Mantrailing is a sport for pet dogs, where they find someone by smell. The purpose is to teach both the dog and their handler how to communicate with each other so that they work together and find the missing person (or runner, as I call them, despite the fact they rarely move faster than a brisk walk). It's often given the nickname "Search and Rescue for Pet Dogs"
How does it work?
Someone will be the runner, the MisPer (missing person) or the hider. They have a scent article – which is a fancy word for something that smells like them. This scent article is dropped and the runner then goes off to hide.
Your dog will use that scent article to tell them which scent to follow, and they will use that to find the runner. Then they get lots of love, attention, treats and/or play – whatever they need so they know how incredible they are!
Then you wait your turn – your dog needs to wait in the car, so as not to distract the next dog – and maybe you get to take a turn hiding somewhere. Usually you get a maximum of four turns, especially when starting out. It may not look it, because it’s short distances to start with, but this is hard work for a dog and by their fourth go, they’re often quite happy to go take a nap.
How to prepare?
Car Preparation:
Before attending a mantrailing class, make sure your dog does well in your car. They will need to wait there while the class is going on. This is the most common set-up, but if you’re lucky your instructor may have an alternative. The dog will not be left for hours, but if it’s hot weather, you’ll need to be careful that your dog isn’t in a position to overheat. Alternatively, if it's very cold, you'll need to consider how to best keep your dog warm. If in doubt, discuss with your instructor before attending.
Sustenance and Hydration:
Mantrailing can also take a while – it’s not like a one-hour class – so remember to bring a bowl and water, so your dog can stay hydrated. Feel free to pack a bottle for yourself too! Mantrailing can be a few hours to a full-day activity. You should know how long you’ll be there before you go, and if there’s a break for snacks. But if you think you’ll need something, bring it along.
Treats for your dog:
Setting aside your sustenance - your dog is going to be working very hard! So they will need a LOT of reinforcement. Especially as the job takes a while, it’s best to have a long period of reinforcement once they’ve found the runner. If you intend to use treats (which most people do) then make sure to bring really tasty ones - a lot of them, cut up small, so you can give a few in a row, one after another. Some dogs prefer to play with a toy as their reward, in which case you need to spend a few solid minutes playing with them to really let them enjoy their victory.
Controlling your dog:
For mantrailing, you will need a long line. This is like a lead, but longer – usually around 10 metres or so. Because your dog will probably be pulling somewhat, you should try to get a line that won't hurt your hands as the line passes through them.
It’s unsafe to attach a long line to a collar, because if the dog runs and is stopped at the end of the line, they can injure themselves. So as well as the long line, you will also need a harness with a back clip. Try to make sure it fits well and your dog is comfortable wearing it before your first session.
A scent article:
Last but not least – everyone in a mantrailing session gets to be the runner at least once. For this, you will need a scent article. Unlike every other item mentioned, this is not something that can be loaned to you from a fellow trainee or from your instructor. Examples of a scent article can be your socks or a vest from the day before – something you wore close to your body for an extended period of time. Fabric is very good at holding scents, which is why we use it.
It’s really important that your scent article smells like you, and not like someone else. We mention contamination a lot – don’t let anyone else touch your article, and don’t touch anyone else’s article. The instructor should explain this in more detail, but for now, the best advice is to either keep the article with you, somewhere safe, or even in a little bag so it’s unlikely to be compromised.
I hope this has prepared you well for your first mantrailing session - go enjoy it and learn lots!