Last night's tracks - the long and the short of it

GOALS
Two short urban tracks for River and Jet, but aged 3 hours for UTDX timing. Minimal food - each has two tiny drops only - and each has a non-veg turn well out in a parking lot. One long track for Caden - a long serpentine which turns out tough because of ruts on the lawn. It's the longest track he's done - literally TD length, and I think I need to start pushing him like this. Again, minimal food - every 25 steps only.

Jet's track is 3 hours old and 300 meters. The second turn causes her some grief for some reason and she stares in the direction where I walked out. Then, she makes up her mind and takes off. She is dead on in the parking lot and stops RIGHT on the turn and faces the new leg and sniffs the air. She thinks about things - then takes off dead on, on her parking lot turn to the end!



My goal was to do a LONG serpentine for Caden. However, the ruts were a lot for him to contend with, going against the grain of the serpentine and making the turns challenging - you can see him working them out. Good experience to make him think! Next time out, short and easy for a confidence booster.



Here's my old sweetie River just walking the track. 3 hours and 15 minutes old, 300 m. 2 pc of food and a wood article at the end; about 50-50 veg to nv. She was off on her last leg after finding the nv turn (after checking a sock - how do socks get out there like that?) She does nose dips, but otherwise holds her head up on hard surfaces. Scent does rise, and she always goes right, so it is just her way! Bless her heart.

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!

Jet's UTD Motivation Track - Goal today - No Interference!

Jet at the glove - good girl!

Today I aged this 1 hour only and followed Jet as if I had no clue where it went. You can see how windy it was, it's blowing my line! But the article pulls her in nicely. This was a UTD length track with a wood article and a glove at the end.

First leg and first turn to article - wood:



Here's the map - 300 meters, 2 articles - wood and leather, 1 hour old. Very windy from the west ---> (map showing Jet's path is below...)

The wind was from behind on the leg with all the transitions (West --->). When she turns into the parking lot, you can see her working from side to side. She licks the water which is neat. It's not a drink, it's a taste. Suddenly she's off and nails the turn! I crossed to the stop sign and went right. She finds that, and gets to the end in a pretty tidy manner. I'd like less fringing but my goal today was to follow, no interference!



It's hard to follow and not help when you have laid your own track. I try to keep a loose line most of the time, but let her know I am there, and verbally praise. She is a busy little dog, she loves to work, so she doesn't need much encouragement.

Jet's path shown in green. Very strong wind today. Track run about 5 PM. Quite dry! (after a week of rain) though there are puddles on the pavement.

Congrats to Alberta's Scott Glen and Don - Reserve Champions at 2011 prestigious Bluegrass trial

I took this picture of Scott with Don accepting their award yesterday -

while watching the live webcast on my computer at home.

Congratulations to Scott Glen whose dog Don was Reserve Champion at the Bluegrass Stockdog Trial held this weekend in Kentucky! Don was the top Nursery Dog at the Bluegrass in his Nursery year and this year, Don was 3 points off the top score, earned by his own mother, Star, handled by Alasdair Macrae. Top score was 147, second place was 144. Third place went to Patricia Macrae and her dog Max. Congratulations as well to all of the top 20 finalists who competed. What a great accomplishment to make it to the top 20 from 134 competitors.

The Bluegrass is one of the four major trials in the US and the first big trial of the year. It is one of the oldest trials in North America and most prestigious, drawing the top handlers from across North America. Scott Glen from Alberta has won it in the past with his dog Pleat (who has won every major trial in North America). 

It's not an easy trial, with range sheep trucked in from Texas every year - this year they were young ewes who have never been worked by dogs. The trial field is full of dips and valleys. And this year it was very hot and humid - which has to be tough on the Canadian dogs (Alberta dogs) who are just coming out of a late winter here. Still - this creates opportunity to see what dogs and handlers rise to the top despite the odds and challenges, and luck of the draw.

