How often do you track?

ShatteringGlass · 11-01-2009, 07:40 PM

Just curious, for those who do AKC tracking, how often do you track your dog? And do you notice any differences in how well they track in relation to how often you track?

Now that Shane is almost doing TD tracks (last one he did was about 400 yards, 3 turns, and aged 40 minutes) I have noticed he tracks much better if we dont track more than twice a week. One time I didnt track him for almost 3 weeks due to a crazy schedual, and when finally I laid a track for him (in 2-3 foot tall thick grass and it was raining) and he did the best track he'd EVER done!

**Samba** · 11-01-2009, 08:08 PM

Well, I have found that in many of these training endeavors, that once you have the foundation built....less is more. You can build drive and intensity if the dog has not been overworked.

I have found this in obedience too. People sometimes ask my training friend and I what our secret is and we have to tell them something silly..."we don't train".
Now of course, you have to train the behaviors, but you can sure sour anything with overdoing it. I think it probably very much depends on the individual dog as to what is the right amount.

Liesje · 11-03-2009, 07:22 PM

Not AKC style but I've had similar results with Nikon. If I'm working on a issue, or teaching something new, I track for 3-4 days in a row to keep it "fresh", but then I might wait a week for another track, and on *that* track I see the progress (he does the new thing, or has corrected the problem we were working on, and maintains the right focus and behaviors). We track every Sunday with our club, and lately I've been trying to track twice during the week. We've been tracking since mid-July and on our own we do SchH2 length tracks with 2-4 corners. The club tracking grounds are more difficult conditions (for me b/c of my foot) so those tracks tend to be a tad shorter.

**JakodaCD OA** · 11-03-2009, 07:28 PM

here's my 'funny' tracking story, thought I'd share

))))
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...24#Post1249224

ShatteringGlass · 11-03-2009, 08:29 PM

I think Shane has hit the point were he totally "gets it" and doesnt need to track multiple times a week. When he was a baby, we were doing tiny tracks, Id do about 2-3 short tracks a session and we'd do this about 3-4 times a week.

He's now doing large tracks (400+ yards), he knows what he's doing, we are just really fine tuning everything. I think Im gonna stick to once a week, but Im not worried if we dont go a few weeks without tracking, as he's shown it doesnt effect him at all.

How many yards is a SchH II length track?

**Samba** · 11-03-2009, 09:36 PM

That's a funny poo tracking story. I taught one of my girls to find her poo for me. I would invariably forget the bag and then couldn't find the offending item when I got back. I taught her to "show me your poo"! Very handy....saves time, saves shoe cleaning!

11-01-2009, 07:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
ShatteringGlass Master Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 906	How often do you track? Just curious, for those who do AKC tracking, how often do you track your dog? And do you notice any differences in how well they track in relation to how often you track? Now that Shane is almost doing TD tracks (last one he did was about 400 yards, 3 turns, and aged 40 minutes) I have noticed he tracks much better if we dont track more than twice a week. One time I didnt track him for almost 3 weeks due to a crazy schedual, and when finally I laid a track for him (in 2-3 foot tall thick grass and it was raining) and he did the best track he'd EVER done! __________________ Kelly Dalmatians: CH Erin N Shamrock's S Hemisphere CD RN CGC "Sydney" (13yrs) (U-CH Pointed) Shamrock's Shippin Up To Boston RN (1/3 CA)CGC "Shane" (3yrs) Temporary GSD: Isabella vom Selehaus (1.5yrs)

11-01-2009, 08:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Samba Administrator Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: USA Posts: 6,449	Re: How often do you track? Well, I have found that in many of these training endeavors, that once you have the foundation built....less is more. You can build drive and intensity if the dog has not been overworked. I have found this in obedience too. People sometimes ask my training friend and I what our secret is and we have to tell them something silly..."we don't train". Now of course, you have to train the behaviors, but you can sure sour anything with overdoing it. I think it probably very much depends on the individual dog as to what is the right amount. __________________ Carla and The Pack

11-03-2009, 07:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
Liesje Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 12,971	Re: How often do you track? Not AKC style but I've had similar results with Nikon. If I'm working on a issue, or teaching something new, I track for 3-4 days in a row to keep it "fresh", but then I might wait a week for another track, and on that track I see the progress (he does the new thing, or has corrected the problem we were working on, and maintains the right focus and behaviors). We track every Sunday with our club, and lately I've been trying to track twice during the week. We've been tracking since mid-July and on our own we do SchH2 length tracks with 2-4 corners. The club tracking grounds are more difficult conditions (for me b/c of my foot) so those tracks tend to be a tad shorter. __________________ UCH Alta-Tollhaus-Krieger Lamb Chop FO OB1 CL1R CL1F RA TT HIT TDI CGC VPC's Coca-Cola HIT CGC SG UCH Alta-Tollhaus Bono SchH1 AD T1 FO PA CL1R UNJ UCA HIT TT CGC OFA SG Pantalaimon vom Geistwasser BH AD HIT CGC

11-03-2009, 07:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
JakodaCD OA Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Location: Old Lyme, CT USA Posts: 14,237	Re: How often do you track? here's my 'funny' tracking story, thought I'd share)))) http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...24#Post1249224 __________________ Diane Danger Danger vom Kleinen Hain aka Masi "Angel" Jakoda's Bewitchen Sami CD OA OAJ OAC NGC OJC RS-O GS-N JS-O TT HIC CGC "Angel" Steinwald's Four x Four CGC HIC TT Harmonyhill's Hy Jynx NA NAJ NAC NJC RS-N JS-N HIC Jakoda's Jagged Edge

11-03-2009, 08:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
ShatteringGlass Master Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 906	Re: How often do you track? I think Shane has hit the point were he totally "gets it" and doesnt need to track multiple times a week. When he was a baby, we were doing tiny tracks, Id do about 2-3 short tracks a session and we'd do this about 3-4 times a week. He's now doing large tracks (400+ yards), he knows what he's doing, we are just really fine tuning everything. I think Im gonna stick to once a week, but Im not worried if we dont go a few weeks without tracking, as he's shown it doesnt effect him at all. How many yards is a SchH II length track? __________________ Kelly Dalmatians: CH Erin N Shamrock's S Hemisphere CD RN CGC "Sydney" (13yrs) (U-CH Pointed) Shamrock's Shippin Up To Boston RN (1/3 CA)CGC "Shane" (3yrs) Temporary GSD: Isabella vom Selehaus (1.5yrs)

11-03-2009, 09:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
Samba Administrator Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: USA Posts: 6,449	Re: How often do you track? That's a funny poo tracking story. I taught one of my girls to find her poo for me. I would invariably forget the bag and then couldn't find the offending item when I got back. I taught her to "show me your poo"! Very handy....saves time, saves shoe cleaning! __________________ Carla and The Pack

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