Lenajo Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 are there any other trackers on here? I'm working with an 8 month old pup on ground trailing (not air scenting). Have questions.... Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted June 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 ok...thanks to all of you who sent such nice PMs and told me to fire away. Rose is 8 months and has tracked about 10 times. We started with food, which she quickly didn't need - or want LOL . Currently she is going about 200 yards with 2 turns. I'm triple tracking the 5 yards before and after the turns. We track about twice a week. Right now she is only tracking my scent, freshly laid. We are starting to use other people at class next weekend. Sometimes she is red hot, about 12 feet ahead of me on on a nice taught line. Other times she seems to zigzag a lot, almost indecisive, and I have to be careful not to tangle the line. She stays on the track, she just seems well..dithery LOL I think that is word? Sometimes she gets so involved with it she wants to do a loop or The problem is usually on the straight lines, never the turns. She nails those. Oh - harness question. J & J has some nice ones but at 24 inches (waist circumference) she is caught right at the border of medium and large. Which would you order? Hmmm... could the fact that we are tracking on buckle collar be some of the problem above? Interesting sport btw. I'm glad I gave it try. Closest thing I've ever seen to herding to wear a dog completely out mentally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 OK, I would quit triple laying the turns - I personally don't back track on any of mine. Instead of going the distance I would add time and shorten the length first. Get someone else to lay the track too now. Are you using "anything" while laying? Do you have a start article? Is she watching you lay it? Are all your tracks straight? Any curves, zig-zags, etc...? What type of cover are you tracking in? Are you going out at the same time everyday you track? As for the harness, I prefer the Premier harness and the light line they make as well. And yes, it is mentally exhausting! And mine love it! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted June 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 realtively flat to slighly rolling pasture grass, usually start tracking into the wind. Usually tracking in the afternoon at home, morning at class. Hmmm...she tracks even better at class...is morning better for learning? track is straight, turns 90 degrees. no zig zags or odd things. She is not watching me lay anymore. We start with a single article like a piece of cloth, finish with a glove with food on it. She understands "find it" which is her cue to start on the first article. Thanks! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Jazz really, really likes tracking. We've taken weekend lessons at a dog camp. Last year, we laid out the track through the bush. His ball was the final reward at the end of the track. However, the trainer failed to consider which way the wind was blowing when we laid the track and when I said "find it" he stuck his nose on the track - then up in the air...and we were off...directly to the ball without ever following the laid track It was hysterical and he found the ball in no time flat. We realized too late, that he had air scented. Can't fault him for taking the direct route, after all, he did Find It This weekend we're taking our very first lesson in Search and Rescue at this weekend camp. I'll let you know if I survive the poison ivy Yes, tracking is a blast!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Evans Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Hi, I'm with Karen. My opinion here. Quit backtracking and forget the wind. If you can nail a turn you need to start adding time. Keep the amount of turns down to one or two at the most, and start aging the track. Get up to about thirty minutes to an hour and then start lengthing the track. I add time at about ten minutes a week, or at the speed the dog picks up on the concept. While you are still in the early stages of adding time start crossing dirt roads and ditches if possible. Introduce to different terrain. Don't make anything difficult, just different. I track grass fields, woods, plowed fields, dirt roads, asphalt parking lots, and school yards, both under the walkways and the playgrounds. Anything to add diversion. Early is easier in the beginning because of the dew on the ground. Dew evaporates, scent rises. Just my opinion. Should get to where time of day doesn't matter. The dogs body temp rises as it tracks so keep that in mind in the heat of the day! Offer water before and after tracking. Good luck, Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 The only thing I would add to Cindy's post is you may want to lay articles in the track as well. Don't have her go too far to "find" something, pick it up and move on. Different terrain, early morning tracks for a beginner! At this point I would take the food away at the end too. You can give it to her when she finds her glove, but no food on glove. If she's getting "lazy" per se I would think she is bored. Jazz it up make her think. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Evans Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Another thought with the zig zaging could be with all of the backtracking you have scent everywhere and she is having a hard time going anywhere with it. Karen's tip on giving her something to find is good. I don't use food at all. If the dog is motivated to retrieve, toys work wonders! I thow what they find for mine. They LOVE to retrieve. Then I ask them to go again. Keeps the fun in it! Some will tell you to not get them off of the track, but I have found if they want to play the game nothing stops them except the handler by trying to second guess the dog. BTW Hi Karen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 ok...thanks to all of you who sent such nice PMs and told me to fire away. Sometimes she is red hot, about 12 feet ahead of me on on a nice taught line. Other times she seems to zigzag a lot, almost indecisive, and I have to be careful not to tangle the line. She stays on the track, she just seems well..dithery LOL I think that is word? Sometimes she gets so involved with it she wants to do a loop or The problem is usually on the straight lines, never the turns. She nails those. I reading this again I have a few thoughts - are you too far away from her? She needs confidence but if she starts to wear you need to go up the line and keep her closer and refocus her. 12 feet is a good distance but you may have to adjust accordingly. I agree with Cindy - your triple laying you could be causing too much variable scent and be too hot for her right now. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 As for the harness, I prefer the Premier harness and the light line they make as well. Another vote for the Premier harness, because of the double clips on the shoulders, as shown here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted June 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 I'm only triple layering the corners - 5 yards before, 5 after. That's the part she's ironclad on LOL. Its the long straight lines where she starts wavering. I'm thinking now that the scent is doing different things in the PM since I'm having no problem in the AM lessons. Of course everything is always different when the instructor isn't behind you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 I'm only triple layering the corners - 5 yards before, 5 after. That's the part she's ironclad on LOL. Its the long straight lines where she starts wavering. I'm thinking now that the scent is doing different things in the PM since I'm having no problem in the AM lessons. Of course everything is always different when the instructor isn't behind you OK, if you are triple laying just the corners you could still be causing a mess for her - with drift and the way the scent cones go. Yes, scent is different in the AM than in the PM - moist ground, dew, and your dog is different too. There are many variables to consider, so when you change something make others a slight bit easier. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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