Covering Your Smell and Tracks

Discussion in 'Other Advanced Survival Skills' started by Aneye4theshot, Jan 25, 2016.

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  1. Aneye4theshot

    Aneye4theshot Expert Member
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    When in the wilderness and survival is your number one priority you need to cover your tracks and the smell that you leave behind. There are a few methods that you can use to trick and put dead ends to the pheromones animals pick up. When being hunted by a search party or being followed by a single person, there are simple ways to throw off any skilled trackers. Cover your shoes in mud or simply tie leaves to the bottom of your soles to distort the shape of your footprint. If you want to lead the tracker in a different direction, purposely break branches and step on twigs to look like you are running carelessly and disturbing your surroundings. Then backtrack the other way and be careful not to disturb any of your surroundings and cover your footprints. If you find a place to hide when the tracker is going the other way eventually he or they will give up or start looking somewhere else. If you are being followed by a dog, then the problem sounds a little more serious. This is because animals rely on a heightened sense of smell simply breaking twigs and not disturbing earth in a different direction will most likely not work at all. So in this case, you will need to cover yourself with spices or something that smells terrible such as feces or fish guts. If you are not willing to smear yourself with nature's Cologne then walking through a river or swimming downstream will intercept the smell and wash it away.
     
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  2. Arkane

    Arkane Master Survivalist
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    Best method is to walk casually but carefully
    Do not work up a sweat or heavy breathing
    If it is cold strip down a bit so you are cool, a cool body gives off much less scent!
    if you are in your regular area consider setting up a flying fox if you can, a rope 5-8m up a tree and a silent 30-50m glide along a rope/wire
    will completely throw most trackers!
    even a few tarzen type ropes to break your ground scent can help.
    Once a dog loses your scent the handler will make ever increasing circles around your last scent, the further you make that
    gap the longer it will take for them to resume tracking, even a few short quick flying fox lines will greatly delay them!
    IN urban areas do not forget to use elevation as a tool
    a quick rope decent off a overpass/bridge etc where a dog can not follow will buy you time!
    Even down a few floors of a apartment building outside on a rope so long as it is quick will stuff up dogs!
    So a length of rope and how to use it will give you an edge!
     
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  3. Tom Williams

    Tom Williams Moderator Staff Member
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    Best cover for smell while hunting is pure vanilla extract have used this for years it works
     
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  4. Arkane

    Arkane Master Survivalist
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    Best cover for smell while hunting is pure vanilla extract have used this for years it works

    Mates dog will track the vanilla scent! most dogs probably would do as well!
     
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  5. Tom Williams

    Tom Williams Moderator Staff Member
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    While hunting. When and if they hunt me i will stand my ground
     
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  6. Arkane

    Arkane Master Survivalist
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    While hunting. When and if they hunt me i will stand my ground

    Yes but I will choose the ground:D
     
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  7. Tom Williams

    Tom Williams Moderator Staff Member
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    My ground is mine and 34 years of work we are ready
     
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  8. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    When tracking a human quarry you can tell a lot about who you are tracking before you catch up to them . Quite often you can tell if there is a woman in the group by the way the toes are pointed . A woman's toes point slightly outward when they walk , a mans more forward . The length of their stride though not reliable is a clue to their height .
     
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  9. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    I have used a hound to track human quarry , even when they knew I was on their trail and took to water my dog never wavered their every attempt to fool the nose of my tracking dog was fruitless .
     
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  10. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Without attempting to be melodramatic, just like in Rambo 1, find a spot and take out any tracking dogs, ASAP. Then you will have a better chance to elude or setup your offensive action. It is better to evade than have to fight. It is better to pick your own ground, than be run into a corner. First above all, keep calm and don't panic.
     
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  11. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    sounds like a good strategy
     
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  12. GrizzlyetteAdams

    GrizzlyetteAdams Crap Creek Survivor
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    I was hoping to bump into someone like you with this kind of experience! For a long time I wondered if one of my favorite bowhunting tricks would work on foiling tracking dogs as well as it does deer.

    For years I adopted the traditional Native American trick of using a "scent drag" in the deer woods. Before heading to my stand, I like to attach a small rag doused with fox urine scent to the heel end of my rubber hunting boots. It works well for fooling deer noses, even in areas with heavy hunting pressure. I wonder if you or anyone else in the tracking field could test drive this trick on a hound and see if it works on its trained nose?
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
  13. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    why would anyone be tracking preppers?
     
    1. Ystranc
      Possibly to find cashed goods..
       
      Ystranc, Feb 11, 2019
  14. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    I no longer have a hound trained for tracking , but can tell you this your scent strategy probably does help some . This may surprise some , more than once I have seen a hunting hound running at full speed on a deer's trail and be as much as fifty yards from where the deer's feet actually touched the ground . The sense of smell is so great they can simply pick the smell right out of the air . It probably works the other way around also with the deer picking up scent floating in the air but over time the air scent will disperse . On another aspect of this , I have put a hound on a leash and trailed down my quarry knowing from the get go , I was over half a day behind .
     
