Video of puppy Shane tracking...

[ShatteringGlass]

how do you think he's coming along? He has his moments where he is distracted (those **** BIRDS for example!)but when he is on track hes very focused. For Shane Im using multiple articles on the tracks instead of putting food in each foot step. I've only really started "serious" training since last week. I know in the videos its kinda hard to see us, but try watching it in Full Screen mode. I'd like to hear how you think we are doing, since I've never trained a tracking dog before. Also, how many times a week do you suggest tracking with a puppy? Thanks!!

1st track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l08Us6OjyqI

2nd track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sUA2kD6Aek

[sit,stay]

I really enjoy reading your posts about Shane! I have never owned or worked with a Dal before, but have always admired them.
I am still very much a newbie at tracking, and the training that I am doing with my Tanner is schutzhund style tracking, so please take what I say with a huge grain of salt.
I would not let him work so far in front of you at this point. When he gets lost, it takes you a while to get there to help. Tanner is just now working his body length in front of me. Prior to this point, he was right at my knee and I was right there to keep him on task. This might be more important with schutzhund style tracking where they work with a deep nose and never lift their head off the track? I am still so inexperienced myself that I don't know.
At Shane's age and experience level I would question the length of your track as well. They both seem like fairly long tracks to start off with.
I'll be interested in hearing what more experienced trackers have to say. I think Shane looks like he is interested and you should do well together. I know that I am LOVING my work with Tanner and am finding tracking to be just as addictive as sheep herding.
Sheilah

[jesusica]

I don't know anything about AKC tracking so I can't provide much feedback. What I did notice in the first video (didn't watch the second) is that it looks like your first turn is AT the second article. If this is how AKC is that's fine but I don't think I'd do that with a baby puppy.

Other comments I have are based on a schutzhund background so I don't think they'd be helpful.

[ShatteringGlass]

Originally Posted By: sit,stay
I would not let him work so far in front of you at this point. When he gets lost, it takes you a while to get there to help. Tanner is just now working his body length in front of me. Prior to this point, he was right at my knee and I was right there to keep him on task. This might be more important with schutzhund style tracking where they work with a deep nose and never lift their head off the track? I am still so inexperienced myself that I don't know.
At Shane's age and experience level I would question the length of your track as well. They both seem like fairly long tracks to start off with.

At times I do forget to stay close, so thanks for the reminder! But I also have osgood schlatters disease in my left knee, which makes it difficult for me to stay low and move fast along with Shane. I have the book "Tracking from the Ground Up" which is for AKC tracking, and the author suggests encouraging the puppy, but also let him learn to be an idependent worker, so Im trying to find a balance in between, giving him help and direction when he gets lost or distracted, and also letting him work when he is on track.

These are not his first tracks, so we arent starting off with tracks this size (which are about 45-55 yards) we've been building up the length over about 2 weeks or so. I started foundation work with him when he was 9 weeks, scent pads and very short tracks. If I keep them too short, he uses his eyes to find the article infront of him, so I had to increase the distance so he learns to find it using his nose.

Originally Posted By: jesusicaI don't know anything about AKC tracking so I can't provide much feedback. What I did notice in the first video (didn't watch the second) is that it looks like your first turn is AT the second article. If this is how AKC is that's fine but I don't think I'd do that with a baby puppy.

It wasnt right at the turn, but it was fairly close, I will keep that in mind for the future, thanks!

[GSD07]

I had tiny articles, like pieces of black leather leash, or green metal lid which were truly impossible to find by just looking. Also I used tons of articles to start with and when we reached the point when he started being annoyed with many articles because he wanted to go-go and track, i.e. he completely grasped the concept of tracking and enjoyed the process, then we started using just one article per leg, and once in a while just one article at the end. I never use an article at the place where the turn is made because we are working on nice clean turns.

[Kayos and Havoc]

Very nice working pup!!!

I like that you are not any further away than a 6 ft leash. I would keep working him on a 6 ft leash for another month or so and then when you go to a longer line make him earn it. He only gets more line when he is on the track. You can also raise your arm up to put pressure on the harness as he wanders off track. AS he comes back to the track let your arm come back down. He will associate the pressure with not good and no pressure as good.

Article placement was good, after the turn. I use articles to pull the dog around the turn but you don't want him to cut the corner either. As he gets more confidence move the article further along past the turn.

Very nice job!!!

[ShatteringGlass]

Kathy, thanks for your advice and comments! I think Shane was born to work, I'm glad he didnt go to just a pet home because they probably would of sent him back to the breeder's! LOL

I think he is really starting to "get it". I am seeing improvement every time we go out to track. As far as aging and increasing the distance of the tracks, what would you suggest? Right now the longest aged track he's done is only about 10 minutes. Do I increase the length of the track first, keeping the age short, or keep the length of the track the same and increase age, or a combination of both?

Also articles, do have a certain way you place them or decrease them? Like one article every 10 yards, then increase to 30?

Ive been searching online for articles on tracking without using food in the steps, but I havent found really anything. Any books you would suggest?

[jesusica]

You don't want to get in too much of a pattern with your track laying. He will pick up on it.

He seemed to do better in the second video. And I feel your pain about having to set up a tripod. I do the same and have to settle for a good view of only a portion of the track. I have lots of partial videos of us. Today I was lucky enough to have someone record our entire track which was very, very helpful in reviewing things post track (I keep a log).

[umzilla]

Keep up the great work! Believe it or not, your dog will tell you everything you need to know - you just have to understand what he's telling you. Watching the videos gives you an advantage - sometimes when you are involved in handling it's easy to miss what the dog is "saying".

I love tracking and do both Schutzhund style and AKC style. I use the same foundation for both, but some of that is because I intend to do both - they are very very different.

There is no end to the variety you can do in training for tracking, just remember to always consider how many variables you are introducing at once. Doing the same exact track in the same exact location may seem the same to you, but completely different to your dog if the grass is freshly mowed, it's windy, or the temperature is 20 degrees different than the last time.

Keep up the great work and have fun with your dog!

Christine

[ShatteringGlass]

thanks. I've been recording pretty much all the training Im doing with this pup lol, from our obedience and heeling to tracking. I watch the videos and often see things I didnt realize I was doing, or signals that Shane is giving that I didnt notice at the time.

Im trying to read him as best as I can when tracking, trying to notice if he's confused or really thinking and making decisions. He's never shown any signs of just being too overwhelmed, so I try to introduce small little challenges (increasing the age, adding turns, longer legs without articles) and see how he reacts, if it doesnt work out I backtrack to where he was previously successful and work from there.