We are on a break from tracking until May 5. Skyler has trials in Urban Locating, Trailing & Locating, Scent Work, and Barn Hunt pretty much all weekends in April. We will be back to tracking at the beginning of May and will continue updating this blog. May the force be with you. 😀
Track 1:
Time: 6:35 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a left turn at 88 yards, then 53 yards with another left turn, then 70 yards with an end article. Food drops every 3 steps for the frst 6 steps then food drops every 10 steps. Food drops after each turn for the first 3 steps then food drops every 10 steps.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (Black Glove), End article (Black Glove)
Aged: 15 minutes
Treats: Garlic Chicken Chunks
Location: Rockville Community Center
Distractions: New location; Baseball games nearby; Cars;
Weather conditions:
Video:
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Track 2:
Time: 7:00 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a right turn at 93 yards, then 66 yards with a left turn, then 50 yards with an end article. Food drops for the first 3 steps then food drops every 10 steps. Food drops after each turn for the first 5 steps then food drops every 10 steps.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (White Glove), End article (Leather Glove)
Aged: 15 minutes
Treats: Garlic Chicken Chunks
Location: Rockville Community Center
Distractions: New location; kids playing at the playground nearby; Next to the roads;
Weather conditions: Same as the first track
Video:
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🐺 Things that we did well:
1. Skyler did great following the tracks. Staight back, not too much circling. Gave him more line. The turns were better than expected. He found the tracks after turns when I couldn't...I looked for my ground markers but the patches of grass all looked the same to me.
2. Skyler did great tracking through patches of tall yellow flowers.
3. Indications were good, I had to tell him "down" but he went down on his own without me repeating.
🐺 Things that we need to work on:
1. I need to work on my ground marks and double line ups. He had to find my tracks several times because I thought I had the correct lineup or markers but they turned out to be different.
2. Will extend my food drops from 10 steps to 12 steps.
Track aged: an hour
One left and one right turns, around 200 yards in total
Food drops every three steps for the first six steps then every eight steps after.
Articles: Start (black glove), End (white gloves)
Weather Conditions:
Video:
Track 1:
Time: 6:20 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a left turn at 56 yards, then 73 yards with another left turn, then 35 yards with an end article. Food drops for the first 3 steps then food drops every 10 steps. Food drops after each turn for the first 3 steps then food drops every 10 steps.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (Black Glove), End article (Bandana)
Aged: 22.21 minutes
Treats: Pork liver
Location: Short Pump Middle School - Soccer Field
Distractions: Lots of bikers and kids playing nearby; Pickleball noise nearby;
Weather conditions:
Video:
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Track 2:
Time: 6:30 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a right turn at 31 yards, then 66 yards with another right turn, then 80 yards with an end article. Food drops for the first 3 steps then food drops every 10 steps. Food drops after each turn for the first 5 steps then food drops every 10 steps.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (White Glove), End article (Garden Rubber Glove)
Aged: 24 minutes
Treats: Pork liver
Location: Short Pump Middle School - Soccer Field
Distractions: Bikers; Kids; Pickleball noise nearby;
Weather conditions: Same as the first track
Video:
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🐺 Things that we did well:
1. His indications were good overall. I gave him more line, and I think he mostly stayed on track. I also extended his food drops to 10 steps. He struggled a bit but returned to the track after I asked him to "search" again. I'll need to remember not to point at the track.
🐺 Things that we need to work on:
1. Skyler was really distracted and wanted to sniff elsewhere. I think I'll give him about 15-20 minutes next time to satisfy his sniffing needs before working.
2. I will lay an article track next time to work on article indications.
3. I need to plan out my tracks better. I rushed to lay my tracks again and realized that two of them were too close together at one point—about 5-8 yards apart. Skyler saw the glove on the other track and wanted to get it, so I had to point him back to the track he was working on.
Track 1:
Time: 6:50 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a left turn at 100 yards, then 35 yards with another left turn, then 60 yards with an end article. Scuffed with food drops for first 3 steps then food drops every 5 or 8 steps. Food drops after each turn for the first 5 steps then food drops every 5 or 8 steps.
Tried out a dog tracking app. I thought I was walking straight but it appears that I was all over the place...interesting.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (Black Glove), End article (White Glove)
Aged: 21.36 minutes
Treats: Garlic chicken
Location: Short Pump Middle School - Soccer Field
Distractions: Dog walkers around; New Location; Pickleball noise nearby;
Weather conditions:
Video:
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Track 2:
Time: 7:10 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a right turn at 35 yards, then 10 yards with another right turn, then 90 yards with an end article. Scuffed with food drops for first 3 steps then food drops every 8-10 steps. Food drops after each turn for the first 5 steps then food drops every 5 or 8 steps.
Video:
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🐺 Things that we did well:
1. He did great today following the first track. His head popped up a few times, but he went back to work when I asked him to "search." The second track was good as well. I messed up on the second track and didn't realize how close I was to the woods so had to turn right after only 10 yards.
🐺 Things that we need to work on:
1. I need to work on my line handling. I think I was holding the line too close to my chest and too tightly. I am going to move my hands out a bit to see how it goes next time.
2. Continue working on standing still before Skyler moves.
3. I need to move behind him if he moves off the track and see if he can get back on his own.
Track 1:
Time: 6:05 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a right turn at 85 yards, then went 25 yards with an end article. Scuffed with food drops for first 5 steps then food drops every 5 steps. Scuffed 3 steps after the turn then food drops every 8 steps.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (Black Glove), End article (White Glove)
Aged: 10 minutes
Treats: Garlic chicken
Location: Kaechele Elementary School - Front Field
Distractions: Walkers around; Next to roads with cars flying by; Field saturated with water in some areas;
Weather conditions:
Video:
🐺 Things that we did well:
1. Skyler was a bit distracted but he did finish the track.
2. He did well indicating the end article.
🐺 Things that we need to work on:
1. Extend the length of the track from 110 yards to 150 yards next time.
2. Work on standing still and maintain tight-line
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Track 2:
Time: 6: 10 P. M.
Track Pattern - Straight line with a right turn at 50 yards, then went 25 yards with an end article. Scuffed with food drops for first 5 steps then food drops every 8 steps. Scuffed 3 steps after the turn then food drops every 8 steps.
Track Layer: Myself
Articles: Start article (Black Glove), End article (Rubber Garden Glove)
Aged: 10 minutes
Treats: Garlic chicken
Location: Kaechele Elementary School - Front Field
Distractions: Walkers around; Next to roads with cars flying by; Field saturated with water in some areas;
Weather conditions: Same as Track 1
Video:
🐺 Things that we did well:
1. Skyler was very distracted but he got back onto the track and found the ending article. He was able to re-find the track when I went off of it.
2. He did well indicating the end article.
🐺 Things that we need to work on:
1. Work under distractions.
2. Work on laying more tracks to increase endurance.
Question: Should I have Skyler indicate on the starter article, especially if he decided to follow the track right away?
We are on a break from tracking until May 5. Skyler has trials in Urban Locating, Trailing & Locating, Scent Work, and Barn Hunt pretty ...
