher ground. Plus, smaller dogs often have to get creative when following a scent—they might go under a bush or squeeze through a hedge to stay on the trail. That can mean you’ll have to work a bit harder to follow them or guide them around obstacles, but the good news is, once they get comfortable, they usually recover quickly and can keep on track. Finding the right harness for smaller dogs can be a bit tricky, too. Many brands don’t make tiny harnesses that are suited for pulling, which is an important part of trailing. You want to make sure the harness doesn’t restrict their airways when they’re following the scent, so it’s worth trying a few different options before committing to one. Many of our instructors even have a selection of harnesses to test out before settling on the right fit. It’s all about finding what works best for your dog! Want to find the perfect harness for your dog? Then check out our blog on it at - https://www.mantrailinguk.com/post/the-mantrailing-harness

Mantrailing is all about learning to read your dog and knowing when they’re on or off the trail. It’s a skill we develop as handlers, being able to tell when our dog is unsure about the scent and needs some time to figure it out, or when they’re charging ahead, eager to find their reward. It’s not always easy keeping an eye on your dog, managing the line, and watching your footing, all at the same time. Sometimes, in the process, you might miss some important signals, which could lead to either influencing your dog or not being able to support them when they need it. To help you get better at reading your dog on the trail, we’ve put together 6 tips to make things a little easier! Here are some top tips to help you get better at reading your dog while Mantrailing: Record your trails.   If possible, have an instructor or a flanker record your trail. A chest-mounted camera can also give you a great perspective but having you in the shot helps you analyse your handling skills better. This allows you to see what’s happening in real-time, as well as subtle behaviours that you might miss while you're focused on handling. Watching the video later helps you understand the trail, figure out what you could have done differently, and spot the things that helped or hindered your dog. Plus, you can share the video with others for feedback—sometimes they spot things you might miss! Reinforce the foundations.  It’s easy to get carried away with advanced trails, especially with a high-drive or smart dog. But don’t forget to revisit the basics from time to time. It’s perfectly okay to slow things down and inject some fun back into trailing again. This lets you better read your dog’s decisions and ensures you are reinforcing the foundations. Line handling.  How you handle the line can greatly impact your dog's success on the trail. Mastering line handling is often the key to a smooth and effective trail. Get a new perspective.  If you’re always trailing in the same location or with the same instructor, you might miss certain behaviours. Trying different environments—like moving from rural to urban areas or taking your dog into open spaces—can help you see new ways they work the trail. You could also try visiting another Mantrailing Global instructor for a fresh perspective. Every instructor brings their own experiences, and sometimes a different set of eyes can really help. Blueline trailing.   Blueline trailing is when you know where the trail layer went, and you can step in to help your dog if needed. This doesn’t mean rushing to the end of the trail, making your dog go faster or second guessing their decisions. It’s an opportunity to observe your dog’s behaviour at decision points, surface transitions, different environments or weather conditions to build a better understanding of how they work the scent in different contexts and scenarios. Keep a behaviour log.  In addition to logging your sessions in your level books, make note of your dog’s behaviour on the trail. Focus on body language—how their head, tail, ears, and nose move. Tracking these subtleties will help you spot when they’re on the trail or when they’ve lost it. This log will be a valuable reference as you continue to learn about your dog’s trailing behaviour. Learning to read your dog’s body language while Mantrailing is a skill that takes time, but it’s incredibly rewarding. It’s not just about trailing—it helps you understand your dog better in everyday situations too. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to reading dogs, as every dog has their own way of communicating. Be patient with yourself as you learn—dogs are natural scent masters, and our job is to fine-tune their skills and learn how to support them.

