Fall #9

 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 that these bales might have what I guess may have been the contamination factor. The track passed within 2 feet of 2 different bales on the track. Both times these bales pulled him off the track for lots of scenting. 




Comments

  1. JudiNovember 15, 2024 at 5:21 PM

    Round bales hold a ton of scent—the hay smell, and probably mice. And they are a frequent decoration in TD fields, so good that you’re both learning to handle them. Might want to make a day of simple straight tracks, each one past a hay bale. Scuff past it, food drop (big one) or article 3-5 yards past the bale. If he needs to mark the bale, let him…just ask him to return to work, which will be rewarded by the track. Love the way you handled the toothbrush—perfect!

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