Blog for March 2nd

200 yard, 2-90 degree R turns, FD every 15 steps, bag drag throughout. It was cold, no wind, the track was only 15 minutes old

Objectives: focus on line handling, build Nimrod's confidence, shorten the time between distraction and return to work.

Things that went well: Nimrod returned to tracking after being distracted with only a verbal que. Nimrod only needed to be reminded to 'get back to work' twice. Nimrod downed without prompting at the articles. Nimrod moved with confidence.

Objectives for next training: Use a field with more distractions. Use sausage as FD. Keep bag drag, keep FD at 15 steps, use the same track configuration and length. If Nimrod manages distractions, I'll start using the bag drag every other 15 steps.

 

Comments

  1. JudiMarch 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM

    I’m arguing with myself. I’m not sure a field with more distractions is a good idea. I hear where you are coming from….I’m just afraid we are setting him up to fail. He returned to work when asked, downed on his articles, and moved confidently. Let’s make the next session a bit easier (so he feels powerful and smart and strong), and then return to this site. We can increase the difficulty when he has more successes under his belt. This sounds like a great day.

    Hoping Mary Ann will weigh in, she’s used drag bags more than I have. I’m not sure if I’d wean drag bag or FD first…and I’m not sure how she weans drag bag.

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  2. Jack's JourneyMarch 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM

    I agree, I would plot the next track in an area with LESS distractions. Remember hard/easy/hard/etc. If you can repeat the same pattern in a less distracting place - perfect. If he manages the distractions, then yes - begin to 'lift' the drag bag in areas where you are going to put a food drop. So while we wean from the bag, we support with the food drop. In ideal world, you would put a flag in where you lift the bag so you can collect data on his success as he moves into and out of the drag plume - but that is a lot to carry and keep up with. So shoot for a couple of areas (to lift) that you can make a mental note on. Use the bag drag AND the food drops going into and out of turns - five yards going in and five yards going out. When he nails that, you can just use food only on the turns and see how the turns go. Sounds like the drag bag has helped him get the 'idea' ! And congratulations on the article indications!

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