3 videos of Jet running "River's" UTDX test track at the U of C
Today was a big day! I decided to lay River's track from exactly a year ago and run it with Jet. River did the most beautiful job on that track, but missed the last turn to fail by about 50 meters. It was so heartbreaking for me, that I talked myself blue with trackers I respect, trying to figure out what happened. I know, anything can happen, and will happen, in a test. That day, I know River was getting tired as it was hot. Also, I was getting nervous knowing I was near the end.
The turn was before a very busy road, and I creeped up close on the line to make sure there was no traffic. I think this was the thing that did us in - as I probably got into her space and pushed her across the road. Once there, it is a hard thing for a dog to make the decision to go back (and for the handler too). Another thing is that River followed scent on the sidewalk rather than on the grass adjacent to the sidewalk. I had no idea where the track was, so just followed her with trust. The sidewalk veered away from the turn on the grass.
All in all - loads of lessons. So, failing is still a good experience, right? RIGHT??? (INSERT GRIM LAUGH). At any rate, since then, I have revised my handling near roads as you may have seen in some of my videos. Sure you do cross some, but I want my dog to decide and tell me, so I give them space.
By the way thanks goes to Darlene Barnard (AKC tracking judge) for that bit of information!
I am getting Jet ready for UTDX and today decided to test her on River's track. It was so interesting! It goes to show that no matter the pattern, on a different day... things are ... different! Today was as hot and I ran it around the same time, just after noon.
River had bunnies - Jet had ducks that just waddled ahead of her - a true Border Collie nightmare. River had no traffic, Jet had to bob and weave around trucks and cars to get to her first article, and at one point for safety I had to call her off track. River missed her 2nd article and backtracked to find it. Jet stayed on the grass and found it easily. River followed the sidewalk, Jet stayed on the grass.
Part one, Start to first article - wood, after an NV turn:
Part two, middle part of the track to second article - plastic bin handle. And ducks waddling ahead of her, right on her track! What a good girl she is (has never herded ducks, haha):
River got pushed over the road - I stayed out of Jet's space - and though she showed NO interest in the road - she had a heluva time finding that turn. I simply think that the buses and cars whip around that turn, where the road goes downhill, and the scent is stirred up somehow.
Part 3 - to the end. By the way - this is a good way to think of your track, and a good way to practice - breaking the track into sections. You will see where she works it out, and sniffs where the article WAS. I toss down wood from the parking lot (part one) for her to end.
Good girl!
It's not unusual for there to be strange spots for scent in urban locations - and if you track somewhere often enough you find them. I'd have to go more often to see how consistent this is if you put a turn here. Finally - Jet's last article was gone. It was so sad - because to truly test the turn, the presence of the article would have had an effect. Jet found the leg but was wobbly the entire way. She did sniff where the article was which would have been a pass.
Here is a link to River's story - to remind you of that day. I was so proud of River. She is 11 this year, and I still hope to try one more time for that elusive UTDX. Jet is only 5 and I know she will get it. But I have bred Jet - and if (God willing) she is pregnant, we need to think about her timing too!
http://spiritdancedogs.blogspot.com/2010/05/rivers-so-close-utdx-attempt.html - River's track complete with map.
What a very good experience to run this again. It reminds me how well River did. In my heart, she is a Tracking Champion!
The turn was before a very busy road, and I creeped up close on the line to make sure there was no traffic. I think this was the thing that did us in - as I probably got into her space and pushed her across the road. Once there, it is a hard thing for a dog to make the decision to go back (and for the handler too). Another thing is that River followed scent on the sidewalk rather than on the grass adjacent to the sidewalk. I had no idea where the track was, so just followed her with trust. The sidewalk veered away from the turn on the grass.
All in all - loads of lessons. So, failing is still a good experience, right? RIGHT??? (INSERT GRIM LAUGH). At any rate, since then, I have revised my handling near roads as you may have seen in some of my videos. Sure you do cross some, but I want my dog to decide and tell me, so I give them space.
By the way thanks goes to Darlene Barnard (AKC tracking judge) for that bit of information!
I am getting Jet ready for UTDX and today decided to test her on River's track. It was so interesting! It goes to show that no matter the pattern, on a different day... things are ... different! Today was as hot and I ran it around the same time, just after noon.
River had bunnies - Jet had ducks that just waddled ahead of her - a true Border Collie nightmare. River had no traffic, Jet had to bob and weave around trucks and cars to get to her first article, and at one point for safety I had to call her off track. River missed her 2nd article and backtracked to find it. Jet stayed on the grass and found it easily. River followed the sidewalk, Jet stayed on the grass.
Part one, Start to first article - wood, after an NV turn:
Part two, middle part of the track to second article - plastic bin handle. And ducks waddling ahead of her, right on her track! What a good girl she is (has never herded ducks, haha):
River got pushed over the road - I stayed out of Jet's space - and though she showed NO interest in the road - she had a heluva time finding that turn. I simply think that the buses and cars whip around that turn, where the road goes downhill, and the scent is stirred up somehow.
Part 3 - to the end. By the way - this is a good way to think of your track, and a good way to practice - breaking the track into sections. You will see where she works it out, and sniffs where the article WAS. I toss down wood from the parking lot (part one) for her to end.
Good girl!
It's not unusual for there to be strange spots for scent in urban locations - and if you track somewhere often enough you find them. I'd have to go more often to see how consistent this is if you put a turn here. Finally - Jet's last article was gone. It was so sad - because to truly test the turn, the presence of the article would have had an effect. Jet found the leg but was wobbly the entire way. She did sniff where the article was which would have been a pass.
Here is a link to River's story - to remind you of that day. I was so proud of River. She is 11 this year, and I still hope to try one more time for that elusive UTDX. Jet is only 5 and I know she will get it. But I have bred Jet - and if (God willing) she is pregnant, we need to think about her timing too!
http://spiritdancedogs.blogspot.com/2010/05/rivers-so-close-utdx-attempt.html - River's track complete with map.
What a very good experience to run this again. It reminds me how well River did. In my heart, she is a Tracking Champion!
Category Article Border collie, German Shepherd, Jet, River, tracking maps, Tracking Video, UTDX training
