10-6-23

 7:45am. Foggy, no wind, short, wet, sparse grass. Age 40 minutes. Closed church in walking distance from home.

After 2 failed attempts at laying/running a stairstep track, I decided we weren’t meant to do a stairstep this week, so I thought some of the track recovery exercises might be fun to try. The available space was not ideal, but you use what you have sometimes.

First exercise was the overshoot the turn exercise. Went straight 50 yards, then 5 more yards past where I wanted a right turn to be, turned around, came back, made the turn & went 30 yards with food drop at 15 yards. Crossed concrete sidewalk on both legs. 

First leg was towards a moderately busy road, & Seren was quite interested in the cars until we got to the start flag, where she put her head down & followed the track, past the turn. When she lost the scent, she lifted her head, & became mesmerized by the cars, much closer now. After a minute or two of car gazing, I called her back to me & asked her to find the track. She checked left, then found it to the right & followed it to end article.

Second exercise was straight 40 yard track, with a 2 giant step sidestep to the right halfway. Food drop shortly before sidestep. No issues with this at all, turned at sidestep & continued easily. Fourth exercise just like 2nd, but with sidestep to the left & food drop shortly after sidestep. Same result.

Third exercise was the call-back one. Started 1st leg, called her back after 20 yards, fiddled with harness. Restarted easily, food drop 5 yards beyond where she was when I called her back. Right turn @ 30 yards, end article after another 30 yards. No problems with this.

Article indications were a little weak this day. Article track might be a good plan for next outing.