Tracking With Otis

 51 degrees Foggy and damp Laid @ 8:45, ran @ 9:05 150 yards Scent pads at 50 and 100 Glove at end Goal: not be an anchor but follow with consistent gentle pressure Started well and stayed true to the track; I had to get myself in gear and not be a “drag” He stopped for the extra food at the scent pads but motored over I’d say 80% of the other food drops. I consciously added more play for the article.

 

 26 degrees 4 MPH 63%  100 yards S5W5FD  Otis first start with an article. I picked it up, did a food drop, said “Find it” and he took off. I tried (and think for the most part succeeded) to follow with constant light pressure. Continue to use a 6 ft lead. O ignored 50% or more of the food drops this AM. Played with article dropping, rewarding pick up. 

50 degrees Windy Wet with some standing water  Track 1: 100 yards S5 W5 FD pattern; ran at 20 minutes; I frustrated him by applying too much pressure/tension on the line and he reacted with some bucking and whining. He tracked well to the end (the longest single track he had ever done) including going through two spots of standing water New place New tracklayer Windy Wet: pleased with how he handled the challenges Track 2: 100 yards S5 W5 FD pattern Clip Open angle left then 30 yards; ran at 30 minutes; nice job running the track and I did a better job of applying less tension/pressure; learning to read his loss of scent behaviors on the turn

 28 degrees Sunny 48% humidity Wind 3MPH Frost Otis anxious to get to the flag and get started-bringing him in at an angle and he finds the track Track 1: S5 W5 FD X 10 Clip S5 Open angle right S5 FD  S5 W5 FD X 6 Track2: S5 W5 FD X 5 Clip S5 Right turn S5 FD S5 W5 FD X 5 Neither turn seemed to be an issue; picks up article and shakes it; harness off and play with rabbit skin

 32 degrees Cloudy Wind 6MPH Humidity 52% Damp grass/ground Track 1: S5 W5 FD X 6 Clip S5 Open angle right S5 FD S5 W5 FD X 4 Much less casting today on all 3 tracks (no trace of vultures or carrion in the field) Article play amped up today None of the 3 turns seemed to be a problem. I am carrying a long lead so after taking off his harness when he’s finished all 3 tracks he has a great time going after a rabbit skin toy I keep in my vest Track 2: S5 W5 FD X 4 Clip S5 Open angle left S5 FD S5 W5 FD X 6 Track 3: S5 W5 FD X 5 Clip S5 Right turn S5 FD S5 W5 FD X 5

 37 degrees Cloudy 63% humidity Wet ground from 2” rain (no standing water) Track 1: Scuff 5 Walk 5 FD Repeated 10X Open angle left turn Repeated pattern 4X More casting on both tracks this AM than he has been doing; I deliberately planned and placed the tracks a good distance from the carrion of the deer from the Saturday track. There were a good number of turkey vultures however flying at a distance and they proved to be quite a distraction for this sighthound on this track and the second one. I waited it out and he finally came back to the track. Turns good. Track 2: Scuff 5 Walk 5 FD Repeated 7X Open angle right turn Repeated pattern 4X

 30 degrees Frost 0 wind 81% humidity Clear Laid 8:35 Ran 9:10 Track 1: Scuff 5 Walk 5 FD Repeated 10X Clip Scuff 5 Open angle right turn Scuff 5 Walk 5 FD Repeated 5X Article.    This was a new scuff walk pattern and 2nd time for open angle turns. Seemed “on” and no issues with pattern (less food on track) or turn Track 2: Same as Track 1 with open angle left turn. As I was laying this track on the 2nd leg well camouflaged about 10 feet off the track was a deer with hindquarters partially eaten, still breathing When Otis ran the track he tracked well made the turn well then I had to walk him past the deer (totally lost focus) pick up the clip and article and go to Track 3 Track 3: Same as Track 1 and 2 but with a right right angle turn. Again no issue with the pattern or the turn-his first right angle turn.  While he was tracking (tracks within sight of the road) cars and trucks come by, no distraction, a runner came by. He looked up then went back to the track. Two...

 32 degrees Damp grass Calm wind Humidity 49%  Partly Cloudy Laid 8:47 Ran 9:15 2 tracks: Track 1 S5 FD S5 W3 FD W2 Repeated this pattern 4X then put in a clip, scuffed 5 and did an open angle turn to the left scuffed 30 with a FD every 5 Camo glove  No issues with the track or the turn barely indicated a loss of scent (and no tantrums) Track 2 Same as Track 1 except open angle turn was to the right; again no issues and no tantrums O picked up the articles, had the food inside, played with Redman’s rabbit skin on the way back to the car

 55 degrees Wet grass No wind Humidity 86% Cloudy Track laid 8:07 Ran 8:27 Tracks all the “new” pattern today: S5 FD S5 W3 FD W2 Well this morning I got so wrapped up in the great double line up I was watching, chimney of house with deciduous tree behind it, that I didn’t stop at 3 repetitions but kept going until I’d done 2 more repetitions so at that point just added 2 more to that ie I repeated the pattern 7X (instead of 3X then 4X 😳) Otis had no problem with this track then did the track with 5 repetitions. Stayed true to the track with minimal casting. Lots of chasing and playing with the articles and getting his just rewards! Was so pleased with his scenting (sound of flews working) and dedication to the tracks today-good boy!

 32 degrees 31% humidity Wind calm Pattern: S5 FD S5 W3 FD W2  S5 FD S5 W2 FD W1 S5 FD S5 W3 FD W2 Track 1: Repeated 3X. Track2: Repeated 4X. Track 3: Repeated 5X Track 1 began with what I would call a tantrum. Jumping, whining, pulling in all directions. I stood facing the track saying nothing. Otis did calm on his own then settled into following the track. There was no more of that behavior on the rest of Track 1 or Tracks 2 or 3. He would go to either side of the tracks by a foot or less at times then be drawn back. Oftentimes he tracked over food drops. He picked up each article and shook it.