1/6/25

Recap of piecemeal tracking done in prior week.

I found Horseshoe Lake fields in NJ to do some tracks. No video though.

1. 100 yd first leg on track with short grass went past a football tackle sled (extra food drops), then right turn and grass changed to longer weeds. S5W20F10

   positives: tracked beautifully next to the tackle sled, picked up one piece of the three pieces of food dropped, tried to short the right turn but when I waited on her she went further straight and then again pulled me right.

   concern: poor start as she did not immediately head on the track instead was circling around the article and flag even with the scuff at the start. I wasn’t facing the track direction so this cause the slow start?

2. Did 3 starts with single 50 yd leg and added extra food after the scuff from start. Approached from diagonal and faced so I wasn’t in the direction of the track leg and didn’t face the track direction.

   positives: she downed for the articles and then found the track direction fine.

   concern: at the end article she is only partially down for indication as she is so excited to have the tossed ball reward.

3. Did our article game with ball toss reward.

   Outcome: first few, she was only partially down, elbows up, but then she downed all the way finally.

4. Did long straight track crossing pavement path twice extra food before and after path with short grass in between the paths. S5W20F10 No cross tracks from pedestrians at least that I knew of as it was cold & windy.

   positives & concerns: River was right on track from start and she was focused on the track even as we got close to the paths. When she verred off, on the straight leg, I moved behind her and she did get back directly on the track but there was also the food drop near so perhaps I will keep the same SWF pattern. She picked up the first food before the path and then nothing else. On second path crossing, she did sniff and check to her right, but definitely rejected that scent and headed back across the path. She didn’t pick up any food until after she crossed and then went back to get the food dropped after the path. This was really fun to watch. For future path crossing, I’ll go across on a diagonal instead of perpendicular to see how she handles it.

5. This was the advanced start track exercise with right turns. Should this exercise always have the same turn direction or can it be a mix of right and left within T1-4?

   People were doing soccer drills nearby but River didn’t care. Outcome: River was moving quickly on track 1&2. So I was happy she did not go far beyond and miss the turns. I saw her head shift so I stopped and she checked right and went. Then the other tracks she was slowed down by going for the food drops.

Hoping we have at least maintained the level we had been at before my lingering cold hit.