Nimrod's Adventures

10 Jan: TDHS back field. 62 degrees. no wind. The field was very wet: shallow puddles, the grass squelching underfoot. 2-R turns.  First turn 70 yards, second and third legs 50 yards. five shuffle steps, five strides, FD, five strides, FD. track laid at 3:35, Run at 4:11. Scent was clearly more difficult perhaps due to how very very wet the field was. At one point, I laid the track through a large shallow puddle. Nimrod had difficulty committing to going through the puddle. I don't think he lost scent, (I boosted the augmentation in the puddle). I walked him back to last point he had scent, he tracked to the edge of the puddle and made a 90 degree turn to parallel the puddle. He did this three times. Finally, I walked him into the puddle. He was able to find the track and proceeded. Nimrod was able to find the track move through it, downing on the article even though his belly got wet. I am more confident with my double lineups: drawing the shape of tree trunks so I can remember.

TDHS back field. 1 turn, 5 shuffle steps, 5 strides, FD, 5 strides. Nim found the end of a hotdog with bun less than a foot from the track. He was able to get back to work. I still need to improve my use of double lineups and ground markers. I am confusing the double line up I used to lay the track, deciduous trunk and pine apex say, with an adjacent deciduous trunk and pine apex.  I track in empty athletic fields and parks, both heavily littered. I'm using litter as ground markers. Water bottle caps are poor markers as they are ubiquitous.  

 Video below is from 12/23. 63 degrees.  Objectives for the track: increase duration of focus, practice turns, deal with distraction Nim stayed in the game, made the four turns with ease (almost seemed accidental), and refocused after distractions. Things we can improve: Article indication, speed and precision of track laying. As is my custom, I tethered Nim near the start of the track, then laid the track.  I don't think I'll do that again in a park.  The track was 350 yrds long, and Nim was out of my sight for much of the track laying.  I was very anxious about some kind person thinking he was abandoned.  It's cool enough for me to leave him in the car.  Safer that way.  

 I've uploaded video of us tracking today.  The video is upside down and somehow; I filmed grass at the interesting bits. I was working on turns and duration.  I laid a 350-yard, top hat which is the longest track we've done.  I was pleased that Nim kept his head in the game for the entire track.  He overran the first turn. I was watching Nim not looking for my next double line up and I let him blow past the turn.  When I saw his LOS, I realized what had happened.  I took him back to the last spot I thought he'd had scent. He found the turn and we were off.  I deeply regret that I have footage of grass for point on the track. I don't see footage of Nim making the turns, but he made them. I'm still holding at ten shuffle steps, five steps, FD.  I liked his focus at this pattern, and he's never run such a long track.  He stayed with the game despite being barked at, low flying panes, and birds on the field. Once again, after taking off the...