Speed question

aubie · 03-10-2009, 07:12 PM

Okay, so we just did a small second round of training (not much, just two tracks cause I'm sick) and i've noticed Anna goes pretty fast!

I set it up like this: scent pad--6ft--scentpad--7ft--scentpad--90 degree left turn-6ft--scent pad. She blew through it like crazy! She's not interested in treats on the legs, just the pads, but sometimes she misses a pad treat and keeps on going following my trail, after it 'ends' she'll go back and find treats. We did this exact set up twice (different locations).

Question, is she going too fast? Should she be stopping at each scent pad or just let her go at her own pace? When I get her out on her leash and say "go find!" she gets so frickin excited and just goes at it. Any suggestions would be great since I'm just getting started at this, but she seems to LOVE it!

**JKlatsky** · 03-10-2009, 07:49 PM

Just some ideas and I am by no means a tracking expert, and we do Schutzhund tracking which is more precise and stylized than AKC so I'm not sure if there are major theory differences...but when we do our tracks and the dogs start going too fast we eliminate the scent pad at the end and initially we only work with 2 scent pads...one at the end and one at the beginning. I might also take out scent pads in the middle as well.

Basically you don't want them jumping from scent pad to scent pad without really paying attention to the track in between. I will bait corners extra heavy and scuff them up good for young dogs, but I don't put in another scent box. While there is nothing technically wrong with a quick dog, quick dogs sometimes miss things that slower trackers will nail (like corners). Also I think it is possible that major scent deposits like pads with more food can cause your dog to air scent and pick up their head and race to the pad...skipping the actual track.

Another thing I noticed is that you let her go back on the track to find the treats. I wouldn't do that. It's teaching her that she can backtrack on the track and that really looking the first time isn't important and it breaks the forward momentum. So later on in trial I could see it turning into a dog that stops moving forward when she doesn't locate the reward or quits because she can always go back and look for the food later. If my dog skips food on the track they don't get it, and I will actually pull my puppy off the final scent box before they finish because then they have it in their head that they left food behind and will work harder to locate and eat it.

aubie · 03-10-2009, 07:56 PM

Gottcha, thanks for the tips!

LHunter82FXRS · 03-11-2009, 12:37 PM

Thanks for asking this question! I was having the exact same problem with Chico, going fast and skipping some treats.

aubie · 03-11-2009, 12:45 PM

Hopefully this weekend we can get out to the park and I'll do some long tracks minus the multiple scent pads and she how she does. I also need to get her a harness. It's amazing to watch them work though!

LHunter82FXRS · 03-12-2009, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted By: aubie...... It's amazing to watch them work though!

I agree!

aubie · 03-22-2009, 08:52 PM

We went out again today...eliminated the scent pads between the two endpoints, added a lot of turns (which had about 2 treats on each corner) and did four tracks...

Track one: 25 ft, one turn
Track two: 30 ft, two turns
Track three: 40 ft, four turns
Track four: 50 ft, five turns

She still went pretty fast, but she tracked each one pretty perfectly, found the treats in between. I combined her two leashes for a 12 foot lead. We were near a ballpark but she didn't get distracted and just kept on sniffing.

**lhczth** · 03-22-2009, 08:55 PM

You should be able to combine these tracks into 1.

Kayos and Havoc · 04-07-2009, 02:15 PM

Are you teaching articles yet?

I use more than one article on the track and that helps slow the dog down because they are looking (scenting) for articles that they know will earn them a reward.

Many folks use food but if she is running over the food she either is not interested in it, does not need it or it is just a distraction to her.

I have never used scent pads or scuffed turns or double laid tracks. I just take shorter steps til the dog gets the picture.

Using multiple tracks is good to teach the dog starts.

03-10-2009, 07:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
aubie Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,992	Speed question Okay, so we just did a small second round of training (not much, just two tracks cause I'm sick) and i've noticed Anna goes pretty fast! I set it up like this: scent pad--6ft--scentpad--7ft--scentpad--90 degree left turn-6ft--scent pad. She blew through it like crazy! She's not interested in treats on the legs, just the pads, but sometimes she misses a pad treat and keeps on going following my trail, after it 'ends' she'll go back and find treats. We did this exact set up twice (different locations). Question, is she going too fast? Should she be stopping at each scent pad or just let her go at her own pace? When I get her out on her leash and say "go find!" she gets so frickin excited and just goes at it. Any suggestions would be great since I'm just getting started at this, but she seems to LOVE it! __________________ Anna's Dog Blog Rocks! Tiffany; mom to: Annabelle "the Diva"- GSD born 9/21/08 Duncan- Shep Mix adopted on 2/14/00 TDI The kitty amigos: Simon, Alley and Mia

