One of the skills for which the shepherd was bred is tracking. As a police or military K-9, the German shepherd is expected to be able to track the route taken by a person. (The Schutzhund test, specifically designed to challenge the inherent abilities of the German shepherd, includes a difficult tracking segment.) The German shepherd is not a dog that tracks every single step, a skill called trailing. Rather, he uses a combination of skills, including scenting the ground to determine the disturbance created by the footsteps and air-scenting to pick up the direction in which a person moved.

Tracking is a very useful German shepherd skill.

The AKC offers three levels of tracking: Tracking Dog (TD), Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX), and Variable Surface Tracker (VST). A German shepherd that attains all three titles is awarded the AKC's Champion Tracker (CT) title.

At the entry level for tracking (TD), the shepherd must be able to follow a 440-yard track that was laid by a person up to two hours prior to the test. The judge knows where the track goes, but you and your shepherd don't. The track may have as few as three changes in direction or as many as five. You can talk to and encourage your shepherd while you are tracking, but you cannot direct him to go in a specific direction.

You must also remain at least ten feet behind your dog as he navigates through the track. The tracking line has a tie to mark where the required ten-foot distance is for the handler. This long line is attached to the shepherd's harness.

The test is over when the dog either runs out of time or the dog successfully navigates the track and finds the scented item or article at the end of the trail. When the dog finds the object, he is to indicate to the handler that he's found something, usually by going into a down. The dog must not pick up the item until the exercise is over.

At the TDX level, the trail left for the dog to track becomes more complicated. Twice as long as the TD test, it now measures half a mile or more. The scent is older, too. The track can be laid three to five hours before the test is run. The TDX test has five to seven changes of directions. A new wrinkle in the test is that a second trail is laid that crosses the trail the dog is following. Along the way, the shepherd must indicate three articles, which he must not pick up or disturb.

As difficult as these layouts appear, they are even more difficult in real life. The tracking tests are held in all kinds of weather over all kinds of terrain. The handler must be in as good physical shape as the shepherd. Additionally, the manner in which scent pools in some locations, drifts in others, and disappears in certain conditions are all complicating factors that challenge even the best tracking dogs.

The final tracking level available through the AKC is the VST test. This test was incorporated into the tracking program to mimic an urban setting in which a person has gone missing or is being sought. The VST is held on all hard, nonvegetative surfaces, such as city sidewalks, streets, metal staircases, and slick indoor floors. The dog must also indicate articles along the way without disturbing them.

If you've never trained a dog to track before, finding a local tracking club will be very beneficial. Don't shy away from this sport if your shepherd is no longer a puppy. Though tracking folks recommend beginning with young puppies in this sport, the older shepherd will pick it up quickly and enjoy every minute.