‘Mantrailing UK’ launch as ‘Mantrailing Global’ as we become international leaders in the sport of Mantrailing. As we evolve, grow and learn as an organisation, we wanted to share with you our journey so far and reflect back to where it all started as we begin a new chapter of our story launching globally. Mantrailing UK was born back in 2017 after Founder, Lisa Gorenflo, discovered Mantrailing in Germany and quickly became hooked. Upon returning home to the UK, she began searching for this kind of training but was disappointed to not find anything available. There was only one option: to start a Mantrailing club. At the time, Lisa already had an established dog training business so began introducing Mantrailing as a new service to offer her clients, all the while continuing her training in Germany gaining her status as a Certified Mantrailing Instructor. As it received more and more interest, Lisa saw the benefits that Mantrailing was having on the participating dogs and their owners. She then made the decision to begin offering Mantrailing Introduction courses to her already thriving dog-training business. Very quickly, Mantrailing took off as a new dog sport and began to take up all of Lisa’s time. Not only did she have pet owners travelling across the country to participate, but other dog trainers became addicted and wanted to offer it to their clients too. Eventually, Lisa made the decision to coach and train up some new instructors which developed into the esteemed Mantrailing UK Instructor course, or as it stands as of today, Mantrailing Global Instructor course: An international organisation maintaining high standards of Mantrailing training with instructors spread internationally across the globe. We pride ourselves in providing high standards of training to our instructors worldwide to make the sport of Mantrailing accessible to dog owner teams internationally. Mantrailing Global currently has instructors based across the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, USA, Canada and Australia! Each country where Mantrailing Global Instructors are based, now has their own website platform, including individual country Facebook pages and community groups to keep up to date with country specific Mantrailing information. To find out more please visit www.mantrailingglobal.com . From there you can select your country by clicking on the 'find an instructor' tab where you will then be redirected to your country specific website and social pages.

''MASTERY IS ACHIEVED THROUGH DELIBERATE PRACTICE'' - Author Unknown FOUNDATION TRAINING The strength of a building lies in its foundation. The main purpose of the foundation is to hold the structure above it and keep it strong and upright. If we progress our training without the correct foundation in place, it will crumble and come back to bite you on the butt! Building a foundation is a process which takes different ingredients such as trust, patience and A LOT of training and is what ensures both handler and dog understand the game and have the skills to be successful during a trail. Mantrailing is a 2 way sport which relies on communication between you and your dog which means that both ends of the lead must be open to learning in order to create a solid foundation, not just your dog! UNDERSTANDING TRAINING COMPONENTS AND CRITERIA'S What do you think happens when we constantly set our dogs up for failure? In other words, if we make it too hard for them to succeed. See graphic below: Less success = Reduced motivation, which then leads to a decrease in the overall performance. More success = Increase in motivation, which then leads to an increase in the overall performance. Think about it.... Imagine you have been set a really difficult task at work which was outside of your skillset and knowledge without any adequate training. You tried your very best but missed the deadline as your struggled to complete it and then your boss says he was cutting your wage because he wasn't satisfied with your performance. Would you do it again with 100% enthusiasm? No you wouldn't. So, where do 'components and criteria's' fit in to create success in training? A training component is the individual aspect of training you are working on (example: Split Start). A criteria is a standard which something can be judged or decided. (example: A confident decision on the direct of travel from the scent article.) By focusing on one chosen training component (example: Split Start) at a time and understanding the training criteria for it, whilst lowering the other criteria's (example: length of trail, decoys, contamination), we create the best chance of success for our dog. PROOFING YOUR TRAINING Proofing means practicing a behaviour (example: practicing a component) in different environments and situations until your dog has generalised it and can do it anywhere and in any situation, even with distractions. Just because your dog chose the correct trail layer twice 6 weeks ago on a Split Start exercise does not mean they have proofed the behaviour and can move on. - What happens if it's a windy day? What happens if there are decoys? What happens if they just did it by 'chance' last time? So, it's very important that we 'proof' their new skills through our training at sessions so that we can then trust them to make the correct decisions in future. ''Sometimes being successful means taking a step back. And that’s ok!'' THE YO-YO EFFECT Now that you have scratched the surface in this blog (just!) to try and understand your Mantrailing dogs training needs better, you may now see what we mean when training sessions are often described as having a 'yo-yo effect' and why you will focus and jump between different skills, start types and components throughout your Mantrailing journey. The 'Yo-Yo effect' reflects our constant evolving and the adaptation of our foundation training, training components/criteria's and proofing of behaviours so that we set our Mantrailing dogs up for the best chance of success, thus creating a motivated and resilient problem solver.

