12/4/25
Distance track work continues. 44F 66%humidity, partly cloudy.
Aged 1 hour. 2 turns , 1st leg short 50 yds but had puddles across part of it and 2nd leg long about 170 yds, leg 3 was short 50 yds. The Walked track without food drop as River did well on distance track the other day.
First leg and turn went really well. She did not want to walk through the water but her head was up and she appeared to be focused on finding the scent again after each of the puddles.
On to second long leg. The eventual turn was nice once we got to it, but there was a lot of ugly on the 2nd leg. We were going along fine and then she went left and then she continued but then she went right and to me it looked like tracking so I let her go to see if she figured out her mistake. I thought she did but then she wanted to continue so I wouldn’t let her. She perhaps figured out that her track was ahead and abandoned whatever drew her off.
In playing ball afterward with her, I discovered an abandoned or lost fetch dog ball so there had been a dog, person and ball in the area where she strayed from the track. Should I plant a fetch ball near her practice track?
I really don’t think I handled this track properly. I suspect that my instructors will tell me that I shouldn’t have let her go so far off. I was trying to let her figure it out herself but did I allow her to go off too much?
I really will appreciate feedback on this.
Next time, I’ll do another distance track, maybe a food drop after the halfway point of the long leg?
YouTube link
“The Walked track without food drop as River did well on distance track the other day.”
this is such a bad idea. More later in my response.
“then she went right and to me it looked like tracking so I let her go to see if she figured out her mistake.”
If you follow your dog, you have supported her decision—that is, you have told her she is correct. Anne is 100% correct. STAND STILL, and feed line. Whenever she comes towards you, take line in, gradually limiting her options until she takes the track. There is NOTHING gained by “seeing how far she will go.” Once your feet move, you have told her she is correct.
“In playing ball…
And, work the command "leave it" with her AWAY from tracking. Like article indications. So start with something she is not CRAZY about. Say a pack of gum. Leave it. When she does, reward with a MODERATE reward of toy or food. Do not Jack that dog up.
Do not start with a ball as the leave it item. She cannot do it.
Set her up to succeed!!!
I think it is ok to let her search "a known wrong direction" with your feet still and for 40 feet. As she struggles, be shortening the line. When she is correct, support the correct direction by playing four feet of line and then moving your feet. AND, knowing you train in highly used parks means augmenting with scuffs and toe taps and food and fun articles and scent pads. For the love of River, dont eliminate these things as a "test".
Mary Ann
This was definitely interesting to watch - though next time please let us know the video doesn't include the first leg as I thought I was losing my mind for minute 😂. It looked like right around the spot she started to veer off where she found something a bit more reinforcing, there was a ground marker - was that just a leaf or something? Hmm wrong to let her pursue that smell to the right...I can't say that I think wrong is the right word. You made a conscious decision to see what would happen and you gained valuable information. Do I think repeating this again and again would be a great idea, probably not. I think the nex…