Today was the LCCOC tracking trial. The weather was perfect.. cool and wet. The rain stopped just long enough for us to get the tracking trial in. Grace was catalog entry 2 and I managed to draw track 1 for the TDs. When we were walking to the start flag the judges warned me that there might be an extra article on the track. We tracked in the nice field NE of the house. Grace started eagerly and worked through the first couple of turns fine... and then indicated an article (oh no.. A GLOVE) on the track. I held up the glove and the judges gave me the great but that isn't really the end article signal. I explained to Grace that Aunt Mary (Mary Welpton) had laid out 2 things for her to find and she need to find the 2nd glove. She seemed to understand and happily started tracking again (YEAH GRACE). She searched a bit at the last turn near some standing water but marched straight at something along the track and stopped.... our article? a brown washcloth? The washcloth looked clean and dry so I held it high for the judges. Yippee! it was the "glove". Congratulations to Grace.. Tracking Dog.
Tracey had entered both Kazee and Lego. Kazee looked good until a skunk ran into the woods ahead of the direction she was tracking... she lost her concentration and got off her track. Tracey managed to get the first TDX track for Lego. However, the chickens had nested in the haypile near the start flag. One of the loose roosters decided to protect the nest and follow Lego clucking loudly. Poor Lego... he really never could concentrate enough to track far enough beyond the haypile to get tracking. The luck of the draw on the tracks can make a difference... Grace and I had experienced this the previous weekend. Tracey worked both dogs through their tracks.I hope to work Grace toward her TDX and Bern toward his TD. I intend for Bern to track and find his supper a few nights a week. This may provide more motivation if we start with simple track and gradually lengthen them.
