Week 63 - Practices 1,2,3

January 27, 28, & 29

January 27, Tracking on a ice field on base. We went to base to drop Elliott off, and decided to go for a walk. Most of the paths have some sort of ice treatment, so I put on her booties. She wears these on hot asphalt, ice walks where there might be chemicals for sidewalks, and playing in sharp areas, so she is quite used to them. I decided to leave them on when I put in 2 small tracks because the ice was hard/sharp when I pressed my hand to it. Double laid, 2 straight, short, tracks. food spaced every 15 - 20 steps instead of scuffing, walk pattern like my other tracks due to the odd 'ground cover'. No start articles because I wanted to support her moving on into tracking, and was unsure how she would like tracking on the crunchy ice vs just playing like we usually do.

• January 27th, 2 Tracks, Both set up the same.

  • Located at short grass field. Some human cross tracks from earlier hours

    • Double laid. Straight for 2 Tracks.

      • Ice with some grass, mostly firm ice sheets.

      • Aged: 30 Minutes

      • 85 Yards Track 1, 70 Yards Track 2 = 155 Yards total

      • Articles: Only an End article each track, NO Start Articles.

      • Pattern: No Start Article, Scent pad with food --> 15-20 steps --> Food -->15-20 steps -->Food -->repeat
        

  January 28, Tracking a single turn at the NN disc golf field. I didn't have a lot of time, so we did just one track with the further spaced food pattern. Scuff 5, walk 35, food, walk 35, scuff 5, walk 35, food. repeat.

• January 28th, 1 Track

  • Located at open field very recent human and dog cross tracks.

    • Single laid. 1 Open Left Turn.

      • Short cut grass/ice/melt.

      • Aged: 45 Minutes

      • 175 yds total.

      • Articles: Start Article & End Article

      • Food Drop Pattern: Shuffle 5 steps -->Walk 35 Paces--> Food Drop -->Walk 35 Paces-->Scuff 5-->Walk 35 Paces--> Food Drop -->Walk 35 --> Scuff 5--> Repeat. 

      • Turn: Scuff 5 out of turn--> walk 5--> Food.
        

• January 29, Back at NN disc golf field. I Dropped off Elliott for work, due to our second vehicle not cranking. So we played articles game 'can you' in the big open field. No prompting for her to find the items. We had a lot of fun running around and playing.

GOAL FOR THE TRACKS:

• Practice an unusual weather occurrence that we might see one day (ice and later warmer days with ice melts)

• Keep things light, fun, and ending while she still wants more.
  

How did it feel?

• They felt great!

  • I am very proud of her, and feel these little sessions for fun were a nice pop back up after she was a little frustrated last time. (an unintentional training set up last time. I had planned that last post to be a nice mild work too) SO I am extra happy these 3 days were fun fun fun! and that she was wanting more more more!
    

List three things the dog did well:

1. Articles!

2. Staying closer to 'true' to the track center, verse to the side. I had decided for 'Training' I want to keep us working within 1 stride of the track, no further side to side, when she is 'tracking' straight verse circling to find a turn/track.

3. Working like a little machine despite unusual conditions. She loves this game, I love this game, and I love that we can both love this game together.

   
   

List things you’d like to improve:

1. I know on Jan 27, I was moving my hands too much. I forgot my gloves and my fingers were protesting after our long walk in the cold before tracking. Ha!

2. Line tension, it was not the most consistent, I will be better in reminding myself next time.
   

https://youtu.be/CGVQjY1em3g