It's time to talk about a topic that nobody really talks about, but that everybody does.... Let's set the scene because we've all been there. You turn up to a Mantrailing venue after traveling for over an hour, you get out of the car already needing a pee after your travel from home and instantly start hunting for the best spot as your outdoor toilet to use for the next 3 hours. To your surprise, you are overjoyed to spot an actual real toilet at the venue. What an absolute privilege! and even better, there is toilet roll too! Now let's face it, we all know that the above is a rare and best case scenario at your Mantrailing sessions, so what about all those times that you don't have toilet access when you turn up to your session? Well, that's what our blog is about! Step One Wild peeing is actually illegal in some countries and can land you with a fine! Please check with your local country/state laws before taking a wild pee at your Mantrailing session. Step Two Ask your instructor where the best spot is for wild peeing...Believe it or not, our instructors have to pee too and they are the most familiar with the area to recommend the best discreet spots of out view of the public. Step Three Before choosing your perfect pee spot, please please PLEASE make sure you check where the next trail will be taking place and go to a different area or wait until your chosen area is free to use. Our dogs can pick up the scent of a decoy during training or follow the wind out on trails. Don't risk being caught in the act! Plan before you go. Step Four Remember to take your high visibility gear off before you go! Nothing screams 'Hi, I'm over here peeing in a bush!' louder than a bright yellow or orange jacket squatting in the woods. Step Five Get your pee positioning right. To all of our male Mantrailing clients, you've got it easy! We wont bother describing what you need to do to wild pee, which means you probably also don't need to read this blog any further unless you want a good laugh... Women, it's time to practice that perfect squat: Now this is a Mantrailing blog...So why not take advantage of perfecting your wind direction reading skills too and make a decision about which direction will give you the least 'blow back' of pee splash before starting. Place your feet apart, as far as you can whilst being able to still balance. Bend your knees and lean back on your ankles for support. Arch your back and lift your butt for better aim. Get as low as you can to avoid pee splash. If you available, pee downhill for less splash. Step Six Who knew there were so many options to finish your wild peeing experience to your liking. Here are our top suggestions to finish off the perfect wild pee: Method 1: Shake it off with the drip dry method. Do a little jiggle to get rid of the pee drips and just pull your pants straight back and get straight back to your session. Method 2: Are you someone who can just never perfect the squat and end up with the worse aim ever? It could be time to look into adding a pee-funnel to your Mantrailing kit bag. These are special devices which are made to enable a woman to stand up whilst peeing which then funnels it to not go all over you and exits the funnel straight onto the floor. They can be washed for hygiene and reused each session. Method 3: If you prefer to stick with the option of toilet roll, please make sure to take it home with you. Our instructors do everything in their power to remain respectful to the area they are holding their sessions at, so please do not encourage littering. Your dogs Dicky Bag can come in super handy with this by doubling up as your used toilet roll bag! Method 4: If you're not fussy, want to cut down on single use materials and just generally want more than just a drip and dry, check out Pee-Cloths . These material rags are designed for this specific purpose and can be folded up and tucked away after use before being washed, dried and ready again for your next Mantrailing session. If you choose this option, please ensure you DO NOT mistake your pee-cloth as a scent article and pass it to the handler or instructor by accident! Like anything with Mantrailing, wild peeing isn't a 'one size fits all'. We hope our guide has given you some ideas on how to take the perfect wild pee at your future Mantrailing sessions.

