Saturday morning both Tracey and I were up early laying tracks for dogs. We laid 3 beagles (Xan, Sparkle, and Lego) and 2 aussies (Bern and Grace) tracks. Everyone in this group is continuing to improve and looks promising for TDXs (in Bern's case his TD):
- Lego is only practicing starts on aged tracks now so he gets rewarded quickly for starting accurately . I walked into the field and planted his start flag then I took off at an angle from where I walked in. He did really good getting started - I think his best TDX start to date. We plan on trying a more severe start angle next time.
- Grace tracked through the woods again but needed help entering the woods on the first wooded leg but she marched in on the second wooded leg without pausing. Sparkle and Xan also hesitated entering the woods. Once under cover all 3 girles were on their tracks.
- Bern tracked a not quite TD length track that was 50 minutes old. He needed minor help at one turn because he tracked downwind with drifting scent into a grove of trees so we really encouraged him to keep looking when he lost the scent in the grove. Tracey pointed out that he is now keeping is nose down almost all the time and not visually looking for the glove. Since there are fallen leaves in the tracking field, Tracey buries his glove under a pile of leaves so he can't see it which is continuing to reinforce scenting his article.
Welcome 2012! Ready or not the new year is here. I'm still working on a life plan for 2012... dog training goals, balanced living, and the like. I want life to be fun and whimsical but because of lingering physical/health issues from the Amtrak accident I have to take a certain slice of pie in my life very seriously and mindfully. However, if I take care of those parts of me then I'm at my best to enjoy the other slices of pie in my life. So here's to 2012! May my 2012 resolutions become resolved soon!
