Many Newfs and their owners enjoy the active outdoor sport of tracking. Tracking training teaches the dog to use its extremely high level of scent capability to follow a scent trail to a “lost” item.

Tracking Titles:

Tracking Dog (TD) – track of 440 to 500 yards long with three to five changes of direction. The track is laid by a human and is “aged” 30 minutes to two hours before the dog begins scenting. The dog must follow the trail to locate an item. The owner follows the dog on a long leash.

Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) – earned by following an “older” track (three to five hours) that is also longer (800 to 1,000 yard) and has five to seven directional changes with the additional challenge of human cross tracks.

Variable Surface Tracking (VST) –  dog follows a three- to five-hour-old track that may take him down a street, through a building and other areas devoid of vegetation.

Tracking Resources:

Information and Resources from the NCA
The Audible Nose – Tracking Training Book