I only use one dog but - it is all that is needed when tracking ordinary game like roes, reds, chamois, mouflon...However when going after cheeky stuff like brown bear or boars there is allways good to have a cannon fodder i.e. scout - meaning you have a main tracking dog on the halter (it is 8-12 m long) and one dog that is freely searching the area infront.

Bears here aren't so uncanny than boars. When you approach a wounded bear he usually lets you know that he/she is near by roaring. Them boars are sneaky ones (in fact they are very smart) - they are quite aware about their poor status and they know someone will be coming behind them so when they run out of the steam they make a loop or something and lay with the wind coming from their trail - laying still (you will never hear them untill they let a short spooky snif and come - very fast). They don't care much about the dog - it is you they can't stand - so it is more than likely they will let the dog to pass and jump you from the flank - usually in the thick stuff where you can't see 2 meters ahead - halter and rifle sticking around bushes...it doesn't happen frequently (it depends on their current status, terrain, single carracter of the animal...) but if you stir the pot a lot it will happen sooner or later (been there - the Hanoverian bitch from the second pic payed the ultimate prize on such occasion). So it is wise to use two dogs, but it works with one (must be well experienced one) as well. It also helps if you learn the dog to work without halter - dog is freely tracking infront of you - keeping a contact (waiting for you if necessary) - not possible with vivacious types.

I used to track for $ while I was a student (never enough

, but now I do it just for hunting sake - if I have time - mainly only in my preserve or for close friends.