January 8th 2025 Tracking

Track 1: 

Time: 4:43 P. M.

Track Pattern - Stright line, 85 yards. Food drops first 5 steps, then scuffed every 5 steps then 2 more steps with food drops on the first step then second step without food drops.

Track Layer: My mom

Articles: Gloves

Aged: 5 minutes 

Treats: Chicken liver

Location: Short Pump Middle School Football Field

Districtions: Dog walkers; Pickleball noises; Kids playing nearby; Critter prints everywhere; New location;

Weather conditions:

Track 1 Video: 

🐺 Things that we did well: 

1. Update later

🐺 Things that we need to work on:

1. Water breaks, he refused water after  

---------------------------------------------

Track 2: 

Time: 4:50 P. M.

Track Pattern - Stright line, 95 yards. Food drops first 5 steps, then scuffed every 5 steps then 2 more steps with food drops on the first step then second step without food drops.

Track Layer: Myself

Articles: Gloves

Aged: 10 minutes 

Treats: Chicken liver

Location: Short Pump Middle School Football Field

Districtions: Dog walkers; Pickleball noises; Kids playing nearby; Critter prints everywhere; New location; Leashed dog with people watching near the field. 

Weather conditions: Same as Track 1. 

Track 2 Video:

🐺 Things that we did well: 

1. Longest track so far.

2. Did really well with so many distractions nearby and around Skyler.

🐺 Things that we need to work on:

1. Article indications. Skyler refused to down when we reached the last flag. 

2. Stand still and don’t let my anxieties affect Skyler. Someone was walking their dog near the field, and I was really worried they might let the dog loose. Instead of standing behind Skyler while he was tracking, I realized I had moved beside him and started taking steps ahead of him.

January 7th 2025 Tracking

Track 1: 

Time: 5:42 P. M.

Track Pattern - Stright line, 80 yards. Food drops first 5 steps, then scuffed every 5 steps then 2 more steps with food drops on the first step then second step without food drops.

Track Layer: Myself

Articles: Gloves

Aged: 5 minutes 

Treats: Pork Jerky

Location: Kaechele Elementary School Soccer Field

Districtions: Kids playing closeby; Darkness; lots of paw prints everywhere;

Weather conditions:

 

Track 1 Video:

🐺 Things that we did well: 

1. Much longer track, nose-down, followed the track. He was a bit worried with the kids playing and yelling nearby but went back to work after putting his head up a few times. 

2. I messed up at the end. I called finished before he reached the glove/flag but he was able to continue on to the end. 

3. He was willing to "down" near the glove when I asked him to do so. 

4. Lots of prints from people, dogs, deers etc. He went off the track a few times but mainly stayed on track. 

🐺 Things that we need to work on:

1. Article indications- Continue to work on "down" when we are outdoor. Continue to work on auto "down" at home which Skyler is more willing.

2. Stay focused and ignore distractions. 

---------------------------------------------

Track 2: 

Time: 5:50 P. M.

Track Pattern - Stright line, 40 yards. Food drops first 5 steps, then scuffed every 5 steps then 2 more steps with food drops on the first step then second step without food drops.

Track Layer: My mom

Articles: Gloves

Aged: 5 minutes 

Treats: Dried Salmon Chunks 

Location: Kaechele Elementary School Soccer Field

Districtions: Kids playing closeby; Darkness; lots of paw prints everywhere;

Weather conditions: Same as Track 1.

Track 2 Video: 

🐺 Things that we did well: 

1. More focused; better than first track. Stayed on track mostly. 

🐺 Things that we need to work on:

1. Article indications - Need to work on auto "down" next to the article without me telling him to do so. 

January 6th 2025 (Snow day)

Track 1:

Time: 4:11 P. M. 

Track Pattern - Stright line, 20 yards. Food drops first 5 steps, then scuffed every 5 steps then 2 more steps with food drops on the first step then second step without food drops.

Track Layers: Myself

Articles: Gloves

Aged: 15 minutes 

Treats: Roasted Chicken 

Location: Home

Districtions: A few walkers; Snow/ice on the ground; Bird tracks;

Weather conditions:

First track video:

Things that we did well: 

1. He followed the track stright mostly, nose down, recovered well from distractions. 

2. As a handler, I was able to follow my own track better and making sure that he followed in a straight line. 

Things that we need to work on:

1. Article indications-Skyler refused to lay down next to the glove even when I told him to "down", could be due to the snow/ice;

2. Ignore distractions completely if at all possible. 

------------------------------------------

Track 2:

Time: 6:31 P. M. 

Track Pattern - Stright line, 20 yards. Food drops first 5 steps, then scuffed every 5 steps then 2 more steps with food drops on the first step then second step without food drops.

Track Layers: Myself

Articles: None

Aged: 30 minutes 

Treats: Roasted Chicken 

Location: Home

Districtions: Dark; Snowing; Snow/ice on the ground; Bird tracks;

Weather conditions:

Second track video:

Things that we did well: 

1. He followed the track stright, nose down, did not get distracted by the snow or other possible bird tracks next to ours. 

2. I really enjoyed tracking in the snow because it allowed me to ensure we were on the right path and improved my timing when I had to stay still when Skyler went off track.

Things that we need to work on:

1. No articles this time but we should continue to work on article games.

------------------------------------------

Videos of Article Games: 

January 1st 2025 Tracking

Tracks: 

Time: 5:05 P. M.

First track- Stright line, 40 yards. Scuff 5 steps then 2 steps, first step with food drops then second step without food drops. 

Second track- Stright line, 40 yards, same pattern as the first track. 

Track Layers: Myself (First track) and My mom (Second track)

Articles: Gloves

Aged: None

Treats: Roasted Chicken 

Location: Innsbrook Event Field

Districtions: Dog walkers; Three leashed dogs with their people standing next to the field waiting for us to finish; Cars

Weather conditions:

First track video:

Second track video: 

Skyler was too distracted with other dogs close to the field. I called it quit when he stopped so we did not finish the second track. 

December 30th 2024 Tracking

Tracks: 

Time: 5:25 P. M.

First track- Stright line, 20 yards. Scuff 5 steps then 2 steps, first step with food drops then second step without food drops. 

Second track- Stright line, 40 yards, same pattern as the first track. 

Track Layers: Myself (First track) and My mom (Second track)

Articles: Gloves

Aged: 5 minutes 

Treats: Dried Salmon Chucks 

Location: Kaechele Elementary School Soccer Field

Districtions: Mother deer with two baby deers. New location. 

Weather conditions:

First track video:

Second track video:

December 14th 2024 Tracking

Tracks: 

Time: 10:13 A. M. (First track) and 11:44 A. M. (Second track)

First track- Stright line, 30 yards. Food drops every 3 steps

Second track- Stright line, 20 yards, unsure of the pattern. Did not write it down. 

Track Layers: Myself (First track) and Anne (Second track)

Articles: No articles

Aged: 20 minutes (First track); 10 minutes (Second track)

Treats: Freshly cooked pork liver chunks

Location: Cool Water

Districtions: Other leashed dogs nearby; Cars & strangers 

Weather conditions:

First track --->

Second track ---

First track video:

Second track video: None