Notes from tracking on December 31:  We tracked on the ball field of Carver Academy. I set 40,50- and 60-yard tracks using a double line up with FD every 2 strides and no article at the end. The grass cover was patchy. The first and third tracks were laid on a fair amount of packed sand. The third track had a few deer tracks in it. When tracking on the packed sand Nimrod tracked about four feet to the left of the track. I could plainly see the food drops. He didn't indicate loss of scent, and he was going in the correct direction, so I let him carry on.

On the first track he got very distracted by an open trash receptacle (not in the frame). I hadn't noted its proximity while laying the track. I threw food on the track, and he got back to work.  

We continue to work article games separate from tracking. I'm getting an unprompted down some of the time. I work the article games in microbursts, maybe three repetitions of "oops I dropped it" and one pass at an article track repeated throughout the day. 

Comments

  1. Jack's JourneyJanuary 1, 2025 at 3:48 PM

    glad you tossed some food out to help him get by the trash receptacle. when laying the track, you can also increase your food drops or put a jack pot beyond a particular 'challenge' like the trash. i , love the microburst idea - yes, leaving him wanting more of that fun game. 40, 50, 60 today, 50, 60 70 next time!

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  2. Jack's JourneyJanuary 1, 2025 at 3:57 PM

    so glad you are not using articles on these straight lines. i would say that you could be 'top loading' both the start and the end of these lines. so when you lay them let's say you drop one piece at the start and the end and certainly in between. as you approach the start flag, you could take five pieces of treats and toss it on top of the one treat at the start flag - build a little interest and drive. then as he approaches the end flag, gather five more pieces and as he gets to that end flag, toss those five at the base of that flag. celebrate the ending, offer water, unhook from harness to collar to walk back to car, etc.

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