Tracking With Otis

 Planned the track with information from class 12/30 . Leg #1 headed to road and turned away from it. Otis acknowledged then ignored gator going by. ✔️ Was very pleased with his turn away from the road. As soon as Otis made that turn tho he was totally distracted by cars arriving and voices/conversation at a distance preparing for a service at 11 . (I never know when a service is scheduled) Otis had a VERY difficult time returning his attention to the track. His distraction persisted in the second leg until his turn crossed the road and he faced away from the activity. He tracked well and had good article indication on the 4th leg. Came up to but did not try to cross the road on the last leg. My perception while he was tracking and also in watching and rewatching the videos is that he knew where the turns were but did not take them initially?  https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cOVeornr6Ww https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cOVeounrXcV https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cOVeovnrXc6

Put a short track in wooded area on leaves and dirt (no grass) Aged 1 hour. Wanted a positive experience with high reward scent pads (leftover club sandwich meat & cheese) at 5 and 10. Approach and start I thought were consistent with the 3 start tracks we did before Christmas. When I laid this track I did not know there was going to be a natural burial funeral in the space at 11. The distractions preparing for the service when Otis ran the track were great-2 people talking, the gator on the left, traffic on the dirt road to the right. He stopped and ate at both scent pads. Then stopped at the food drop at 30. I did long scuffing steps when I laid the track because of the leaf and dirt cover. He made the turn well and retrieved the article. https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTltDCnYSBg

 3 starts with the goal of having a strong enthusiastic but focused start for each one. In reviewing the videos, I am pleased with our approach, my direction and his reaction at the start. The use of scent pads I know is going to be a positive for him. Track 1: (1 hr) My error in the beginning. I was reaching for the start article and he had already run over the first scent pad. He did acknowledge the 2nd one but did not eat the food drops there. He made the turn and was on the 2nd leg but then was distracted and came off the track. He returned to the track and finished well. Track 2: (1.5 hrs) Missed the first scent pad again so something for me to work on, perhaps putting the first one at 10 and the second one at 15. He made the turn right on then eliminated on the tuft of grass that was at the turn. Distracted, called back to water then back to the track and finished with good article indication. Track 3: (2 hrs) In my opinion the best of the 3. He stopped and ate the food drops...

 Goal for track was to parallel the woods edge. Used scuffing and 3 scent pads at 10, 30 and 55. He did not stop for the scent pads. His start was not strong. I think I need to put the “Ready Steady Find it” back in his start routine. He was not distracted by the woods and did a nice open angle turn at the cedar. He was not always locked onto the track. He had a good road crossing and I thought a nice article indication. https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTll3tnYTaX https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTll3vnYTaT

 Have been having fun playing article games with Otis since our last tracking session 12/3. Will continue to play for fun. Had dropped the ball on maintaining that skill and it showed. Laid a short article track in the snow. Otis was definitely back to enjoying his article retrieve, a bit too much perhaps with the first one. Before the start of this track, however, he was totally distracted by something to the left I couldn’t even see. He eventually started but I feel totally at a loss as to how to “compete” when a visual distraction whatever it is that is that consuming. I called him back to me before the start. Tried multiple ways to get him engaged with me and he would not even look away from whatever it was. Finally started but still without full attention. For the second track over some rocks and into the cemetery he was distracted again at the start. Managed the rocks well and good retrieve at the end. https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTl1r1nYeBA https://go.screenpal.com/watch/...

 Distance track (300 yards) today in variable tall grass and weeds. Planned out the augmentation for what I hoped would be motivation. Used scent pads at 5 and 10 and then at 100, 200 and 295. There was an article at 30 past scent pad at 100 and at 30 past 200. Then the scent pad at 295 was 5 before the turn. I also used food drops and scuffing  across the short grass path and 5 after the turn. Re the turn: Otis was distracted by the woods and lost focus (he had indicated the turn) I called him to me, I watered him, I rescented him. When I changed the tone of my voice, he took the turn.  He sniffed an animal hole but then went on to the article. PS#1 I did not pull his tail 😳   PS #2 I hate Spanish Needles 😖 https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTleDNnqNi2 https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTleDRnqNim https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTlebenqNjY https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTlebfnqNjC https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTlebinqNQ3