It is now Thursday of the first week and I am going to lay another serpentine track for the dogs to do. The big difference this time is that the track will be in the farmer’s corn field next to the house. This track will be a little longer than the one in the yard. I am also sure there will be several deer cross tracks. I also plan on using less food so Dixie will stay focused on the scent. This track is about 200 yards long and has big arcs. We are still not ready to work doglegs or 90 degree turns. The track is flagged! Dixie was very excited and ready to go as she saw me leaving the house with the tracking supplies.
As we approach the track Dixie eyes up the sock and pulls me over there. After a nice sniff she is off on the track. Dixie tracking style at the point is to cast over the track, this can end up causing her some confusion as at times she ends up casting to one side of the track and only makes it to the track, hopefully that makes sense. This could also cause her to completely miss an article on the track; today she missed one of the food drops, simply because she was “casting” off the track at that location. I will try to illustrate what I mean.
It is also pretty apparent that Dixie will correct by turning right, much like she does in agility. So when she loses scent she will turn right and come back around that direction until she re-acquires the track. She continues to get better at taking the food from the food drop and moving on and she is also starting to play a little with the glove.
Ok it is off to get the next dog!
As we approach the track Dixie eyes up the sock and pulls me over there. After a nice sniff she is off on the track. Dixie tracking style at the point is to cast over the track, this can end up causing her some confusion as at times she ends up casting to one side of the track and only makes it to the track, hopefully that makes sense. This could also cause her to completely miss an article on the track; today she missed one of the food drops, simply because she was “casting” off the track at that location. I will try to illustrate what I mean.
It is also pretty apparent that Dixie will correct by turning right, much like she does in agility. So when she loses scent she will turn right and come back around that direction until she re-acquires the track. She continues to get better at taking the food from the food drop and moving on and she is also starting to play a little with the glove.
Ok it is off to get the next dog!