Yay for Shane!(long)

[ShatteringGlass]

I've been a bad Mom, I hadn't tracked with Shane in about 2 1/2 weeks I was so busy getting ready for the big Dalmatian specialty, I just couldnt find the time.

So I took Shane out to work last night, I was running errands and the sun was going down, but I already told Shane we would go tracking. So I pulled up to a park that has LOTS of people and dogs there during the day, and even though it was getting dark, there was still quite a few people and dogs there. So I laid a track that was about 210 yards, over short grass and even some dirt areas, with 3 turns and on the last leg it went over a sidewalk. I didnt have much time to age it, only about 5-8 minutes because it was getting so dark. He followed it like a pro! I thought he would of been thrown off with all the other smells of people and dogs, and even going over the pavement, but he had no problems!

So tonight we went out again, to a different place. A big conservation area that has 2 large fields near the parking area. We did 2 tracks tonight.

The first track was the biggest he's ever done, about 340 yards. It had 4 turns and stayed on long grass that had been mowed sometime recently as there was dried clippings everywhere. As I finished laying it and was walking back, some guy came on the field and was running around with his lab near the start flag and on the first leg! I let it age only about 10 minutes, I didnt want to push it too much since we hadnt tracked in a few weeks. Again, the spotty boy did an amazing job! He had no problems on the first leg where the guy had run around with his lab. He's really starting to pay attention to the turns, I can see the wheels turning. On the straight legs, I can give him so much more lead and he's right on the money. On the turns, I shorten up the lead to help him.

The second track was shorter, about 250 yards, on the same kind of grass, but also some mud areas and uneaven surface where a tractor's tires had made some dips and such, with 2 turns. I let this one age about 20 minutes. Again, he did great and I could give him the full length of his 6 foot leash on the straight legs. He did get a bit lost for a moment on the second leg after the first turn, but he worked it out and got right back on track and did the second turn very well. On the last leg, we were facing towards a community garden, and this caught his attention a bit (even thought there were no people in there!) so he got a little distracted but managed to regain his focus and find the last article.

So pleased with this little boy!

[Jason L]

Damnit, what are you feeding this boy??

My dog is still on scent pad and sometimes even that confuses him ...

[LHunter82FXRS]

Way to go Shane!!

[ShatteringGlass]

Originally Posted By: Jason LinDamnit, what are you feeding this boy??

My dog is still on scent pad and sometimes even that confuses him ...

LOL. How long have you been tracking with him? Because I started Shane when he was only 9-10 weeks old, which was around the end of May/begining of June. So we've been tracking for a little over 3 months now. I didnt really use the scent pad method/food on the track to train him. I think I did only about 4 scent pads when we started.

[Jason L]

Kelly,

So you don't bait the track AT ALL?

We've only been at it for a month (Obie is 12 months old). I think I need to get off scent pads. He keeps thinking the scent pad leads somewhere and wander off and then he can't find his way back to the pad - and before I started planting a starting flag sometimes I would lose it myself.

"Dude, you remember where the pad was?"
"No, dude, I was just going ask you the same thing!"
"Huh ... now what?"
"I dunno. Go home?"

[ShatteringGlass]

Jason, you're right, I don't bait the track at all. At first I would leave food only at the articles, now when he finds the articles he sits and then I feed him by hand. When we did our very first straight baby tracks, I went to all the trouble of putting food in each foot step, and he pretty much blew them off and went right for the article. So I took advantage of this and made the tracks a little longer so he couldnt see the article at the end, and encouraged him to sniff and stayed very close with him to help him stay on track. He started getting the idea VERY quickly.

KathyW trains without baited footsteps and has much better advice and way more experience! Shane is my first real tracking dog, I tried a little with Sydney but shes retired now, so I am quite the novice when it comes this stuff!

[Jason L]

So what do you do if Shane goes too fast (chasing after the scent)?

[ShatteringGlass]

Right now he's got a good speed down, like a walk down the street kinda speed. I keep it at that when he's on the straight legs and I let him pull into the harness. When we come up on a turn, I shorten up the lead and slow down a little bit. He's never really tried to run down the track.

[Kayos and Havoc]

Outstanding Shane!!!! Sounds like you have a tracking dog!

[elisabeth_00117]

Kelly,

What you are doing with Shane is amazing!

I always look forward to watching your videos and reading your post.

Great job!