Tracking With Otis

 Turns today. Had planned L-R-L but “farm sitter” had brought farm manager’s dogs to Panorama across the road as we got there @ 6:45 to track. We needed to wait and come back @ 7:30 which was fine but I dropped the third turn (left) as it was warming up quickly. Having a good time/experience paramount. And we did! Good start. Lefts do still seem to be more difficult than rights for him. He circled me twice to locate the left (first) turn but then found it and was in his way. Right turn was a bit open angle and he seemed to find it more easily. Fun with the new article-a luggage tag! 😊 

 2 start tracks today-the 1st with a right turn, the second with a left. He overshot both turns but came back to them. He started well on both and also picked up each article. He enjoyed my pretending not to be able to hold onto the article and having to pick it up for me again receiving more praise and reward of course. Taking water on the track is second nature. He actually takes it from a bottle I hold for him.

 Article track today. Watched a deer cross the track after I laid it while I was on my way back to the car to get Otis. A non issue. Otis really seemed to enjoy the track. He picked up each article, was rewarded and had no problem going back to the track. The final article was one he had never seen before, my father’s wallet. It was the final article, he pawed it and picked it up. A great day! 

 Focus area was distance-200 yards-felt this qualified as distance for him as 1) it was very hot and muggy 2) the track was down a hill and up a hill which is a new skill for him. I was so amazed by how he handled this track. He started with enthusiasm but no bucking. He methodically worked the track and seemed to enjoy what he was doing. He got some of the food but went over some as well. (FD every 10) Article indication: he picked it up and held it. Then he took water before we headed back.

Starts work today: Otis started well on both tracks this morning and did not buck on either track. I scuffed the first 10 of each track and also into and out of each turn. Food drops were at 10 on each. Little to no quartering. He had difficulty on the turn on the 2nd track, worked to the right and continued to work to the right until he went behind me and hit the left turn as he came around. Will be watchful now to see if he continues to have issues with left turns.

Out early early on a very humid morning. Thankful to have a new tracking venue. Article track today. Instead of 25 then FD I scuffed 10 and did a FD. Rest was as plan indicates: 15 A 10 FD 15 A 10 FD…I did 7 articles instead of 10 because of the heat.  Otis did a super job of indicating each article and restarting. Water on the track-he is drinking from a bottle-hard to explain why and how it started but he is not being waterboarded. He puts his head up and drinks his fill.

 Friday AM already very close/humid. Went back to Broadus Wood School and there was a couple there “walking their dog”-a border collie off leash running everywhere. Left and drove to the greenspace beside the church in Earlysville knowing it abuts a neighborhood. There was another bc but it was on leash and walked up on the road away from where we were. Laid a straight line track with as much distance as I could get with the space available. It turned out to be 125 yds. Scuffed the first 10, food drop, then scuffed 5 walked 5 and a food drop. (Contamination likely as it has soccer goals) Put down an intermediate article at 60. My goal is to maintain the skills Otis got during the “season” and to have some fun together in the process. He bucked again at the start then settled tracked well stopping for most of the food drops. His article indication midway and at the end both great as was his restart after the midway article. Have been able this weekend to secure a mown fenced hayfiel...

 Walk up went well but bucking again at the start. Calmed quickly. Track laid on shorter grass in a school yard near a playground. I know that even tho school is out, the area is still in use and likely somewhat contaminated, I did scuff 5 FD and walk 5 FD. Otis tracked well I thought and even tho he overran both turns, he did find his way back. Good for my practice observing loss of scent. The grass thankfully was very wet with dew and I could see the track a good bit of the time. Today was turn day, 2 which he handled well.