First Day Tracking Workshop

I've not offered classes for over a year due to the amount of time I needed and wanted to spend with my own dogs last year. Getting Trusts' UTDX (and TCh) was very time consuming, along with continuing Tanks' and Blasts' Urban training. However, a few former students or ones attending seminars in the past were interested. I decided to do a four week workshop for those already having some tracking knowledge, so it would not start as a "beginner" class. A few of the dogs will be beginners but not the owners. Ending up with enough to split it into two days, we began with the smaller group today...three owners and four dogs.

Funny, there are two dogs named "Gracie" in the Wednesday class. Cheryl and Gracie have finished their first track. We did a refresher on how to lay a proper track to begin with, then each person went out and laid their own tracks, just two legs and one corner. Our "other" Gracie, with Ramona heading out to the second track. The second tracks were laid by me, two in my socks, no boots, how lucky were those dogs!?This is Ramona and Gracie on their first track, nearing their first corner. Nice fields and good conditions today for the first class.Where the heck did Maurita go? She is out laying her first track, and finally spotted a tiny, moving speck way out there just left of the trees on the right.She did come back! Actually this is her on her second track with Thomas. He earned a TD over a year ago, and had a bit of layoff, but think they will now work towards their TDX this year...I'm hoping...While I'm out laying the last two tracks, the "attentive" group is waiting. Well, at least Libby is watching!Rewarding Thomas at the end of his first track...lots of play with Maurita and the glove.Gracie nears her article on the first track, and Ramona is moving up to play with her.Cheryl and Gracie with their glove ending their second track. Gracie's saying give it to me, it's mine!!!!I love this picture. Libby is an "older" girl and has finished her second track today. Ramona has the article in her hand, and I think this picture just shows the bond between them. Libby had the last track of the day and a very long walk in and out when the temperature had become warmer. She certainly earned her reward.

Two Dogs, Two Tracks...cont'd...

Like Emmas' track below, Blasts' first one was laid by the "stranger". The second one by me in another location.

He was certainly interested at the scent pad to get going!Blast moved off nicely on the scent. The temp. had warmed up considerably by this time, each track on Sunday had different conditions.I included this photo just to show he moved off the track to a piece of garbage, quickly dismissed it as "not ours" and came right back to the track.The track navigated through a number of obstacles on the first leg, we also had someone park and walk across the sidewalk ahead and into the building. After the last picnic table, and before the spruce tree, we will turn left onto the parking lot.

Out a ways on the asphalt, he found his first article, which was a folded in half sock.

Still on the same leg, as we move past this car, he is directly on a left turn, just indicating that, and beginning to curve around into it.A long leg here is taking him to his last article.And he's found it. I was exceptionally pleased at how he worked on the "strangers" track, aged an hour. After this we moved to the other location. Just a few pics. here from 1/2 way through the track.Moving off the grass onto the sidewalk, and then crossing the road.I move closer on the line for the road crossing, he has his nose down working great. And just as we start to cross the road....In comes a truck, parks over our track, two fellows get out and start putting things in the car. Oh, well, I'll just stay close to Blast. They walked back and forth two times before we reached them. Blast just went around the truck to the back and worked to find the track there. There was a left turn and we continued on through the parking area.Where's the article? When I had begun to lay this track, there was a fellow picking up twigs and garbage in the area. I left a flat piece of white leather (directly in front of where I'm standing) and on it clearly marked "dog search article please leave here". Well, it was gone! Blast was exactly on the track leading to this. If it had been there, he would have found it. However, while I'm looking in ever direction in case it was just moved...he continued on to the grass (still on my track after the article) and then circled and came back. So...I can't really say he was "searching" for the article...but he would have found it, had it been where left. So in a test...judges' call. Was he actively searching for it? I doubt it. On aged tracks on pavement? I doubt it. But had it been there, knowing he was directly on the track, it 'should' be a pass...at least I think so...

Two dogs, Four tracks...

Last Sunday we had a "stranger" lay very short tracks for Emma and Blast and gave him flags to mark the corners to make sure we could determine how the dog was working following someone "new". They both did great, so we were very pleased.

This was Emma early on her first leg, going through garbage. She totally ignore all of it.She's just confidently taken her first corner (see green flag) in front of Tascha.Last leg, Emma is running by this time, to reach her article. Very nice. I've just put a few pictures from each of her two tracks on here.

New location, track laid by Tascha. Emma is just turning off the first leg, crossing some dirt/gravel and on to the grass again. When we came back to do this track, we had to wait to let the little tractor (seen below) go by. He had been running back and forth right over her first leg while we were gone!!!The fellow in the tractor and the one raking were quite fascinated watching this little dog. They were kind enough at this point to wait while Tascha and Emma went past. I had previously stopped when driving through and explained what we were doing. We figured this complete track had been walked, raked, or driven over many times before Emma did a good job on it!She had a little trouble at this corner, Tascha standing on it. The turn was in the middle of the driveway, lots of contamination, but she worked hard and got it and off she went. Shortly after this, a man stopped, blocking their way, wanting to talk about 'the little dog with the bushy tail'....you just never know. She went on down the driveway, made another turn up onto grass.And shortly found her article. Such a little cutie Emma is!!!