Week 50 - Practice 1

10/27/2025

We had a blast today. Just a couple of goobers throwing around articles, tugging, and playing chaise after our tracks. haha! I am pretty sure there were a few park goers confused by a woman in her 30s dramatically running and falling down as a pint sized fluffy dog tackles her for a glove.

• Track 1

  • Weather: 62F, 51% Humidity, Spotty Rain/ Cloudy, Wind E12mph, Gusts of 21MPH.

  • Located at open field that is frequented by Dogs and Humans.

  • I am working mostly 10-15feet down the line from Wren. More given at turns when she circles.

    • Track One - Single laid. 2 Turns: 90° Right, 90° Left

      • Short cut field.

      • Laid: 1:11pm / Ran: 1:30 pm

      • Aged: 20 Minutes

      • 190 yds

      • Start Article: glove (cloth), End Article: Glove (leather)

      • Food Drop Pattern: Shuffle 10 paces, Walk 5 paces, 1 food drop on step 3 of the walk pattern, repeat.

• Track 2

  • Weather: 62F, 51% Humidity, Spotty Rain/ Cloudy, Wind E12mph, Gusts of 21MPH.

  • Located at open field that is frequented by Dogs and Humans.

  • I am working mostly 10-15feet down the line from Wren. More given at turns when she circles.

    • Track One - Single laid. 1 Turn: Open Left

      • Short cut field.

      • Laid: 1:40pm / Ran: 2:00 pm

      • Aged: 20 Minutes

      • 200 yds

      • Start Article: glove (cloth), End Article: wallet (leather)

      • Food Drop Pattern: Shuffle 10 paces, Walk 5 paces, 1 food drop on step 3 of the walk pattern, repeat.

      • 1 extra drop in center of the grass road/path

GOAL FOR THE TRACK:

• Continue working on Single Lay Tracks.

• Combine elements we have been working on consistently through the year. We have done a combo of these elements in smaller bites

• Practice on a cold windy day.

  
  

How did it feel?

• Felt pretty good

  • A new element for us to work through that has started in October: Marking behavior. Wren historically has not been into marking/not super concerned in dog pee spots. This month, she had started marking behaviors in our yard with her 'big sister Stella' as well as on walks. I now see her starting to leave tracks to mark if a pee spot is close by.

List three things the dog did well:

1. Wren worked well with loud cars just out of sight, vultures, crows trying to land by us, and the wind!

2. Though I am lacking my knowledge on how to work her past this new marking behavior (Pee spots are hard since I can't see them when laying a track, unlike poop spots I can see to lay down rewards for passing) I feel she does well getting back to work after finishing her little side quest of peeing.

3. Her articles are getting better. I think my end goal is picking up/pawing at it and looking back at me. (similar to team Otis last year during class) I would love to talk more about this in person as I have suddenly realized I'm not sure how well this indication will work with small/flat objects in future hopeful VST dreams... (Will she hurt her teeth on asphalt, etc.)

   
   

List things you’d like to improve:

1. OK I THINK I have narrowed down what had been strange with my hands recently in my line handling.

   1. Earlier in the year, My non dominant (Right) hand was staying stretched out to hold the line ahead of me, and my dominant (Left) hand was staying close to my side to reel in/play out line. Similar to what you see a rock climbing 'Belay' person utilize.

      1. Recently, super gross bad line handling, I had stopped using that 'Belay' style and been double hand out front reeling and playing with both arms out instead of one. Now I know what I am doing, I will be fixing that my next tracking practice!

         I realized what I was doing weird these past 2 months of practice after watching my video tonight.

         
         

Goal for next track:

• Continue working on that article indication being consistent.

• Better handler support, bettering my ability to make her more interested in the track vs outside smells.