Happy Tracking in 2011!

Unfortunately it's been over a year since I've updated Treck's blog. We tracked sporadically in 2010, life just gets in the way sometimes ... work, school, moving (3 times) and astronomical veterinary bills ($2,000 for what wound up being an infected dewclaw) all procluded me from training in earnest. Here's hoping 2011 will run a bit smoother.

Happy belated New Year's to you and yours!

Treck turned 10 on January 31st ...

A pic from Summer 2010 after a dip in the pool ...

Making progress ...

Well, Treck had the summer off from tracking due to his neck injury. We've been slowly getting back into a tracking routine again. At this time we've only been tracking once a week with the schutzhund club.

Twice now I've had other club members lay tracks for Treck using their own articles. This was a great training exercise as Treck either ignored or hesitantly downed for the unknown articles. Since then I've borrowed some of their articles and have left them unscented [I handle them minimally (i.e., only when placing them on the track)]. Also, when I lay his track I make sure I know exactly where I have placed them [I use natural markers (e.g., stick, clump of grass, etc.)] so I can correct him if needed. He has improved quite a lot even with just a few tracks and now recognizes them as articles and downs accordingly.

Although I work full-time and attend college part-time I hope to start tracking him in earnest so that we can go for the TR1. I have decided not to try for the OB titles, the 39" jump and 6' wall are too much for his age and injuries. The CDX, however, might still be a possibility.

Back to it!

Will update shortly with our most recent tracks.

Hiatus

Treck suffered a herniated disc in his neck in an accident, and has to take a break from training for rehab. Just when we were getting somewhere. Frustrating, but I am happy to report he will fully recover.

State Park track

Date: 4/18/09
Time: 12:45 p.m.
Temp.: 75*
Weather: clear, sunny, gorgeous!
Length: 400 paces
Age: 30 minutes
Conditions: uniform grass
Turns: 3
Articles: 1 leather, 1 wood, 1 cloth

Worked on length and age. First two articles not baited, last one was. No problems there. All turns baited. First two turns were no problem, but he cut the corner on the third, something I rarely see him do. I think the light breeze was blowing the scent towards him. Also, maybe the age of the track contributed to this? Had this been a trial I think it would have been a 95-96. Here is a pic I took after we ran the track, I just thought it was neat how you could see the track.

And below is a video I made of the entire track by placing my camera on the hood of my truck. I sped it up double time to make it not quite so tedious! Watch us become little dots on the horizon!

Pics of the surrounding countryside ...

Thoroughbreds on Murmur Farm, Darlington, Maryland.

Dairy cows enjoying the sun.

Athletic field

Date: 4/11/09
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Temp.: 55*
Weather: clear
Length: 215 paces
Age: 5 minutes
Conditions: spring grass
Turns: 6
Articles: 1 cloth

No food on scent pad or first 10 steps. I laid a baited serpentine after the 10 steps to slow him down if his speed quickened. But he maintained a nice, calm speed throughout. Worked on turns, 6 of them, only had trouble at turn #2, searched for about 10 seconds to find it, circled a few times, I let him work it out. Stayed calm, nose down while searching for turn, "good such" when he found the next leg. All turns baited. Also did a step-off exercise on the second leg, the video shows how he handled it. :) I ended the track with the last leg that headed nearly into a large brush pile, I could tell he was working the scent really hard and carefully, nice indication of a baited article.

By the old barn ...

Date: 4/9/09
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Temp.: 56*
Weather: clear
Length: 235 paces
Age: 10 minutes
Conditions: spring/dead grass and corn field
Turns: 2
Articles: 1 leather, 1 wood

Tried the approach to scent pad that Floyd Wilson outlines in his article. Went well. Treck was pretty excited at the beginning and was faster than normal, but had no problems at the first turn. A little "wobbly" on the second leg, first article was great. Worked on staying calm in the 'platz' and calm restart by baiting footsteps directly after article. Worked great, nice and steady restart. Second turn was a tad bit sloppy. Third leg had a change of terrain from grass to corn field. Handled just fine, I was very proud and he continued to work while maneuvering around the corn stalks. Second article, again, was great, worked on staying in the 'platz' until being released, he's a little over eager! :) Both turns baited. And both articles were baited this time as well.