Another question - wet grass, snow?

[elisabeth_00117]

Just wondering if anyone tracks on wet grass?

It has been raining for 2 days and we have had a bit of a break and I would like to take Stark out, but have never done it on wet grass before.

Since we have started we have had beautiful weather, cold, but nice and so we have never had to do it on wet grass.

And also, what about snow? Winter is coming and I was just wondering what everyone does for training during this time?

[onyx'girl]

The second time I tracked Karlo(he was 4 months) it was pouring down rain, and his nose was to the ground the whole time.

[elisabeth_00117]

Originally Posted By: onyx'girlThe second time I tracked Karlo(he was 4 months) it was pouring down rain, and his nose was to the ground the whole time.

Thanks!

I wasn't sure if we were going to go out as I want to keep his tracking experiences positive and I try to always end on a good note so I wasn't sure if this would be a set up to fail or not.

I think we will try it though! I may even try to get my sister to come to I can get some photo's to post!

[Castlemaid]

Wet grass actually is easier for them to track on, it holds scents better. That is why a lot of people teach tracking early in the morning with dew on the grass.

A dog should be able to track on snow very well. Keeta will pick up other dogs' scent on hard-packed snow on the road, and I can see her foot-step to foot-step tracking the other dog, even in the coldest weather.

However the risk of doing a lot of tracking in snow is that the dog will stop using his/her nose to find the track, and start looking for the footsteps instead, as it is easier and less work that way.

So I don't mind doing a bit of snow tracking in the fall and spring, but usually stop for the winter. Plus here, we have like 4+ feet of pouffy snow in your average winter, so too hard to lay a track!
(yeah, I'm lazy - hate walking through snow that comes up to my chest )

[elisabeth_00117]

Originally Posted By: CastlemaidWet grass actually is easier for them to track on, it holds scents better. That is why a lot of people teach tracking early in the morning with dew on the grass.

A dog should be able to track on snow very well. Keeta will pick up other dogs' scent on hard-packed snow on the road, and I can see her foot-step to foot-step tracking the other dog, even in the coldest weather.

However the risk of doing a lot of tracking in snow is that the dog will stop using his/her nose to find the track, and start looking for the footsteps instead, as it is easier and less work that way.

So I don't mind doing a bit of snow tracking in the fall and spring, but usually stop for the winter. Plus here, we have like 4+ feet of pouffy snow in your average winter, so too hard to lay a track!
(yeah, I'm lazy - hate walking through snow that comes up to my chest )

Thanks, I think we will head out in about a half hour then!

As for the snow, we just started and I really want to continue training, but we may stop and work on our OB for the winter and then pick up where we left off in the spring. We will still do some scent discrimination training and such indoors though, great way to work that little brain of his.. haha.

We get a lot of snow out here too (not as much as you guys though) and I am not much of a snow girl.. haha..

[Liesje]

I prefer to track on wet/damp grass! I can see my track.

As for snow, we haven't dealt with that yet. I may just track once every few weeks on snow. As it is, Nikon always uses his nose over his eyes, I don't see that being the problem. For example we started training the send out, so my TD had me run to the end of the field, show him his ball, and prop it up on a large dumbell. Nikon charged down there but when he got to the dumbell he was sniffing circles around it! Same type of thing when we play fetch, sometimes he looses the ball in the leaves and I can see it clearly from where I am but he tracks back and forth until he gets it with his nose.

[aubie]

I agree Lies! It does make it much easier to see where you walked!

Wet grass didn't hinder Anna at all. Snow, well, if it does that here in Alabama then we'll be waaay to busy playing in it or preparing for the apocolypse.

[elisabeth_00117]

Well I took Stark out to track this afternoon and it went okay.

There were a lot of distractions and he was very... ummm... buttheadish tonight so I stopped halfway through on a good note and we ended up just running around and playing ball.

I will try again tomorrow since I have the day off again. I think we will go in the morning if it isn't raining after our walk.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, keep them coming!