Tracking - End of the Winter Camp

We had a great tracking day this morning at Southside. All the dogs did really well. Ann tracked Basco over 1000yds with many articles, Kay ran Loki over 1500yds, and Tyson worked three tracks with corners moving up to food every 3rd step. Frank did an excellent job of focusing him in and the results after 2 days of tracking really were great.

Aron worked his 550yd track well. I used 8 articles again, 2 plastic (he indicated both today), 2 wood, 2 carpet and 2 leather (thanks Kay for the loaners). The wind picked as a rain squall came through while we were halfway down the track. Kay, Ann and Frank managed to hang on and watch the rest of the track and Aron didnt even pick up his head to notice that it was raining.

Madison ran her short track well. I will have to run her next one with many articles to get her back on them. She tried to simply run over it so I will have to work on it for next time.

Check out these shots from this morning: (the first 2 shots are older)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22448845@N00/sets/72157594341187689/show/

Obedience & Protection

Port Royal School field at 3:00 Saturday. Ann brought Basco, Jojo brought Nero and Gunner, Frank brought Tyson and Jermaine brought Capone. Ingrid, Ann and Kay came for moral support. lol..

Aron and Madison both worked well in Obedience. I worked on focus and heeling. Madison in particular is getting to point of being exclusively reliant on the food. This is not the end of the world because I don't plan on competing her but it shows up as minor temperamental issues elsewhere so I worked her solely with compulsion. Very little was needed but it was good to get her to once again realize that commands need to be obeyed no matter what.

With Aron I went back to the 4 blinds after yesterdays issues. He ran the four fairly well. and I was able to move onto a couple really good hold and barks with the last ending with a drag bite while Jermaine ran out of the blind.

Check out a couple shots of Jojo working his dobes:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?d=taken-20061229-20061231&w=22448845%40N00&q=jojo&m=tags

Tracking

Saturday Morning at Southside: Frank joined us with Tyson today, Kay brought Loki, Ann bought Basco.

Aron ran another 500yd track with 8 articles, 2 wood, 2 carpet, 2 plastic and 2 gloves in lieu of leather. He worked it really well, but for some reason completely ignored one of the plastic articles. It was half of a lid, the first half of the same lid he indicated perfectly, but for some reason this one article had absolutely no meaning to him. It was very odd.

Tracking - Obedience & Protection

Friday morning at Southside: Ann brought Basco, Jojo brought Gunner & Nero.

Aron ran a 500yd track with 8 articles. Short cut grass, quite dry. He did well, the pulling has eased and he has slowed himself so I will do the next coupe tracks with the same prong and perhaps move to either the larger prong or the fur saver soon.

We finished up at Southside around 9:00 and made the drive up to Port Royal School. After a quick stop for a couple bacon, egg, cheese, avocado sandwiches we got up there for 10:15 or so. Jermaine joined us with Capone.

We worked all the dogs in obedience, particularly working on focus, heeling and distractions.

We started protection around 11:20 and ran through all the dogs twice.

Aron fooled me somewhat. I never would have thought he would have had such a hard time running four blinds. We introduced a bunch of distraction from the helper and its the first time in about 3 months we have set up the four blinds. He stayed under control and never got a bite out of turn but it took a couple repetitions to get it really clean.

Tracking

Boxing Day Tracking at Astwood Cove. Ann brought Basco, Kay brought Loki and Jojo ran 2 tracks with Nero.

Aron ran a 500yd track on the side of a sloping curved hill. 250yds out and back running across the hill with winds of 20kts and changing grass from short crabgrass to short azoyza. @ Articles and 4 corners. I did shorten up the line about 3/4 of the way through the 3rd leg as he started to quarter slightly. He settled back in once over the tractor pathway and finished well.

Tracking

Tracking at Southside this morning went really well. Ann brought Basco, Kay brought Loki. Jojo tracked Nero at PHC.

Aron ran a 500yd U-shaped track with 3 articles. I laid the track in a different configuration than he has seen before with moving up 5 plateaus on short cut grass.

Protection

It was a good session up at Port Royal School. Ann brought Basco, Jermaine had Capone, Jojo brought Nero and Kirista brought Koda (I finally remembered the pup's name)

We worked Aron on simple blinds, with a couple open field hold & barks, and some back transports. As we were just starting the back transports we had the helpers walking backwards so they could reward with the reattack when the dog was in correct position.

Tracking

This morning at Southside we ran some good tracks. Kay ran Loki at an hour with crosses over Basco, Aron and Madisons tracks as well as across the roadway. Ann ran Basco across on a long track.

Aron ran a 400yd track with 3 articles and 2 corners. He stayed pretty close on the track, the worst case he was tracking with his right legs on the left footprints.

Madison ran hers fairly clean.

Obedience

Ann brought Basco & I had both Aron & Madison out at Vesey St.

We worked a little heeling and then worked retrieves. Aron made a lot of progress and Madison did a couple good runs.

Holiday Training

My company is closed until the New Year. A bunch of the club members are in similar positions so we are doing a Winter Camp. Also known as train when you can.

Thursday 21Dec06 - Obedience at Vesey St
Saturday 23Dec06 - Tracking @ Southside & Protection @ Port Royal School
Sunday 24Dec06 - Tracking @ Southside
Tuesday 26Dec06 - Tracking @ Astwood Cove
Wednesday 27Dec06 - Tracking @ Southside & Obedience @ Southside
Friday 29Dec06 - Tracking @ Southside & Protection @ Port Royal School
Saturday 30Dec06 - Tracking @ Southside & Protection @ Port Royal School
Sunday 31Dec06 - Tracking @ Southside

Tracking

Sunday morning up at Southside, Kay brought Loki, Ann had Basco.

I ran Aron on a long 2 legged track with 3 articles, and one corner. The first leg was 200 yards with all three articles, there was a left hand turn and about 50 yards to the finish. He stayed focused and worked the track well. I had to slow him a little just before the corner and he took it really cleanly.

Madison worked her track well, she completely ignored the article until I gave her a correction (on the fur saver collar)

Protection

Saturday afternoon at Port Royal School. Ann brought Basco, Jojo came with Nero and Jermiane came alone.

We worked Aron in focus heeling, hold and barks, escapes.

Montreal

Ali and I took a week long trip to Montreal. Its a cool city, never been before. Hockey game, Mozart concert at the Basilica, wandering around Vieux Montreal, good restaurants.... A good time was had.