Autumwynd Storm Tracker CD RE WC TDX Therapy Dog "TANK"

My plan was to introduce each dog by seniority, but I'm feeling somewhat neglectful about Tank. Trust and Blast have been shown tracking a number of times, so I'm jumping over to Tank. The reason I don't have as many pictures of Tank (tracking) is his speed and strength pulling into the harness. I cannot take pictures as I go. Tank is a good looking fellow, shown only one weekend in conformation, earning one point. However, conformation is not a big interest for me, so we haven't pursued this. His brother and two sisters easily earned their Championships.

Tank earned his TDX (below - judge Sharon Smith at CCTC) when he was just a month past 2 years. We're now working in urban tracking. A UTD is the priority right now; later we may go back to more advanced obedience or field work.

Tank is a happy-go-lucky guy, eager for any activity. Tank 'works and plays' hard but also 'sleeps and snores' hard!

Tank is wonderful at the nursing home as well, and is gradually 'working in' to be the main pet therapy dog when the shelties retire. He was actually "planned" for this future job, even before he was conceived. When I was looking at breeds for the "perfect" dog for my interests, with health, personality, and suitability as a therapy dog being the top three priorities, the labrador retriever won out. But only a thoughtful, well-bred one would do. Since I knew (and very much liked) his mom and uncle, and knew a breeding was planned, the decision was easy.

I asked my husband if he would like a puppy for his birthday. He laughed. A few days later, he asked if I was serious, I said, of course. So....he inquired 'what was I thinking' and once I told him, he said "Sure"!!! He's so easy!!! So Tank is his dog....LOL.

Tanks' "cousin" Layla had the most gorgeous litter of black and yellow lab puppies. They are now 5.5 wks. old. Maryke sends pictures every week, and this is one of the group I received this morning. This is my favorite. They're all experiencing the out of doors this week.

This is an exceptional litter of puppies, all health checks, background is all CH's in conformation, field trials, obedience and rally titles, etc. No, I'm not tempted, cute as they are, have my hands full..!!

A reader asks...........

Do you set your own tracks? Where is the dog when you do that?

1. Yes, mainly I do. I have laid almost all my tracks for all of my tracking dogs for many, many years. That includes cross-tracks for TDX work.
I have mostly lived in areas where no-one else was tracking but aside from that, in training, I want to know where the tracks, corners, articles, etc. are so that I can assist my dog if it runs into a problem.
Having the odd one (early on) laid by someone who did not know how to tracklay and couldn't stay around to walk with us proved to me this was the correct decision....for me. Many people never lay their own tracks, especially if they work with other people.
This has never caused me, or any of my dogs, a problem. When they occasionally may follow a strangers' track (ie in a test), if anything, they find it more interesting.
Right now, I have a friend who is laying an occasional urban track for me. I map out what I want first and/or we drive around the area and I pretty much show her where to go. This way, the dog has an opportunity to follow a strangers' scent, and I know there won't be any issue with article placement or obstacles. Laying tracks in urban is much more involved.
2. The dog(s) are either in the house (if I'm doing them here) or in their crates in the van.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Fun Track for Trust with Serpentine

We are on the second leg of this track and I took this picture as it shows almost all of the track. I have marked the track (lines aren't great) but unless you click on the picture to enlarge it, I doubt you will be able to see it. The serpentine area begins just after the round hay bale, (right)and through the little growthy area. The whole track (except the one road crossing) is on dead, brown hayfield, but it was intended to be "different" from what Trust has been working on and more fun for her. She had a sock, a plastic switchplate and an old glove for her articles.
When we reached the serpentine area, I let her line go loose as it was getting caught (below) on twiggy things. However, this picture also shows the curve around quite clearly.

So's she's in the serpentine here, curving around back and forth in front of me. What you can clearly see is how determined she is in this area, and having to work with her nose right down.

Below, she will curve back towards the right and work through the open area.

I put the line on this picture showing this area of the serpentine. After the little flag, it is a regular turn to the left and the next legBelow is her second article, plastic, she had passed it by 2' and zipped back around to nudge it.

This track had 10 legs and 9 corners and was aged just 2 hrs. She seemed to enjoy the change.

Trust working through the Army Reserves

Trusts' most recent track was around a high school, and through the army reserves next to it. We were able to cover many different types of areas in these locations. There are just three pictures here, as these were (to me) the most interesting spots. The top photo shows us coming off a grassy area, her 3rd leg, and onto pavement. The track was aged 3+ hr. and was over lunch time.
When we came through here, there was no-one to be seen. She spent ages moving up and over the entrance area to this building. Her turn was actually just before it, (but could have been past it) and moved up along the building. I had to think that people had been in and out at lunchtime, nice day, perhaps hanging around there eating or who knows what? Patience, patience, patience..I knew the track couldn't be "there" but she had to check it out. Finally, I firmly told her to "find" and she whipped about and headed up the side. But it had to be her decision, not me "forcing" her off.
The photo below shows her beginning to move up the side, on grass, towards another parking lot where she found an article.
The actual turn (here)would have been on the pavement before reaching the entrance sidewalk (just barely out of the picture to the left)

Below we are moving off the parking lot behind the buildings (above) where she had found an article before making a left turn. In this photo, she has just indicated another plastic article which was left directly on top of a sewer grate. I love these interesting, and sometimes difficult, article placements in training. These two plastic articles were both tiny black plastic tubes about 3" long. These articles and placements would not be in a test. She actually had six articles and my friend who laid the track made it a fun challenge.

From this article placement the track went straight ahead and turned right, around where the truck had parked, across the grass island then across the road into a parking area at the school. We did a lot of hard surface on this track and also lost one article to a fellow picking up garbage!

Blast working through distractions

Although there is "nothing" showing in this one photo, Blast was working in a busy area with a number of dogs, people skating and biking, vehicles, train, noises. Living in the country, these distractions are important to go out and work in to see how he reacts and will focus back on the track. Also lots of garbage in a public park during spring break! He did very well, even working through a paved area.