Other Albertans were on the field and I've created links here that will take you to their blogs - Wendy Schmaltz and Gin - Wendy just hosted the Calvin Jones clinic I enjoyed so much. She also made the Double - lift final! Congratulations! And Louanne Twa whose dog Bracken earned her first Nursery leg. Way to go, Louanne! And of course, Jenny Glen whose dogs Lad and Hemp also did well. You can read their accounts of the Bluegrass on their blogs - in the sidebar of mine. Jenny keeps a farm blog and an Alta-Pete trial blog complete with photos of both her and Scott's dogs, and others.

Through the marvels of technology I was able to watch the entire webcast live on my computer at home, and follow tweets over the entire trial to keep track of every run. Thank you so much to the organizers for doing this. One day I hope to go to the Bluegrass as a volunteer - or maybe even with a dog.

Ted at the Calvin Jones clinic - Ted is a Pleat son. I am so lucky to have Ted and Jet from Scott
and just so proud to see Scott do well, as usual, at the Bluegrass. It is amazing how emotional this can be!
(you are dog people if you are reading this, so you get it).

In the past month, my love of sheepherding has been rekindled, thanks to the clinic with Calvin Jones. I had somewhat supressed it because I don' have sheep - but I realize now that I simply need to find ways to make it happen because there is no more wonderful feeling than being on a field with dogs and sheep. I hope to have a new Border Collie puppy within the year to start on sheep. In fact, you don't even start them until they are nearly a year old, so that would be 2 years off which gives me loads of time to get valuable experience with Jet and Ted, and set myself up.

Henry David Thoreau said that when you move confidently in the direction of your dreams, you will see unprecedented success and live the life you have imagined. I am at the dream stage - but taking the steps to make this happen! Stay tuned.

Jet lie down - photo by Megan McGovern at the Calvin Jones clinic

PS lest you forget, Caden my young GSD comes from herding lines too... and would probably love to see some sheep, though his style is not the same as a Border Collie's - he is a tending dog by nature.

Value-Added Tracking Seminar (despite winds) plus awesome photos as a bonus!

A multi-talented group of trackers shared widom and passion at the Olds Tracking Clinic last weekend. Thanks to everyone who took part in my seminar and for all of the great feedback! It was really neat was how we shared knowledge and information all weekend. There were a number of very experienced trainers in the group who pitched in ideas and even took over a few times to instruct (and *I learned too, which is awesome and one of the reasons I love teaching). This made for a value-added clinic for everyone.

Thank you Cathy Holowaychuk, professional pet photographer, for this photo of Caden! Cathy took photos at the tracking clinic this weekend of all of the dogs and people at work, and took some portraits after the clinic was done. This is my boy Caden, at Olds College. Cathy owns Macsen, a GSD - SAR dog. I also had some portraits taken of River (can't wait to see them...)

Check here for the slideshow, which is in development - but already has some working shots of the clinic and portraits of the dogs - they are awesome!!!

Caden - photo by Cathy Holowaychuk -  www.exposedpawsphotography.ca

We were so lucky to have access to Pam and Jerry Prescott's fields for day one too. Shout-outs to Sue Fockner (GREAT demos with Dal Potter), Tammy Brooks and Mary-Ann Marcellus in particular for sharing and helping over two days. What a pleasure to meet so many nice people from north and south.

What a great weekend, despite STRONG WINDS all across Alberta. At times, we were exhausted from the wind... and if you think you know what wind is (my Thunder Bay friends), you don't know it until you've experienced this kind of wind. Despite it, the dogs worked beautifully. They simply need to learn to deal with wind if they are going to track here.

I could spend every day like this (even in that wind!)

Caden sitting - Olds College - Cathy Holowaychuk photographer

More photos coming soon... thanks to Cathy!

*My sincere sympathy goes out to those from Slave Lake Alberta, after a wildfire yesterday decimated the town causing massive evacuations. The wind may have impacted our tracking, but my heart goes out to those who have suffered such tragic losses because of the wind and wildfires.

