Seren tracking

 Hanover Courthouse  Dylan only today. Four starts  - 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes age. Mix of familiar & unfamiliar articles. More interested than usual in this location with cars going by, I hink the noise of tires on wet roads was a factor. No video for #2 - I didn’t forget this time, but it was pouring rain then & my finger stuttered on the button, causing me to turn it back off as soon as I turned it on🤷‍♂️ I was pleased with his articles, didn’t seem to care about rain, age did not appear to be a factor  video #1 # https://youtu.be/2vbTPVln_hA?feature=shared video #3  https://youtu.be/EdmA2iPFpqk?feature=shared video #4  https://youtu.be/msFWUOPfWqw?feature=shared

 Capitol Park Soccer/Cricket field, Wilder Middle School baseball Both dogs had simple 2 turn tracks designed mainly to push age a bit.  Seren - 3 hours old. At least one unplanned crosstrack near 1st turn. She had trouble getting started, but after 1st leg not too bad. Perhaps the track contamination was more extensive than I thought. Next track I plan for 2.5 hour age https://youtu.be/kEDFTwoFo8M?feature=shared Dylan had unfamiliar article at start, end article ~3ft to left of the track. Age 1 hour 15 min He did well. This age did not appear to be an issue for him. Had to hunt for end article, but he found it after a few seconds. Needed verbal cue to indicate start article. https://youtu.be/4JlHzYyeGs8?feature=shared

 Taylor Park Seren’s theme was ‘fun with obstacles’. Had one article with food in it in the woods & one out in the open in addition to start & end She did great with the obstacles & I think had fun doing them. She was very proud of figuring out the fence & wanted to play with passer-by dog, which she never does. Article in woods with food in it is better than food leading up to it, but still needs work. The leg next to the woods was difficult with the slope, but she handled it well. Checked but discarded an opening in the woods prior to the correct one. I liked her attitude  g video:  https://youtu.be/NJXuCSGX9mk?feature=shared Dylan had a classic stairstep, with novel articles at start & legs 3 & 5, familiar one at end. Age 45 min Start not great - was distracted by dog park & shelter across the street, but didn’t take him long to get to work. Still doesn’t down automatically at unfamiliar articles, but does so readily with verbal cue. Turns g...

 Chamberlayne Elementary  Seren had a 2 turn track in the woods. Two extra articles with food leading up to all but start article, as next step for better indications in the woods. This didn’t seem to be a good plan for her - she was so enamored of rooting the food out of the leaves that she didn’t really notice the article. She didn’t resist the lie down cue, however. Other than that, pretty nice tracking, I thought. video:   https://youtu.be/PoAp1681Aks?feature=shared  Dylan had a 2 turn track with unfamiliar articles at start & in middle, then his favorite article at the end Goal was to work on indications of unfamiliar articles. Don’t know why I wrote 8:20 as run time on map - it was really 11:20. Today he readily downs with verbal cue, not on his own with items he hasn’t seen before. Good start, stayed on track nicely. video:  Unfortunately, dumbass forgot to turn on camera

 Tracking class for Dylan at Holly Ridge. Two tracks. #1 laid by Maureen, 1 open angle turn, age 30 min video: https://youtu.be/Bsn49bbObdA?feature=shared #2 laid by me, 2 turns, age ?20 min video: Start & articles good, even the novel articles. Distracted by horse in neighboring field, but got over it. I need to move faster up the line after turns so that I can prevent him from getting off the track very far. I remembered (actually, was reminded) to take water & offer it after each article, except 1st one. https://youtu.be/1Yl_mz9hgMY?feature=shared

 Capitol Park Soccer Fields For Seren, stairstep with articles & food as marked on map. Age 2 hr. Wind had been mild until we started running the track, when it got quite gusty. This caused her to get blown off, as on Tuesday. Because I knew where the track was, I wouldn’t let her get very far off it & we muddled through. Her articles were good.  Question for the experts: On a blind track (i.e. test) if you suspect dog is getting blown downwind, stepping behind her doesn’t help her get back on, what do you do? Hope she comes to the edge of the scent bubble soon & when she gives LOS step upwind? Or is there a better strategy?  video:  https://youtu.be/fzteQSGg0_I?feature=shared For Dylan, 4 turn track with 1 intermediate article, incorporating going up small hill, down earthen stairs, & thru openings in fence. Age 1 hour The challenges I had planned for he handled well, perhaps because I used appropriate augmentation there. Unanticipated challenges/dis...