Seren tracking

 Pole Green Park Seren had a long straight endurance track, age 2 hours. Three intermediate articles. She handled the distance just fine, didn’t want water at the end or back at the car. I had several opportunities to practice getting behind my dog if she’s a little off track to make her get back on it. In 2 spots she thought there was something off to the side that needed investigating, but stopped & got back to the track on her own. Found several treats that I hadn’t left - pretzels, banana peel, etc. Boring video: https://youtu.be/zxVsBt2-yzE?feature=shared Dylan had a 45min track with 2 hangman turns. He did great with the turns, but I see an article drill in our near future video:   https://youtu.be/5JKhTvXDULU?feature=shared

 For Dylan, a bit of age & some open angles for me. Less than stellar start -?confused by extraneous flag?- but after that pretty nice. Open turns better than last time. Articles not very good today video:  https://youtu.be/erRmPl4YaF8?feature=shared Seren got 2 turns at 3.5 hours. There was contamination by at least one loose dog/human pair kind of all over the track. She got an A+ but I screwed up a bit on the 2nd turn in that I misread her level of commitment to the 3rd leg & started moving earlier than I should have. video  https://youtu.be/tUTdXMSPUwo?feature=shared

 Hanover Courthouse Seren did a 4 turn track, laid by Judi & not aged,  where I turned my body in opposite direction of turns. She handled that exercise much better than expected  video  https://youtu.be/Z0xTtFzhsXk?feature=shared Dylan did a 2 turn blind track, laid by Judi & not aged. We need more work with open angle turns video  https://youtu.be/ulSxPpywuIA?feature=shared

 Crump Park For Seren, a short, 2 turn track aged 2 hours, with the only ‘planned’ challenge being the end article hidden behind a tree in a small clump of trees. Her behavior at the end article left a lot to be desired - I discovered after the fact that someone had dumped the ashes & burnt coals from a grill under the clump of trees. The rest was pretty good. video  https://youtu.be/vj8UcrV05Wg?feature=shared For Dylan, a 2 turn track aged 1 hours. Went over 2 logs in horseshoe pit with an intermediate article hidden behind one. He did a nice job. Age of 1 hour did not seem to be an issue. Went around, instead of over, horseshoe obstacles. Found intermediate article but had to be reminded to lie down. And then he thought we were done, but happily went back to work when told otherwise.   video    https://youtu.be/khwh_sQlrt0?feature=shared

 Courthouse Park Seren had a 4 turn track with a couple minor obstacles - both fooded, but walkway had been walked by many dog walkers by the time we ran the track, so only the scent of food was left by the time we got there😂.  She did well. Handled 2nd turn beautifully, had a little trouble with last one. Veered off on 2nd leg & took a while to get back to the track after I stepped behind her video https://youtu.be/sSpNrFGGf_I?feature=shared Dylan had 4 start tracks, aged 30, 60, 90, & 120 minutes The 30min. track was very nice. 60 min pretty good except for a side quest shortly before turn & I hadn’t gotten up the line quickly enough. He also didn’t think the teal leather square was a proper article. Lots of food garbage all over this area was biggest problem on #3 (also clutzy handler). On # 4 I forgot to turn on camera until almost at the turn & then area of turn contained a feast of old french fries. But he had a nice indication at end article! video #1...

 Taylor Park My goal for Seren was to have a track that was relatively easy but not boring. I made her a 4 turn track with 2 hangman turns & ran it at one hour. She did quite well. Checked right first at all turns, but didn’t really try to go that way if it was in fact a left turn. I was pleased. video https://youtu.be/hVa3pOPsFVw?feature=shared Dylan did a 4 turn track, much like a regulation TD except 1 food drop /leg & I moved up to 10’ behind him between turns. Age 30 min. He did very well, was not bothered by the distance at all. video:    https://youtu.be/X9uXlQd-dEM?feature=shared