THIS is what happy Border Collies look like... Calvin Jones Clinic pics and slideshow

THIS is what a happy Border Collie looks like. Jet, working sheep, at the Calvin Jones Clinic
- photo thanks to Nancy Thornton

And Happy Happy Ted too, photo by Nancy Thornton

And here is me with my Ted Dog, out in the field by the road

Thanks to Wendy for taking this picture! It is on her blog - Aspatria Kennels - linked to mine

Along with a ton of other pictures

Here is a slideshow made by Nancy Thornton, who also attended the Calvin Jones Stockdog Clinic. So my dogs Jet and Ted can be seen on this slideshow at 00:53 - 00:57 and again at 3:57 - 4:17. I have also copied the photos into this post. Thanks so much to Nancy for taking these. I am near tears seeing them. This is what my dogs were meant to do - as much as they are good at tracking. I was so proud of them both. And I so enjoyed seeing the other dogs blossom and show their stuff under Calvin's tutelage.



Today, I went for a Judging Clinic and had the most amazing day learning about the judge's perspective, and how runs are scored. It really helps as a trialer to have this insight. And Calvin Jones did a great job of educating us plus we all 'scored' runs done by Wendy Schmalz and Chris Jobe - Open and Pro-Novice, to see how our scores compare to what Calvin saw. Wendy and Chris threw in some tricky bits to test our powers of observation.

Ted working sheep at the clinic. He is such a nice dog to work. I adore him! Photo by Nancy Thornton

As a Tracking Judge (new) I couldn't help but think about tracking too. So much of it applied - and I think it would be a fantastic idea to have this kind of clinic for both trialers and judges - and prospective judges. It's one thing to train and compete, and another entirely to have the eagle eyes, the power to make decisions that affect if a run qualifies or not - and having the knowledge, integrity and determination to make that decision - and stick with it. It is not an easy job but if you have a passion for the sport, you will have a passion for GOOD, fair courses and good, fair, consistent judging.

Jet at work - photo by Nancy Thornton

There is nothing like spending a weekend with like-minded enthusiasts - even if we endured heat (I have a sunburn), hail, and wind in the space of 3 days. I go back tomorrow for private lessons with Calvin - then hope to get out and practice somewhere with Jet and Ted, and actually enter a trial.

Jet lie down - Nancy Thornton photo

Ted lie down - Nancy Thornton photo

I admit to getting a little teary-eyed looking at these and thinking about the weekend. I felt I was well on my way a few years ago when some major life changes happened. It's taken a bit to get my feet under me and this clinic marks a return to my journey with the Border Collies. It felt so wonderful. I am sad about the years that have passed, but still very proud of them both and at ages 5 (Jet) and 6 (Ted) they have a lot of go for trialing and I can learn a lot with them... until the new puppy comes along (already named, but have no idea when it will be here - it's just a dream for now).

Jet - I promise you more of this...

Me and Jet with Calvin Jones
Private lessons tomorrow - then - finding a place to practice and finding me a trial to enter...

 

For more - check Wendy's Aspatria Blog (in the sidebar menu of my blog...)

Calvin Jones Stockdog Clinic in Irricana Alberta

Me with Calvin Jones waiting to send Jet

Just a few quick pics as I am exhausted! Jet and Ted are in this clinic, at Wendy Schmaltz's place. Calvin Jones is from Wales and is a judge and Nationals winner in Britain. I wanted to see where Jet and Ted are at, and get back to stock-dogging, and I am so glad I entered this clinic. Calvin has been tweaking my handling and giving me really good tips on how to work each dog.

Jet flanking around the post

He says that overall my handling is good, but my reactions are a bit slow. This is to be expected as I have not worked sheep much in the past year. My dogs were awesome considering that same fact. In fact he said some kind things about the dogs which were nice to hear. Jet, a sharp but very nice bitch. Ted - a good dog, easier to handle - and don't hurt his feelings! I knew these things but it brings it all back to me how to handle each one so differently.

