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Showing posts from November, 2024

Fall #15

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 Cold and windy morning. 10 article track laid according to directions. Otis stayed true to track. He was animated and retrieved each article to my left receiving high value food from my right. His restart after each retrieval was strong. He pawed the toothbrush and picked it up. Was curious how he would handle the credit card-picked it up, too! A happy walk back to the car for water and a trip to Panorama to run.

Fall #14

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 Today’s focus was turns. It was a very windy day and I laid the track at Panorama which always seems to be windy even when there is no wind elsewhere. I laid a top hat track. Otis seemed to find the legs challenging. He would stop and seem to lose scent and take longer than usual to get back to work. Thinking I should have shortened the distance between the food drops given the wind. Will put that in my Rolodex.  He crossed the road both times very well. I had put a food drop on the other side of each crossing. He also did quite well on each of the four turns. I pushed the article partially under some longer grass and he found it. He was proud and so was I! 

Fall #13

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 Track goal was Starts (2) in unfamiliar area with distractions Planned start tracks at Hollymead Town Center at the parking area for Kohl’s. This was Otis’ first experience in a commercial area with distractions. I purposely went early to lay the tracks before there were the additional distractions of cars parking and people talking, going into the store. The tracks were in sight of Route 29 and traffic. They went through a lot of dried grass with trash scattered here and there proximate to the track. I scuffed the start of each track and also scuffed going into and coming out of each turn. I upped the frequency of food drops from 15, 20 to 10, 15. Otis’ starts were strong and unwavering. As he passed unusual smells or trash he would turn to check out the smell or trash then go right back to the track. May not make sense but…this was one of the best experiences I’ve had in viewing his “on the track” behavior/body language vs stopping to “smell the roses.” I was so proud of the way...

Fall #12

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 Today’s track goal was distance/duration. This straight line track was the longest he had ever done at 414 yards. It was windy blowing across the track. The wind did take Otis off a bit consistently to the right but the food drops at 15 and 20 always brought him back to right on. His start was strong without bucking. He tracked with energy and managed passing a roll hay bale with little more than an extra sniff and leg raise before getting back to work. I did put a larger food drop in the track beyond the bale. Otis stopped briefly at a major change in cover (photo) When he started in the right direction I quickly went with him. He loved the tall weeds, Spanish needles and high grass! His tracking was even stronger. I assume the length was holding more scent? There was evidence of quite a few bedding down areas most likely for deer. Put one of the 3 intermediate articles in this area and Otis was right on. Retrieves were high energy today. I was so pleased with the way Otis handle...

Fall #11

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 Tracking again tomorrow after a day off today BUT before I got up this morning I was lying in bed remembering yesterday and our article games at the end. I think Otis has a good retrieve indication but I wanted to put even more fun and joy into it! Thought of a game to do on our farm walk today. Otis, when we start, usually takes big loops around the field. That gave me time to drop 3 articles on the path we always come up when we come out. Fast forward as we’re leaving and heading up that path (he’s always ahead of me) he saw an article, stopped and looked back at me, threw it up in the air, caught it and ran back to me presenting it as he does at the end of the track. I had pocketed high value food before we left. So he got that and we both had so much fun! He turned around, saw another and ran back with it then whirled  around I think to see if there was another, which there was. What a great time we had! Looking forward to thinking of more ways to ⬆️ the joy.

Fall #10

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 11/15/24 Track goal: Distance 415 yds FD @ 12, 14 Intermediate articles on 1st and 3rd legs. Weather damp, overcast, wet grass, perfect. Otis was high as a kite at the start (did not rev him up with my voice) and bucking. I didn’t play into the bucking and used a quiet calm tone when we got to the first (intermediate) article on the first leg. He re-started more calmly and by the end of the first leg he was tracking more methodically but still with enthusiasm. He slightly overshot both turns and but came right back to the track both times. He tracked over multiple food drops placed at 12 and 14. As suggested I will wean food drops to 15 and 20 on the next track. He does at times stop, look around and whine. Doesn’t seem to be that he’s frustrated as he then goes back to the track. Will be interested to get the opinion of others when they observe. Article indication: indicated, picked up held to left, rewarded with right. Watered. When following an advanced dog as they worked and l...

Fall #9

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 Article indication track-used some new to Otis articles, a silicone canned food lid and a toothbrush. The other 8 articles and the silicone lid were picked up, given to my left hand and rewarded from my right, a good consistent indication for each one. Otis stopped and looked at the toothbrush, pawed it, tried to pick it up but must not have liked the feel of it so after several tries at picking it up, I put it in his mouth told him he was a good boy, took it and rewarded him. I put it back down and he picked it up himself. ;-) The track had an easy double line up-a deciduous tree behind a roll hay bale. The field had been baled recently with the customary large bales placed at varying distances around the farm fields where we track. There are some in the field/by the path where Otis runs each day. Initially he was afraid of them so we had taken time to explore, investigate and familiarize with them. I didn’t think (ugh!) when I was laying this article track in a different field t...

Fall #8

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 Breeden’s field, cloudy morning that turned sunny before Otis ran the track. There was bad news and good news: as somewhat bad news the bucking was back on the first leg BUT it was good news too, I think, because it was his enthusiasm for tracking after not having tracked for 2+ weeks. By the second leg he had settled down and tracked more methodically, The food drops were at 12 and 14. He found/ate I’d estimate about half of them. Turns-2 right and 1 left-were made well. Article was picked up and held for reward at end of track. Watered and lots of praise for a job well done!