 Courthouse Park  Nice weather conditions for increasing age a bit. Seren - 2 turn track, 3.5hr old. One food drop/leg, little bit of scuffing after both turns Once again my training plan was disrupted. About an hour before the track was due to be run, some young men arrived to play in the hocky rink. They were still at it when it was time to go, & were creating one of those noises that drives Seren up the wall by the hocky puck hitting the metal sides of the rink. It was hard to even get her to the start flag. I decided that was not good for building her attitude, went & asked how long they expected to continue. Was told 20 min & I thought we could handle that. By the time they quit, track was 3’50” old. She wasn’t gung-ho, but willing. All was going pretty well until the 2nd turn, when one of the guys came back to hit a few more times. I didn’t worry about letting out line but supported her through the turn & after it. She did well, got down leg, & indica...

 Hanover Courthouse Seren had an 8 turn stairstep track with 2 intermediate articles. She did an excellent job, very confident on turns. At first I felt bad that I made her down again at the leaf  on the 7th leg, but then I decided it was good for her to do some random downs on the track as well as having Dylan do it. Very happy with this session. It was so nice not to have my training plan messed up by some member of the public! video:   https://youtu.be/td1oIuMYivo?feature=shared Dylan had a 3 turn track which went through a bowl-like depression on 3rd leg. The only thing preventing this from being perfect was that I had to give an oral cue to down at start article. Did a random drop on 3rd leg, which he did nicely & started back on track video  https://youtu.be/zni3dxxIFKE?feature=shared

 Taylor Park Seren had a 4 turn track with a bit of age since it was nice & cool. Working mainly on building turn confidence, & also had an easy woods entry with an article hidden behind a log Nice start. Article had been moved 10’ down the track, but sh indicated it at the flag. I liked the turns, & the woods entry was lovely. She nosed the article in the woods, but did not lie down, which is not unusual for her. Need to figure out a place to do an article track in the woods. There were multiple cross tracks towards the end - she handled them ok. video https://youtu.be/-Cfu8MDdof8?feature=shared Dylan had a 2 turn track, aged 1 hour. Start was I think the worst one he has done. Probably due to me letting out more line than he was ready for at that level of distraction. Rest of track pretty nice. I was particularly pleased with his drop at end article when I was about 20’ back. video  https://youtu.be/xIoGE_ClatQ?feature=shared

 Hanover High School Seren had a two turn track mainly for me to work on line handling at turns. Small scent challenge at end with article down a small hill to chain link fence. Unplanned challenge with runner & loose dog crossing track multiple times & going right down 1st leg - took place ~ 30 minutes after track was laid. Seren had to work at the contaminated areas, especially the start - you can see the runner’s tracks in the dew on the video to the right of mine - but figured it out. Did not overshoot either turn today, & seems to be getting more comfortable with me letting out lots of line before moving. I am also getting better at moving back up to 10’ promptly. video: https://youtu.be/vgAq5G28ZoA?feature=shared Dylan had a 3 turn track. First leg went diagonally up a small hill & past some football equipment. Last leg went along the edge of a drop-off down to the road. Two dog walkers appeared to cross track, unsure where  I thought this went quite well...

 Taylor Park Seren had a simple 4 turn track for me to work on letting out line at turns & for her to try a bit more age. Very nice start & articles. Downed shortly before 1st turn - don’t know what that was about except maybe this was a longer leg than on a lot of the tracks we’ve done recently & she thought something should happen by then?? I think that Judi was correct (imagine that!) about Seren being cued/given confidence about her turns because I have been going with her fairly quickly- hard not to on a 10’ line. Using the 40’ line & letting it out almost the whole way when she made a turn seemed to make her figure out for herself that she was correct, & she got better at it as we went along. She way overshot a couple of the turns before I saw any LOS - have to watch & see if that persists.  Will continue to do this kind of exercise, younger track next time, & maybe some sort of obstacle challenge. video: https://youtu.be/G0yLF9w4EUo?feature=s...