Nose Unleashed - Every Scent Tells a Story
Tracking Through a Dog’s Eyes — Woody’s Journey with his human Silke
Humans think they’re the ones who teach dogs things. But really, we teach them how to listen.
My name is Woody — German Wirehaired Pointer, professional eyebrow‑raiser, and full‑time nose. I’ve always known my nose was the cleverest part of me. Every scent is a story, and I’ve spent my whole life trying to convince my human, Silke, to follow me.
One day, I arrived at a new place and I could show off my super power.
We arrived at a field that smelled exciting — fresh grass, old footsteps, and that particular human seriousness that means work is about to happen. Silke put a harness on me and clipped on my long line, and I felt it straight away: This wasn’t a walk or gundog training. This was something new and exciting.
We were at the Statfold Country Park for the Tracking Course for Handlers and Instructors with the College of Scent, and that’s where I met Rob Hewing and the team.
Meeting Dr Robert Hewings — The Man Who Sees Scent
Rob didn’t fuss. He didn’t clap his hands or talk too much. He just watched — really watched — like he could see the scent picture glowing beneath my paws. He smelled like experience: boots that had walked real tracks, clothes that had been rained on, and a mind full of scent puzzles.
Silke told me he’s one of the UK’s leading scent‑work and tracking specialists, with decades in search‑and‑rescue, operational tracking, canine behaviour, teaching, and writing. Rob is known for his calm, thoughtful approach — the kind that lets dogs think instead of rushing them. I didn’t need the biography. I could smell the truth of it
Learning to Indicate — The Down That Speaks for Me
One day, Rob placed something on the ground — a mobile phone. A human object. A scent full of pockets, fingerprints, and stories. I followed the track, nose low, tail steady, and there it was: the phone, lying quietly in the grass. I paused. Silke paused.
The line hummed between us. She didn’t speak. She just waited.
So I lowered myself into a down, nose pointing at the phone, body still, eyes bright. A clear message: Here it is. I’ve found it.
Silke’s joy burst behind me. “That’s it, Woody!”
After that came a key, a watch, a wallet — each with its own scent‑story. I found them all, dropping into my proud, deliberate down every time. Not frantic. Not guessing. Just certainty. Rob watched with that small smile — the one that says, Yes. This dog understands the work.
Hydro Tracking — When Water Turns Into Scent
Then came the day the world changed again.
Silke told me we were learning Hydro Tracking, also known as Hydration Intensified Tracking Training (HITT) or Hydro Intensified Tracking (H.I.T.) — a specialised method that helps dogs track scent on hard or dry surfaces.
What Hydro Tracking Is (in human words)
Hydro tracking uses water to intensify scent on surfaces that normally don’t hold it well.
Here’s a quick explanation:
Moisture Application: water with diluted training scent (ie. tennis ball, synthetic deer blood, swaps with dog scent) is sprayed onto hard ground — concrete, asphalt, packed dirt.
Scent Binding: The water helped trap tiny scent particles (skin cells, sweat, micro‑bits) so a dog’s nose can read them clearly.
Conditioning: At first, food treats are placed along the wet track to help the dog to understand the damp track meant “follow here.”
Fading: Over time, the treats are being reduced letting the dog rely purely on the scent.
Why It Matters
Hydro tracking helps dogs like me:
work confidently on hard, urban surfaces,
stay nose‑down and methodical,
and progress gradually from easy wet tracks to dry, complex ones.
For a dog who loves a challenge, it felt like unlocking a new level of scent‑reading.
Synthetic Deer Blood — A New Layer of Story
On one hydro track, the scent changed again — deeper, richer, more complex. Synthetic deer blood was diluted in water and put out for me to track. Not real, but real enough for my nose to say: This is important. Follow it.
The blood added weight to the scent, helping me learn how to interpret layered trails — human scent, environmental scent, and the added training scent all woven together. I tracked through puddles, mud, and grass, reading the line as it shifted with the water.
The Pheasant — Wildness on the Line
Somewhere ahead, the scent changed. It lifted. It brightened. It became… alive.
A pheasant. Not harmed. Not chased. Just part of the training — a real, living scent puzzle placed carefully on the line. I could smell its warmth, its feathers, the way it had moved through the grass. My tail stiffened. My breath slowed. My whole body shifted into purpose.
Silke held the line softly. Rob watched with that small smile — the one that says, Yes. This dog understands the work. I followed the pheasant’s trail with calm, controlled steps. No rushing. No chasing. Just reading. The scent was wild and beautiful, full of the bird’s personality. When I reached the point where the pheasant had been, I paused, inhaled deeply, and pointed — the clearest way I know to say: Here. I’ve found the truth of the track.
Silke exhaled behind me, proud and steady. The pheasant lifted off, and I watched her fly away. Rob nodded. And I felt like the world had opened another door.
I reset myself and picked up my deer scent again and followed it to the end.
The Line Between Us
We completed the course — handler and dog, instructor‑in‑training and Wirehair with a mission. But really, we started something bigger. Hydro tracks, synthetic blood, live scent, articles… they’re all just chapters in the same story.
A story my nose tells. A story my human, Silke, listens to. A story Rob helped us learn to read together. Now, whenever she clips on my line, I feel her excitement before she even speaks. She’s ready. I’m ready. The world is waiting. I drop my nose. The story begins. And Silke follows, trusting me to show her what the world smells like.