03-10-2009, 07:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
JKlatsky Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 2,985	Re: Speed question Just some ideas and I am by no means a tracking expert, and we do Schutzhund tracking which is more precise and stylized than AKC so I'm not sure if there are major theory differences...but when we do our tracks and the dogs start going too fast we eliminate the scent pad at the end and initially we only work with 2 scent pads...one at the end and one at the beginning. I might also take out scent pads in the middle as well. Basically you don't want them jumping from scent pad to scent pad without really paying attention to the track in between. I will bait corners extra heavy and scuff them up good for young dogs, but I don't put in another scent box. While there is nothing technically wrong with a quick dog, quick dogs sometimes miss things that slower trackers will nail (like corners). Also I think it is possible that major scent deposits like pads with more food can cause your dog to air scent and pick up their head and race to the pad...skipping the actual track. Another thing I noticed is that you let her go back on the track to find the treats. I wouldn't do that. It's teaching her that she can backtrack on the track and that really looking the first time isn't important and it breaks the forward momentum. So later on in trial I could see it turning into a dog that stops moving forward when she doesn't locate the reward or quits because she can always go back and look for the food later. If my dog skips food on the track they don't get it, and I will actually pull my puppy off the final scent box before they finish because then they have it in their head that they left food behind and will work harder to locate and eat it. __________________ Argos vom Eisernen Loewen VPG1, CGC, TC 3-3-07 Bianka vom Eisernen Loewen BH, CGC, TC 1-3-08 Cade vom Eisernen Loewen CGC 3-25-09 D'Artagnan (Tag) vom Eisernen Loewen 2-2-10 G Aiko von Burkndeiros SchH 3, IPO3, FH, TC, KKL2 9-17-02

03-10-2009, 07:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
aubie Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,992	Re: Speed question Gottcha, thanks for the tips! __________________ Anna's Dog Blog Rocks! Tiffany; mom to: Annabelle "the Diva"- GSD born 9/21/08 Duncan- Shep Mix adopted on 2/14/00 TDI The kitty amigos: Simon, Alley and Mia

03-11-2009, 12:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
LHunter82FXRS Master Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 950	Re: Speed question Thanks for asking this question! I was having the exact same problem with Chico, going fast and skipping some treats. __________________ Chico-GSD-10/13/2007

03-11-2009, 12:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
aubie Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,992	Re: Speed question Hopefully this weekend we can get out to the park and I'll do some long tracks minus the multiple scent pads and she how she does. I also need to get her a harness. It's amazing to watch them work though! __________________ Anna's Dog Blog Rocks! Tiffany; mom to: Annabelle "the Diva"- GSD born 9/21/08 Duncan- Shep Mix adopted on 2/14/00 TDI The kitty amigos: Simon, Alley and Mia

03-22-2009, 08:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
aubie Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,992	Re: Speed question We went out again today...eliminated the scent pads between the two endpoints, added a lot of turns (which had about 2 treats on each corner) and did four tracks... Track one: 25 ft, one turn Track two: 30 ft, two turns Track three: 40 ft, four turns Track four: 50 ft, five turns She still went pretty fast, but she tracked each one pretty perfectly, found the treats in between. I combined her two leashes for a 12 foot lead. We were near a ballpark but she didn't get distracted and just kept on sniffing. __________________ Anna's Dog Blog Rocks! Tiffany; mom to: Annabelle "the Diva"- GSD born 9/21/08 Duncan- Shep Mix adopted on 2/14/00 TDI The kitty amigos: Simon, Alley and Mia

03-22-2009, 08:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
lhczth Administrator & LOTR Addict Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 11,698	Re: Speed question You should be able to combine these tracks into 1. __________________ Lisa Clark Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs *South Michigan SchH and Police Club*

04-07-2009, 02:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
Kayos and Havoc Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: McAlester, OK Posts: 16,921	Re: Speed question Are you teaching articles yet? I use more than one article on the track and that helps slow the dog down because they are looking (scenting) for articles that they know will earn them a reward. Many folks use food but if she is running over the food she either is not interested in it, does not need it or it is just a distraction to her. I have never used scent pads or scuffed turns or double laid tracks. I just take shorter steps til the dog gets the picture. Using multiple tracks is good to teach the dog starts. __________________ Kathy The Wrecking Crew URO3, UCD "Kayos" CD,TDX,RE,CGC,HIC,TC URO1, UCD "Havoc" CDX,GN,RE,CGC,HIC,TC,BH At the Bridge: Lucky, Wolf, Max Gone but never forgotten

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