2/9/25. Blind Track at PSP - 3 turns with 3 articles
2/9/25. Blind track at PSP - 3 turns with 3 articles
Go pro view. https://youtu.be/lsrGSHOWDA4?feature=shared
Camera view. https://youtu.be/kekn8Q6LODg?feature=shared
1/19/25. Short tracks around fences and woods
1/19/25. Laid these short tracks one at a time, ran him within 5 minutes and put him in the car to marinate while I laid the next one. Food drops varied between 10-15 steps apart. He got better with each track. Track #1. Struggled at the turn into tall cover https://youtu.be/imxw4lYuoHA?feature=shared Track #2 short track from tall cover to short towards fence https://youtu.be/bA4Q4ZZpGu4?feature=shared Track #3 Between 2 fences towards woods https://youtu.be/R9EverPLGJ8?feature=shared Track #4 Parallel woods and turn away https://youtu.be/88B4jnpOJYc?feature=shared
Were there 2 start flags? I didn't see a second one so I am curious as to why you are restraining him at about one minute 15 seconds at the little dirt path...He checks and you look like you stop him. Maybe I missed the second flag?
ReplyDeleteSome good strong moments. When you use a middle article, make sure you do a restart food drop to reinforcement going back to work - vary its distance but for a dog knew to middle articles you might drop at 10 steps then move it out a bit. Last leg a little wonky, wobbles. I would do a couple of tracks much closer to him.
At the dirt path, I didn’t let him go because his head was up and his tail wasn’t waving.
DeleteI’m willing to admit it might have felt different that it looks…so just MHO. At the start, you restrained…and then when he went in the correct direction it looks like you simply followed? You said he pulled hard, I believe you..I don’t see it. Again, at 1:39, he casts, your feet move…he pulls parallel to the track…your feet move, he takes the track…you go. This was blind, right? So you saw something I’m not seeing? (Which is 100% valid). Ahhhh, I think I see what’s making me squeamish. The pattern should be dog moves, and then handler moves—you let 4-6 feet of line run before you take off after him. It can be 4-10 feet. And this might explain him ‘testing’ other directions—if he has learned if he’s correct you follow, he will happily let you do the work. Each and every time he casts off, insist he take 4-10 feet of line before you follow. And then move back up! Yup, I see it again at the turn. Once you follow, he’s confident and pretty much sticks it. But at the turns, or after a cast/search….he wants you to follow to tell him he’s correct. And this is part of the reason I’m such a stickler about no line on the ground between you and him—if you pull that line back in, you have plenty to let back out! Towards the end, when he’s casting widely, that’s the time to ask your tracklayer to put you ON the track, and not let your feet leave it. And then you’d shorten up, but still ask him to take line when he looks like he’s tracking. Does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteSome questions: When his head goes down, nose hooks in and his tail swishes, I know he is tracking and I automatically follow, but what I should be doing is stand still and let line out? So for my brain, it’s stand still and let line out, if he is still tracking after 10 feet of line, then move and run back up the line until he shows another loss of scent and repeat. If he is pulling off down a dirt path and not tracking, do I restrain him or give him line? I think this is all me not used to having a long line. I will set up a stair case track and practice letting 10 feet of line out before moving.
DeleteAnd on the last leg when he is all over the place , I should have stopped, asked to be put on the track and then restrained him with a short lead so he had to stay on the track?
DeleteGreat questions, and I understand your confusion/frustration—this is a hard period of learning for the handler! So yes, head down, nose hooks in, tail swishes (and I love that you know those), you LET LINE OUT. Think back to that right turn at my house—you stood still 10 feet will cause more problems. Use your long line every day so you learn how to handle it. Develop the self discipline to set days aside when you train line handling/letting him use line, and then most days it just drags…and you keep him at ~10’ or less. Realize, you can be at 4’ at a turn, and let the line run to 14’….and you’ve accomplished the goal. It’s not about X number of feet of line, it’s about letting the dog tell you where the track is.
ReplyDeleteAs far as letting him be wrong….it’s a tough call. IF you know where the track is…let your 10’ out and follow for X number of strides. He casts off within your preset distance? PRAISE, and help him work his way back to the track. If he exceeds your preset distance, stop, say nothing, and again, as he casts you work him back to where he can find the track. If he’s wrong but not showing tracking behavior, stand your ground. You are allowed to read your dog, and the judges can read him too. We recognize a dog who isn’t tracking!
Please don’t run to catch up—walk fast, but watch your dog. You moving quickly may push him forward, so yes, we want you back up close, but carefully, so you don’t influence him and push him past a turn.
Last leg, yes. If my dog is in trouble, I shorten up and keep him correct. Rather than thinking “so he had to stay on the track” let’s say “helping him be correct.” You aren’t restraining to steer, you are limiting options so he can solve the puzzle.
Does this help clear the muddy waters any?
the reason i ask about the second flag on the first leg (start flag +flag @ 30yds) is because when you are running truly blind tracks, the second flag helps YOU support your dog. he leaves the start flag ON TRACK, you let 20 ft of line zip through your fingers, you follow - confidently because you KNOW where the first leg goes in a TD test. if he is not ON TRACK, restrain and wait, he will search it out. confidence on the first leg, a strong start, a strong first turn .... you will soar. so i'm going to assume there was not a second flag on this track.
ReplyDeleteI agree with MAM. Just make sure you approach from an angle, so you aren’t teaching him to gallop straight down the first leg—we want to see proof that he’s tracking when he leaves the start flag.
ReplyDeleteSo much great information in this one! Note to self to remember that Ellen's Feb 9 blog has tons of great info! Ellen, I'll text you to make sure you saw Judi's and MAM's replies. These will be ones I suspect you will revisit a few times.
ReplyDelete