How to progress in tracking training?

[GSD07]

Hi trackers!
I decided to open a new thread for my problems I'm running into with my pups. I'm trying to teach them AKC style tracking and KathyW is pointing us in the right direction! But it's not so easy as I thought

Now is my question. Yana was doing so good on baby tracks that I decided to give her a more challenging track tonight and it was pretty much a disaster. I did wider steps, fewer articles, more turns and longer distance. She started very good, then she lost the track, tried to find it and then sat and started whining. I wanted to point her in the right direction and then realized I lost the track myself! I actually think I pulled her away from the right track because I thought she was wrong, but then she somehow refound the track and the look on her face when she got the article and downed was priceless! Then she lost the track again and whined again and this time I was able to help her. Thank God the last leg and the end was a big success and she got lots of praise and jackpot and her bumper tug play. When we came home she just collapsed for half an hour, I think I stressed her too much.

I now realize I introduced too many new things at once and she probably did pretty good in such stressful conditions. My question is how fast and in what direction should I move in my training? I got a book today, Tracking Dog by Glen Johnson and hopefully I'll get a little bit more familiar with the theory and methods from this book. But from your experience, what was your plan for tracking training and how did you know if your dog was ready to move to the next step?

Thank you so much for your advice and sharing your experience!

[Amaruq]

I will start right off stating I do not train for competition tracking. I trained for SAR trailing but it is the same principle.

But think baby steps and no I dont mean the size of the stride.

Say you were doing 10 steps heel to toe and are ready to go longer. Start with maybe 3 heel to toe steps and then take regular strides. Wean off the heel to toe steps and make it longer in distance while keeping it straight.

There are many different opinions on turns and articles so I will let someone else weigh in on those aspects. (BTW number of strides is just for an example).

[Kayos and Havoc]

Yep you got it! Too many new things at once. I lengthen the track by using about the same number of steps but space them more. I still use the same number of articles for a few more tracks but since the stride is longer the distance is longer.

When training always know where your track is by flagging it or marking it in some way. If you are afraid she will get flag savvy take 2 steps past the flag and make your turn and then next track take 5 steps past.

The whining is stress which is not always bad. Look at the positive side she re-found the track and told you and you saw it. That is wonderful. Next track back up a bit, reward heavily and see how she does. This is a learning experience for both of you. She will get it, already has actually.

[GSD07]

Thank you Amaruq and Kathy! Poor Yana has to suffer thru my learning but I try to learn quickly
Today I backed up and did shorter track with two turns and lots of articles. She did great! She downed on her own for the majority of articles and she took turns so nicely. After we played I let her run free (on a long line) and she found Anton's track (he was before her but I haven't removed the flags yet) and tracked it perfectly and then ran away and brought me a sock, the article from that lost part of our previous tracking experience She was such a goofball today and she enjoyed it so much.

Anton did well as well, but he's still all business. He even indicated on his own on a few items.

I will be doing babystep forward moves with them this weekend!

[Kayos and Havoc]

I think the tracking bug has bit you!!!!! Cool!

[GSD07]

You didn't warn me that tracking is so addictive

[BlackPuppy]

When we train I aways use the same distance between steps from the beginning. Not that I can take very big steps in the fields anyway. I work with just one turn for a long time.

I have signed up 2 dogs for a 5 day tracking seminar in Michigan this fall with Susan Eldred. I'm really looking forward to it.

Also, Glen Johnson's book "Tracking Dog" has set down a series of progressions in length, turns, and terrain. This is a great book for tracking and I see other people love to recommend it also.