How to locate a tracking class/agility question

I can't help with the tracking part of your question, sorry.

As for agility, mixed breeds are welome in nearly all agility venues. AKC won't allow them and I'm not sure abnout the Canadian equivalent to AKC. You'll find, though, that USDAA, CPE, NADAC, ASCA, DOCNA, UKC all accept dogs of all flavors!

 There are a couple of yahoo groups regarding tracking with your dog.  I have been to seminars, as there are no formal classes in my area. These seminars are usually very well put together, and are a lot of fun. 

 I have found the seminars through the Yahoo groups, and many times, you can hook up with other participants and track together without the confines of a formal class.
 

3dogsrunnin

 There are a couple of yahoo groups regarding tracking with your dog

Could you point me in their direction?  Thanks 

I can't help on the tracking thing, but to find an agility club near you, you can look at Clean Run's site or USDAA's site.

Clean Run
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&page_id=111&CFID=1413803&CFTOKEN=75908117 

USDAA's site
http://usdaa.com/gen_findGroup.cfm 

CPE's site
http://k9cpe.com/clubs.htm

This is how I found a training instituion, I went to an event like agility and I just asked around.

What tracking style are you looking for?  It would probably be easier for you to read up on whichever style you're wanting to train, and try it out yourself.  I don't know any clubs around here that just do tracking, besides my schutzhund club (and they obviously work on obedience and protection as well, and it is also a different type of tracking than some people like).

Here are the names of the Yahoo groups: Tracking_dog  and tristatetrackers.

Just go to Yahoo groups and do a search on those names.  Tracking_dog has more information.  

Good luck!  I know my little beagle loves tracking! 

sorry for the late reply I lost the thread - oops!

I will check out those Yahoo groups and look into different types of tracking.  Basically I want him to have an opportunity to use his nose as a discipline, he loves to work and he loves to use his excellent nose.  I have pretty much exhausted 'find it' games locally (yard (acre) home and neighborhood).  I would love to learn some techniques and I suppose also see how he does compared to other dogs.

One of the things I found very interesting in our distraction proofing class was seeing how he compared to other dogs.  I have always thought he was smart and had a strong drive to work and I wasn't wrong.  That piece of knowledge has helped me to understand him better - I'm not 'bragging' it just helped me to be a better owner for him, I hope that makes sense.

If I can't find a good tracking class I will start an agility class - he'd love that as well as me but I just won't have the time to commit to practicing as much as I think needs to happen 

I've taken two classes with these folks and loved them.  

http://www.petbehaviorhelp.com/

They do not have tracking there, but their agility classes are really great, and I guarantee that someone there will know where in this area they do tracking.

Teamworks has tracking classes, but I'm not sure how far you want to drive!  I think the park where they do it is way on the other side of Raleigh. 

The Durham Kennel Club seems to host tracking events.  It looks like Fran Hoffman used to as well but I'm not sure where she went, LOL.

I had a friend who lived in Cary and was a very serious agility competitor with her lurcher (sighthound herding dog cross), and an English setter/BC mix.  She was even a trainer at Teamworks.  She had no problems putting advanced titles on her two mixes and didn't even have to drive that much (though it would be a lot at today's gas prices).

 

 Teamworks is who ran our Distraction Proofing class - it was truly a dud so I am reluctant to use them again.  I see that their instructors are different for the Tracking so we may wind up with that as an option - it is a good distance north from me though.

I'll check the others out - he needs something