Week 60

1/10/2026

On both trackers, the Yellow Line is human + dog cross tracks that happened after I laid mine.

I also lost my paper map...I think I accidentally threw it away with the poop bag. Oops.

• Track 1

  • Located at short grass field running along dog parks and child playgrounds. Lots of human and dog cross tracks.

    • Single laid. 2 Turns: Right & Left

      • Short cut grass.

      • Aged: 60 Minutes

      • 200 yds total.

      • Articles: Start Article: leather glove, Article 2: Leather Wallet, Article 3: Child's Shoe Canvas/Rubber, End Article: Plastic Sunglasses

      • Food Drop Pattern: Shuffle 5 steps -->Walk 20 Paces--> Food Drop -->Walk 20 Paces-->Scuff 5-->Walk 20 Paces--> Food Drop -->Walk 20 --> Scuff 5--> Repeat. 

      • Scent Pad w/Food at 25 Yards, and 5 paces after each turn.

      • Scuff 3 steps into turn, no food on turn.

• Track 2

  • Located at open field surrounded by walking paths. Lots of dog and goose cross tracks.

    • Single laid. 3 Turns: Right, Right, Left.

      • Short cut grass.

      • Aged: 115 Minutes

      • 200 yds total.

      • Articles: Start Article: Cloth Glove, Article 2: Vinyl Glasses Case, Article 3: Plastic Sunglasses, End Article: Leather Wallet

      • Food Drop Pattern: Shuffle 5 steps -->Walk 20 Paces--> Food Drop -->Walk 20 Paces-->Scuff 5-->Walk 20 Paces--> Food Drop -->Walk 20 --> Scuff 5--> Repeat.

      • Scent Pad w/Food at 25 Yards, and 5 paces after each turn.

      • Scuff 3 steps into turn, no food on turn.

        
        

GOAL FOR THE TRACK:

• Honestly, try to get in some Articles along a track with turns because while I have been playing lots of article games and tiny straight tracks, I haven't had the time to get out during the daylight for real practice this week.

• Wren nearly took me out with excitement when she saw me grab her gear to load into the car. She has been bringing me anything in the house that could look like an article all week. Poor girl was bored and wondering why we haven't trained as much this week.

  
  

How did it feel?

• Track 1, I knew she had to go #2 before we started. She half squatted before the track start but decided she was too excited to go. So I expected a bit of the drifting. (I did walk back away from the track to try getting her to go, but little lady is set on holding it when she realizes there is a start flag.

  • I am happy with her articles, as well as the fact she went back to work after her celebratory post potty kicks, all while a dog was passing us on the sidewalk and growling at her.

• Both tracks, I am happy with her desire to keep working, her popping after the articles without prompting (for when she first find them, I am still following the 'indicate 3x before you get to move on' plan from Judi and I think this is helping a lot.

  
  

List three things the dog did well:

1. Getting back to work despite big distractions: Geese honking, having to go potty, dogs (more than once) growling or barking at her in passing.

2. I also proud of her for once again working a well contaminated field.

3. Article indications

   
   

List things you’d like to improve:

1. Not tangling myself in the line at the start. Whoopsy. Also being mindful of not accidentally creating an aversion/negative when she is performing the 3x in a row article indications but keeping the line up above her head so she doesn't get tangled.

2. Mindful track laying. I felt like I had a strong idea in my brain then walked out there and didn't quite follow through. I found myself starting to put down a repeat track for Track 1 but changed it part way through so it didn't copy what I did last week. (That one wasn't posted yet, it ended up being a situation where the field lights got turned off as I started my track and it was pitch black. haha!)