Susan Eldred is the coauthor of Fascinating Scent, A Tracking Manual. It is an informative book covering most aspects of tracking. She ha s a second companion book called The Fascinating Scent Tracking Workbook. In addition to her puppy training book (Train right From the Start), she has written a new procedure to start dogs in tracking: Tracking Essentials, Getting Off to a Good Start. Susan teaches private lessons in obedience and tracking as well as teaching tracking camps and mini camps. Her newest venture is working with students remotely. The students send videos of tracking and she teaches via the internet. In her spare time, she water skis, takes photographs and quilts. There may come a time when you will be able to buy not just a calendar of her photographs but a whole book.
Susan started tracking by helping at the local tracking tests in 1984 when she got her first Labrador Retriever. While she didn’t put a title on a dog herself until 2000, she stayed involved in tracking doing every job there is including Chairperson, Secretary, Chief Tracklayer, and Hospitality. She laid tracks for most of the tests put on by Queen City Dog Training Club, Dayton Dog Training Club, and Lexington Kennel Club for many years as well as laying many tracks for Buckeye Tracking Club. She helped Orrin train his dogs and accompanied him on many assignments when he became a judge, often laying tracks while she was there. She also helped Orrin put on seminars and soon had a reputation as half of the team to put on seminars. Fascinating Scent grew out of the notes from multiple seminars. After Susan earned her title on Purlie, she also went on to become a tracking judge. She now trains and works all of the Eldred Labs and uses them in tracking camps to help others learn to handle dogs.
With all the seminars and camps she has done, Susan has worked with more breeds than most people have ever seen track. She also helps over the phone with tracking problems and offers help on her Fascinating Scent tracking list.
Susan is a member of Queen City Dog Training Club, past member of Grand Traverse Kennel Club, Buckeye Tracking Club and Miami Valley Retriever Club. She has taught obedience at all levels for Queen City Dog Training Club and has also taught for Grand Traverse Kennel Club. Othello, her first Lab, earned his Utility Title and taught Susan many lessons about tracking, teaching, patience, and dogs in general.
She loves to teach tracking camp. “It is so much fun to watch the dogs work out the problems and help the campers learn from their dogs.” She also loves to share the beauty that is Northwest lower Michigan with all those who come to camp.