Honest post
I’m going to post two videos in this monologue. Please study what happened after the tracklayer didn’t know exactly where the track is—and notice the subsequent impact on the dog.
I have worked diligently to make sure Riffle is successful. He has rewarded me by his growing confidence. Today the plan was to introduce a left open turn—so right open, left open, right open. Three separate tracks. First track went beautifully. He found a smell more interesting than the track in leg one, and I just helped him. He found food and immediately went back to the track. He experimented with cutting the corner, which in this setting I take as a sign of confidence.
I failed to restart the GoPro at the start of this track, so we pick it up going down the first leg. I’m pretty sure he made the turn…and I felt him drift….and I couldn’t find my line up….we drifted more…..we fumbled and bumbled and generally made a mess of things….so I threw out an article and ended it.
What’s important to watch is the start and turn on track three. His confidence is blown. He’s just not sure what the game is. We finally get started, and have some nice tracking, but the turn throws him again.
We will recover, he will be fine. I have however set my training back a full week. If you don’t get anything else out of this post, please…you must know exactly where the track is. When you don’t, when you wing it, you are seriously undermining your dog’s confidence.
I’m going to comment: to those of you who have said “it’s close enough” or “it’s about here” or “she can find it,” please, I beg you….see how much damage that does once. Imagine if you do it often.
Appreciate the frank post and clear videos of the impact. A great reminder and lesson for us all. I'm curious - if the mishap had been on Track #1 and you saw the loss of confidence in Track #2, would you stop for the day OR set up a different super high reinforcement short straight track for Track #3? Signed,
Someone going back to the trenches with a puppy soon ;)
Thanks for the videos - great demo of the point you are trying to make