Jet about the take the sheep around the post

I am heading back tomorrow for a judging clinic to learn the finer points of trialing, and then need to find me a trial to enter! I'll have more pics after tomorrow, as someone with a BIG camera took over 800 pictures today. In the meantime, here are a few.

Ted makes his panels

Jet waiting her turn

Ted relaxed at my feet waiting for his run

The gang


And of course, thank ewe to the sheep

Oh dear, Jet ... it was not all perfect - this sheep bolted, but Jet did get her back...

The Round Robin Exercise - Dogs show us how natural it is to track on all surfaces

 A gallery of pics - I have more video than pics of this exercise...so check back...

My Ted - hiding with his article, hoping he doesn't have to go back into the trailer
Ted has his own ideas about tracking!

I used to do this round robin exercise on graduation day in my dog classes. We'd set up stations with different objectives (surfaces, obstacles) and the dogs would run through them. On the weekend I thought it would be fun to do it, so set up the same round robin as we did at a seminar last year - I just love this little open shack - thing. It seems to funnel scent and the dogs ALL emerged stronger for the second half of the track. We used chalk arrows on the sidewalk for the dogs (and handlers) to focus in on. They really work (as promoted by Steve Ripley, AKC tracking judge in his book Making Scents of the Urban Jungle).

These are just a bunch of pictures of the dogs doing the round robin. We re-walked it between each dog - each handler doing it for their own dog and putting bait down. The track went from grass to a sidewalk, then through the building, across grass to end on the parking lot. It was just amazing to see the dogs do it.

This does not replace foundation training, but it does show that with some motivation and interest, dogs are natural trackers. They were interested in the dogs and people who had been walking this over and over, so wanted to follow it. However, through 'discovery' they also learn that scent is on all surfaces and there are rewards (bait, plus enjoyment to track) if you follow it...

This is my own idea - and I love to do it at seminars. Now that I've shared it here, feel free to try it, even if you walk a track with one of your other dogs, then run it with a different dog - your dog will find it motivating to follow and it adds interest for them.

Gallery of Pictures... 



Donna and Caden



Caden



Caden

 

Caden



River - she found the scent so over-whelming that she just wanted to walk it with her head up. Her nose is very fine-tuned after doing urban at a very advanced level, and I didn't want to 'teach' her to put her nose down, I just let her do her thing! As she is 11, every time I track with her is a blessing.



River

Michelle and Ash the Canaan Dog - Ash did a perfect corner on the chalk arrow

Ash



Ash doesn't hesitate to step down off the curb - a transition to the parking lot - we practiced transitions the day before and I am sure the dogs remembered it



Another view of Ash doing her transition - Michelle a happy camper!

Ash on the parking lot

Ash on ashphalt



Judi and Swayze - a big boy used to doing SAR - but by day two was discovering a new way to track!



Swayze looking pretty nose-down



Swayze on the parking lot - wow, nice work!




This is Sharlet's experienced boy - he is 10 (Rider?) - what a good looking dog, and he did a fantastic job on this track




This is Debbie and Fyre - this girl was so motivated to track. She was similar in style to Judi's Token who I hear is her mother. Fyre was great on day one in the field doing scent pads - it was hard to pull her away!




Judi and Token - another experienced GSD doing the track with ease even though she is not an experienced urban tracking dog - though she has done it when asked. I love how this round robin shows how the dogs simply 'do it'



And then , I thought I'd do it with Ted, after everyone had left, and before I picked up the stakes...
Ted aced it - but he refused to abandon his article... it is a little passive-aggressive thing he has going...
to stay out as long as possible and play!



Great work tracking, Ted!




Ted guards his glove



Ted? Ted? Are you there? This dog is so smart, and funny



He even tried to hide under the branches of an evergreen as I was picking up and getting ready to go!

I did eventually get Ted and his glove back into the car. It may have been the trickiest part of the weekend, for me!