Tracking for Dogs: A Natural Skill With Deep Roots — and Why HPR Breeds Excel
Tracking is one of the most instinctive behaviours in dogs. Whether you live with a terrier, a spaniel, a shepherd, or a pet gundog, your dog already uses scent to understand the world. Structured tracking taps into this natural ability, giving dogs a purposeful outlet that builds confidence, calmness, and emotional wellbeing.
But for Hunt Point Retrieve (HPR) breeds — German Pointers, Vizslas, Munsterlanders, Spinoni, Bracchi and more — tracking is more than enrichment. It’s part of their genetic identity, shaped by centuries of European hunting culture and refined through formal working‑dog systems, especially in Germany.
This blog explores tracking for all dogs, then dives deeper into the unique history and abilities of tracking with HPRs.
🐾 Why Tracking Matters for Every Dog
All dogs possess a powerful Seeking System — the emotional pathway responsible for curiosity, exploration, and problem‑solving. Tracking activates this system beautifully.
When a dog follows a scent trail, they’re:
Using their brain, not just their body
Working independently but in partnership with you
Building resilience and emotional regulation
Gaining confidence through successful problem‑solving
Tracking is suitable for:
Pet dogs needing mental stimulation
Reactive dogs who benefit from focused, nose‑down work
Working dogs who need structured scent tasks
Senior dogs who enjoy gentle, meaningful activity
High‑drive breeds who thrive on purposeful work
If your dog has a nose, they can track.
🌲 A Deep Dive: HPR Breeds and Their Tracking Heritage
HPRs are versatile hunting dogs developed across continental Europe. Unlike British gundog breeds — which were historically specialised into pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers — German and European breeders pursued a different philosophy: one dog capable of hunting, pointing, flushing, and retrieving in any terrain and weather.
This versatility required exceptional scenting ability. HPRs were bred to:
Air‑scent to locate game at distance
Ground‑scent to confirm and follow foot scent
Track wounded game over long distances
Work independently with intelligent problem‑solving
Their ability to switch between scenting modes makes them outstanding tracking dogs.
🇩🇪 The History of Tracking in Germany
Germany has one of the richest traditions of structured scent work in the world. Several key developments shaped modern tracking:
1. Early German Hunting Culture (1800s)
By the 19th century, German hunters wanted a single, all‑terrain dog capable of tracking, pointing, flushing, and retrieving — unlike the British system of specialised breeds. This philosophy produced the HPR category.
2. Development of the Deutsch Drahthaar (German Wirehaired Pointer)
The German Wirehaired Pointer (Deutsch Drahthaar) was developed through crosses with Airedales, Foxhounds, French Griffons, and existing German hunting dogs — each contributing scenting ability, stamina, coat protection, and field craft. The Verein Deutsch Drahthaar (VDD), founded in 1902, enforced strict working tests to preserve tracking and hunting ability.
3. Schutzhund / IPO / IGP (Early 1900s)
Germany formalised tracking further through Schutzhund, a working‑dog sport developed in the early 1900s to test German Shepherds for tracking, obedience, and protection. Although originally for shepherds, the sport became a model for evaluating scenting ability across multiple German working breeds.
4. Modern Recognition
In 2025, Schutzhund and other working‑dog activities were awarded UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status, highlighting Germany’s global influence on structured tracking.
🧠 Why HPRs Are Exceptional Tracking Dogs
1. Dual scenting system
HPRs naturally blend air scenting and ground scenting — a rare skill combination.
2. Independent problem‑solving
They were bred to work at distance from the handler, making them confident and capable scent interpreters.
3. Emotional satisfaction
Tracking activates their Seeking System intensely, producing calmer, more fulfilled dogs.
4. Versatility
Their hunting chain — hunt, point, flush, retrieve — requires them to interpret scent in multiple ways, making tracking feel instinctively “right.”
🌿 Tracking for All Dogs: How to Start
1. Choose a simple environment
Short grass, minimal distractions, light wind.
2. Lay a short, straight track
Use food drops or a scented article.
3. Start calmly
Clip on a long line, give a clear cue (“Track”).
4. Let the dog lead
Tracking is their job; your role is supportive.
5. Celebrate the find
Reinforce the emotional reward.
🔄 Progressions for Any Dog
Longer tracks
Turns and corners
Aged tracks (10–30 minutes)
Cross tracks
Articles along the track
Varied terrain (woods, fields, gravel)
These build confidence and scenting skill.
🐕🦺 Special Considerations for HPRs
Over‑enthusiasm
HPRs may start fast — slow your pace to help them settle.
Air‑scenting drift
They may lift their head and drift off the track. This isn’t “wrong” — it’s instinct. Use still air or shorter grass to encourage ground scenting.
High independence
They solve problems boldly. Allow autonomy while maintaining safety with a long line.
🎯 Why Tracking Complements Gundog Training
Tracking strengthens:
Emotional regulation
Scent interpretation
Independence
Confidence
Handler–dog communication
For pet HPRs, it provides the meaningful work they crave. For working HPRs, it sharpens skills used in the field.
Final Thoughts
Tracking is one of the most natural, enriching activities you can offer any dog. For HPR breeds, it’s a direct link to their heritage — shaped by centuries of European hunting culture and formalised through working‑dog traditions like Schutzhund.
Whether you’re working with a family pet or a high‑drive gundog, tracking builds confidence, calmness, and connection. It’s simple to start, endlessly rewarding, and deeply satisfying for dogs of all breeds.
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