  15. Bishop

    Bishop Master Survivalist
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    I used to run for a k9 unit on weekends I would walk on top of fence lines climb trees cross from tree to tree used water and to let everyone know water holds your smell and most of the time they would find me.
     
  16. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    Dozens of reasons.
     
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  17. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    name a few.
     
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  18. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    Despite 72 years of effort, sadly I remain a failure at this.
     
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  19. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    They took something from me or my tribe.

    They have done something bad to me or my tribe.

    They are probing my operation area.

    I want to follow them, so I can assess their group strength.

    I have intel that they have an abundance of fine young ladies, and my group has none or very few. (You laugh, but this was the main reason Indian tribes attacked and raided other tribes, for horses, male slaves, women)..
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
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  20. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    who are "they"??
    i'm not expecting "visitors" in my area post SHTF.
     
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  21. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    I could be wrong......but I doubt that you are anywhere near as remote and isolated as I am, and others in Alaska are. Yet, we fully consider that we could have visitors. Including that I am prepared to burn my retreat to the ground.

    I could be wrong.......but not considering the possibility of visitors, could be a fatal mistake. Especially if the SHTF lasted many years or decades.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
  22. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I've considered it, but its not top of my list.
    my location is remote and some have said "its the middle of nowhere" and one of those was a professional person, a doctor.
    burning one's retreat to the ground sounds a bit extreme.
    I don't believe in the "golden horde" theory so beloved of American fiction writers, it makes a good story but its not logical, there are several reasons why it wont happen here.
     
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  23. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    The "Golden Hoard" could and likely would get thinned down from a "hoard" to just a small group of one or three over time. One is one too many to be visiting me.

    It is funny......I have posted on about seven different forums, about burning my retreat to the ground as soon as the first human shows up... and every time people go full bat'shit crazy.
     
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  24. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    not bat'shit but seems a desperate thing to even think of doing and especially when "the first" human turns up.....just one and you burn the place to the ground! really???:eek:
     
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  25. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    If it is a government attack "foreign or domestic " like we saw happen in the US at Ruby Ridge or Waco Texas they could very well have a trained tracking dog if you decided to vacate your premises and bug out . There are even a few nuts like me that have , in my case had , a personal trained tracking hound . Just something to consider before bugging out .
     
  26. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    Which is why some have set-guns, and some have a lot of set guns. And some have overwatch towers.
     
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  27. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    I posted it on Bushcraft USA forum..........and they went so bat'shit crazy, they had to delete the thread, not just a few people, but everyone. People believe that there are limits to how prepared you should be to survive. Which gives me the giggles.

    We have a thread going on Survival Boards, about blocking the roads and highways post SHTF.........which some of us consider standard operating procedure. "Wow" many responding are going nuts, knowing that the roads will be blocked and they will be trapped. Some are totally outraged.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
  28. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    Seems to me if it's your house it' yours to pi-- on , burn down turn into a who-- house are anything else you want to do with it . \As for as blocking roads I have pondered over blocking roads by blowing up bridges , but then realized the government here is so panty waist they won't let me buy any dynamite .
     
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  29. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    That is how I figure it also. But they figured why burn it down........someone else could use it.
     
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  30. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Anybody that can stay calm while a big bear is standing over you and is sniffing your butt, is able to stay calm.
     
  31. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    It is called logistics. Same tactics used by Sherman's march through the South. Destroy any resources the other person can or could use or need. Deprive the enemy (the new strangers) any extra food or shelter. They will have to survive on what they brought or can find.

    As for bridges, that would require a WROL and then I would look at building a ferry crossing first and then blow the bridge. You can still get across but with limited loads and increased crossing times. It also turns the the crossing from a liability point (easy access for invaders) into a choke/ ambush point.

    Now roads are a bit different proposition. Where and how to destroy or blockade. The big issue is just where to blockade and how to blockade. Topography will be a major factor in location setup.
     
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  32. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    I was not calm..........I was terrified. I was praying 100 MPH. I simply knew that if I moved, I would die a very horrible death, being ripped apart.
    One of the most incredible things I have ever observed, was how gracefully that huge bear raised up slowly and pivoted off of me, and never touched or brushed me or accidently stepped on me when it departed. And it just slowly walked away. I was not calm. I was terrified.
     
  33. GrizzlyetteAdams

    GrizzlyetteAdams Crap Creek Survivor
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    And, most importantly, they no longer have a reason to stay in your area... What is even better, after they leave you and all of your caches are still intact--without a single shot being fired.



    .
     
  34. Alaskajohn

    Alaskajohn Master Survivalist
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    My thoughts are still evolving on this, but if I couldn’t easily take out the intruders, I certainly intent to escape and evade. I know the mountains around my place much better than anyone passing through and I could easily ambush and slow down anyone trying to follow me. There a a few old cabins I could hide out in until danger passed.
     
