Understanding the Key Differences Between Tracking and Mantrailing

A trailing (mantrailing) dog finds a hidden person.

If you are a dog lover, you know that our canine friends have a remarkable sense of smell. This ability opens up exciting opportunities for bonding activities. You’ll often see the terms tracking, trailing, and mantrailing used. People sometimes use them interchangeably, but in fact, there are meaningful distinctions — differences in technique, aims, training, and real-world application. Here’s a breakdown of how tracking and mantrailing differ.

What is Tracking?

Tracking generally refers to a dog following a scent trail made by footsteps or ground disturbances. The dog is guided by micro-odour signatures left by the person or object, often physically on or just above the ground. The trail is created when a person walks through an area, leaving behind a unique scent. The dog’s main goal is to locate the source of that scent, which could be a person, an object, or even a specific location.

Training for tracking typically involves teaching dogs to recognise and follow a specific individual's scent. Handlers use different techniques, like scent discrimination and reward-based training, to perfect the dog's tracking skills.

In controlled sport or trial contexts, the track is laid by a person (the tracklayer) and may include “articles” (objects) along the path for the dog to find. In strict tracking, the dog is expected to show precision: ideally, indicating each footstep and following the path closely. Because the trail is relatively fresh and less contaminated by other scents, there is less ambiguity (less “noise”) for the dog to deal with.

What is Mantrailing?

Trailing is a shorter and more accurate use of the term mantrailing as we find people, not just men! Although more accurate, trailing has less familiarity than the word 'mantrailing', which appeared as a formalised term in the late 20th century, with the practice itself dating back to 19th-century use of bloodhounds for human scent trailing. When we apply the same principles to a 'hidden' dog, it is known as 'pet trailing'.

Mantrailing (or trailing) is a specialised form of tracking that focuses on following the specific scent of a human. Unlike broader tracking, mantrailing emphasises identifying and following the unique scent of an individual, often in a more complex setting.

In this method, dogs wear a harness, and the handler uses a long line. This setup allows them to explore diverse terrains and navigate obstacles. The dog relies on its instincts to follow the scent, which may include turns and elevation changes. For instance, during search missions in urban areas, dogs can successfully differentiate human scents even among various distractions, such as food odours or other animals' scents.

The dog is given a scent article (we use a variety, and whilst clothing may be used, actually our dogs are so tuned in that we can use pretty well any object that can have human contact, from sticks to handprints and more) and asked to follow that individual’s scent trail through varied terrain, possibly through crowded or contaminated areas.

A mantrailing dog must discriminate the target scent from other human scents and resist distractions from cross-tracks or incidental odours. Mantrailing trails may be older, or laid under more complex conditions (e.g. in urban settings, across intersections, with scent contamination).

Because of this, mantrailing demands more from both dog and handler — especially in reading the dog’s signals, knowing when to push or retreat, and handling ambiguity. These characteristics make mantrailing particularly valuable in real-life scenarios, especially in search and rescue operations where time is critical, and trails are fresh. It is for this reason that it is such a great activity to participate in.

Trailing with a mantrailing dog leading the way, with freedom to make decisions.

Key Differences Between Tracking and Mantrailing

1. Scent Source

The primary difference between tracking and mantrailing is the source of the scent. In tracking, dogs follow a trail that could be left by any object or person. In contrast, mantrailing targets the scent of a particular individual.

This distinction influences how dogs are trained. For tracking, dogs might follow a generalised scent trail. In mantrailing, the focus is on recognising and following the unique scent of one person. For example, specialised training can help a mantrailing dog track a missing person through various barriers like fences and roads, honing its ability to differentiate that specific scent.

2. Training Techniques

Training techniques for tracking and mantrailing vary significantly. In tracking, dogs learn to follow a straight line and stay on the scent path. Conversely, mantrailing encourages dogs to use their instincts to navigate through obstacles and more varied terrains.

Handlers in mantrailing use a trailing harness and a long line. This setup allows the dog more freedom to explore and find its way, which is essential during real-world searches. For example, successful mantrailing teams often report a 60% increase in finding missing persons compared to traditional search methods.

3. Environment and Complexity

The environments where tracking and mantrailing occur greatly differ. Tracking typically takes place in more controlled settings, like fields or wooded areas. Here, the scent trail is relatively simple to follow.

Mantrailing, however, can happen in various environments, including bustling urban areas. In these settings, dogs must navigate crowds, traffic, and other distractions. This complexity makes mantrailing not only a rigorous exercise for the dog but also a captivating experience for both the dog and the handler.

4. Purpose and Application

The purposes of tracking and mantrailing also vary. Tracking is often used in search and rescue operations, law enforcement, and competitive sports. It is an invaluable skill for dogs acting as police or search and rescue team members.

Mantrailing, meanwhile, focuses entirely on locating missing persons or individuals in distress. This skill is critical for search teams and those who wish to prepare their dogs for specific scenarios. For instance, in emergencies, mantrailing has been pivotal in searches, with many dogs successfully locating individuals within hours of their disappearance.

Side-by-Side Comparison: Tracking vs Mantrailing (Trailing)

Aspect	Tracking	Mantrailing (Pet Trailing)
Goal	Follow a fresh trail, often locate articles or reach the end point	Follow the specific scent of a person (or pet in the case of pet trails), find that person (or pet)
Scent type	Ground disturbance, footsteps, general odour trail	Discriminate human scent from a scent article
Trail age/difficulty	Usually, more recent, less contaminated	Can be older, more complex, more interference
Precision demand	High (e.g. indicating each footstep)	Must handle ambiguity, cross-tracks, distractions
Handler role	More directive, guiding the dog step by step	More interpretative: the handler must read the dog and decide when to intervene or trust
Use cases	Trials, sport, training foundations	Search & rescue, law enforcement, and real-world trailing
Research support	More established in scent research and working dog literature	Growing but still limited research

Final Thoughts

While tracking and mantrailing may seem similar at first glance, they are distinct disciplines, each with unique training methods, goals, and applications. By understanding these differences, dog owners can select the most suitable activities for themselves and their pets, thereby enhancing their bonding experiences.

Whether you are drawn to tracking for its competitive aspect or mantrailing for its practical uses, both activities can greatly benefit your dog's instinctual abilities. When trailing, you will also be with like-minded people, in a small group setting (at Dog Trailing, our groups are usually 3-4 in size), so there is a social side to consider too. Embracing this opens avenues to appreciate our dogs’ extraordinary skills and the wonderful connection we share. Happy trailing!