12/29/23

Stair step style track, but shorter legs than instructor's preferred length, as we only had one soccer field to work on.

I did adhere to the scuff and food drops and identical leg length even though the turns are not a true stair step.

Our start was a challenge...I seem to write that a lot. A GSD was barking at Us as we approached the start area. He stopped as we waited for a family and their dog to leave the area near our end article where the dog was off leash playing with a ball. Rivers game over ball was held by a tracking flag so at least it wasn't stolen.

Finally, River got up to the start article, and downed, facing me. She seems to head out sometimes to the left of the track for a couple of feet, then cuts back to it. She got almost all the turns nicely. Her head would go up, then back down into the track. The 3rd turn was the exception. She did not lift her head or pause, but immediately turned right, cutting the corner by 2 feet. This turn had scuff into the turn only. Thinking about it after, I wonder if she is so used to scuff out of turn that the sudden concentration caused by scuff made her concerned that she had gone too far and passed the turn. It's really interesting as when she shows me her flank or lifts her head too high and I stop, River will check around and then move on in the yes, mom, we go this way.

I was so sad that I had left my new clip on video cam at home on the charger as she was really just so darn precise on this track.

I introduced her to crossing concrete using a covered bench area. Two separate short paths with scuff, food drop mid way across, then food drop a few yards off the edge back on grass. River handled this seamlessly, so I'm likely good to use this to area to link 2 fields together.

Not sure what skill we will focus on over the weekend....starts, possibly with long 1st leg.