  35. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    most roads will be blocked with abandoned vehicles anyway, and major roads are too open for travel.
    I got banned from SB cos they didn't like what I had to say.
     
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  36. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Man if they banned you, they would really hate me. You leave nothing behind that would help or shelter an opponent. Anybody you have not invited, is an opponent, until proven otherwise.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
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  37. Ystranc

    Ystranc Master Survivalist
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    To go back to the original thread, it is incredibly unlikely that you will evade trained tracking dogs, your main hope lies in outrunning their handler. The problem is that the faster you move the more obvious visual sign you leave.
    Earlier in the thread someone advocated killing the tracking dog, to do so personally would put you too close to your trackers while the handlers are trained to protect their dogs by spotting poisons and traps...they're a tough combination to beat.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
  38. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Oh, I don't think I would have to be too close to the trackers to take out the dogs. Dogs tracking are not typically very quiet, so it should not be too difficult to figure out where they are and where you want them to appear for a nice clean shot at the dogs and / or the handlers or both. Remember they are tracking you, so you get to choose the terrain. Sometimes reminding the hunters that they can become the prey, is a real good way to slow down pursuit.
     
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  39. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    if someone is tracking you with dogs its either going to be government or police, someone official rather than looters.
     
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  40. Ystranc

    Ystranc Master Survivalist
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    Not all trackers use bloodhound or bloodhound crosses, I have a good friend who does airport security who uses spaniels, they're small, fast and quiet. As well as being a trained tracker his dogs do drug, firearm and explosive detection. They're amazing to watch.
    Edit; Mind you he's a big fella and a pretty easy target
     
  41. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    I fail to see why that matters. The older I get, the less delusional I have become that "Officials" are consistently the good guys, occupying the moral high ground. Which does pain me.
     
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  42. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    no i'm not saying they are "the good guys", the opposite in fact, but as they are official they will have more resources to track people.
     
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  43. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    It was the Russian government that sent in truck loads of military troops to take away all food and farming implements from Ukraine citizens so that they would starve to death . It would be a similar scenario if the government in power wanted preppers are anyone else to die .
     
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  44. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I doubt if any government, except a Russian or maybe Iranian one, would want people to die they are more like to want you for manual labour.
     
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  45. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    A conquered nation who's citizens refuse to submit to the government would be a target for annihilation . The well armed preppers would be high on their list for extermination . This would be especially true in the US where people have on hand lots of amo and guns . Of course I can see where most people would simply knell down and submit to the conquerer , but now a prepper may have a different mindset .
     
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  46. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    and who exactly would this conquering nation be? that's not why I prep.
    and that's a hell of a way off topic from covering your smell and tracks to war and invasion.
     
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  47. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    If it is military or Government, they will have access to very advanced Thermal and not need dogs. Local cops / search and rescue might still rely on dogs but that is fading away too. Dogs do lose scents after enough time or weather conditions have weakened or eliminated the scent.

    As for shooting the tracking critters (man or animal), the animals may not be baying but the trackers tend to talk too much too. As for the target, wound the tracker and he and his animals are going back. Doubtful the animals are going to work well for a stranger and the tracker is not going to want to leave is dogs within range of a shooter and being handled by untrained person. If the dogs are tracking free (roaming loose), then they become top target as they will be first into the kill zone. As you move into your designated kill zone, drop a bit of food on your trail, just enough to get the dogs to stop and check it out, then bang. Even trained dogs will stop to investigate, even if they have been trained not to eat food not presented by the owner. Again I would prefer to wound the tracker. I like dogs, people not so much.
     
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    1. Ystranc
      If you want to make the dogs pause in a position where you have a good vantage point for a moment urinating into some bushes will be more likely to stall them than food.
       
      Ystranc, Mar 17, 2019
  48. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    One of the most effective ploys I have used when I had a dog on my trail was to lay a dead end trail , back track as for as you have time and leave the trail at a 45 degree angle , in other words a scent trail in the shape of an upside down Y , this means you have doubled your scent on the false trail and there is a good chance the dog will keep going straight on the stronger scented trail . No I am not an ex con but a well trained survivor .
     
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  49. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    Choose the roughest terrain. may not stop the dogs, but might the handler. Idea would be a steep wall that you can climb, but dogs can't. Would only need to be five or ten feet high, but steep.
     
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  50. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    If you just want to make it hard on the dog handler , go through finger thick underbrush . The dogs will be constantly getting their leash tangled in the brush . If you really want to make the handler talk ugly , swim a stream , it will not lose the dogs but force the handler to get wet . I have swam streams many times holding my clothes up with one hand so when I reached the other side I would have dry clothes to put back on . Wet clothes will make it easier for the dogs to follow you because it magnifies your scent . I am sure every one has smelled a wet dog , same thing in reverse .
     
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