With 2023 seeing lots of new teams trying a paw at Mantrailing, we thought we would start the first blog of 2023 by sharing some beginners tips and who better to ask than some of our existing addicts to share their top tips for newbies. ''Give your dog the best reward food that they love, they will show you the way...'' - Rodney Mouring ''Follow other teams and watch and learn.'' - Paula Harrison ''Trust your dog, have fun, and practice your line handling!'' - Klaudia Sapieja ''We always learn more with fun & laughter rather than stress & anxiety! Rome wasn't built in a day so slow and steady wins the race'' - Cloud K9 ''Use loops to hold excess line or it will become a tangled mess and a tripping hazard'' - Aylish Prince ''Be the best misper you can. Get in those bushes!'' - Megan Allen ''Spend time getting the foundations right.'' - Mel Trevor ''Be prepared to get addicted.'' - Kirsty Watts Don't forget that once you've attended an Introduction session with an accredited Mantrailing Global Instructor, you can trail with any of our Instructor team! We pride ourselves in creating a network of Instructors who work together to deliver you the best Mantrailing experience for you and your dog. If you'd like to find out where your local instructors are based, visit www.mantrailingglobal.com and click 'find an instructor'. We'd also recommend to join your local Mantrailing Global Community Group on Facebook to ask questions and connect with other Mantrailing teams. Click on your country below to join your community:

We recently interviewed one of our Mantrailing dogs to ask for a real account of a trail from a dogs perspective. For confidentiality reasons (and to save handler embarrassment) we can't disclose who the handler of this dog is, but if you're reading this and know it's you, please get in touch with your Mantrailing Global instructor so that we can help you improve your handler skills.... Here's what they had to say when we spoke to them: ''First of all, i'm here to tell you that you are REALLY bad at keeping a secret. I watch you all morning being weird in the corner of the kitchen trying to quietly prep my food tubs. It really confuses me why you do this with your back to me 'out of sight' as if blocking my vision will stop me smelling the fact that you have just opened a can of sardines. I mean, seriously?! You're regularly spending your hard earned cash to teach me how to use my nose to sniff out people, yet here you are acting like I don't realise what you are doing...Who's the stupid one? It's not a secret! You put my harness, line and pots into the car ready to go so I know we are going to Mantrailing today. One thing I really want to ask you is why do you always run around in a panic as we are about to get in the car and then look delighted when you find the sock you were wearing yesterday? I never see you happy to find socks around the house, in fact, it usually makes you angry. Yet for some reason on a Mantrailing day you always look happy to find a sock? And then to confuse me more you put it in a little bag for safe-keeping like it's really important or something? We then arrive at Mantrailing after a morning of watching you being weird. It's my turn and I absolutely cant wait! You open the boot, pick up my harness and line and off we go to follow the instructor to our starting point. I'm so excited to get there that I could explode!...Oh no, wait, I actually do need to explode💩. Anyway, back to the task at hand. I watch you place my harness and line on the ground and I spot the person who I will be finding waiting to cheer me on (these types of starts are my favourite!). I'm about to do a sniff sweep of my start area and surprise, surprise, you forgot my reward pots. Again! Luckily my assistant is there who enjoys coming along to watch how fantastic I am, so they run back to collect them from the car for me. You help me get changed into my official uniform and start my check of the area. My person shows me what is in those little pots, they're such a tease! Then calls my name in squeaky baby voices (which I love may I add) before running off. Ok, Now it's time for business. You point at a bag with a glove in it (this glove must be really important too if they put theirs in a bag like your sock?), I take a whiff of it and await to hear my trail command. It's time! I pick the direction and dig deep, pulling into my harness and picking up speed to show you the way, then BAM! Just like that I glance around to see you tangled up in your longline, despite the fact I watched you take 5 minutes to get it ready and you haven't even walked 5 paces yet. I patiently wait and begin sniffing the air to gather some more information whilst I feel you frantically trying to sort out our line again. Second time lucky now I guess. I continue on and take a left to follow the scent up a bank, I turn the next corner and feel myself unable to move forwards as if I have a weight attached to me. I turn around to find out what's happening and find you on the floor after falling over another one of those invisible branches you say that grab your ankle. I'm running out of patience now so I just carry on anyway, which works to my advantage as it helps pull you back onto your feet to continue on our way. I get excited and speed up, telling you that the person we are looking for must be close now. I can hear you stomping your feet louder and louder as you try to slow down the pace, but there's just no stopping me now! To my absolute delight, I take another turn and find my person hiding in a bush. They reach for their pocket and pull out my pot then I relish the moment, flicking sardines all over my face...and theirs. What's even better than that? I get to do it all over again on a mini-trail, then get to strip off my uniform and walk back to the car naked whilst everyone tells me how amazing I am! I'm still not really sure why you have to be attached to me when I go looking for people, but sometimes it is helpful to have the support when things get challenging I guess. My personal feedback for this trail for you would be that you could do with some more practice on this teamwork stuff. Please can you listen carefully to our instructors feedback as we have 2 trails left to go and I'd be grateful if you could at least stay on 2 feet for the next one.'' Before we ended the interview, we were also asked to include this small but important piece of information: ''Please stop forgetting to drop your scent article for my trailing pals. It's becoming a standing joke back at the cars.''