Morning musings

I watched the thread regarding using GoogleEarth to identify track locations with curiosity. I don't think it's coincidental that the one student who actually looked and worked out the problem is one who has put TDs on 2 dogs and a TDX on one.

GoogleEarth is your friend. Pre-plotting your tracks on Google earth is good training. It is far better to know what track you can fit in to a given space before you start, than to muddle through and end up with a crap track that teaches the dog nothing. Repetition of crap does not result in a trained dog.

There are tons of public areas where you can track: schools, available on weekends and holidays, usually have large grassy fields. Google Earth will allow you to plot your track, and determine your entrance and exit. I often track at the same 5-10 locations.....and I plot the track on GE each time. Why? So I do something different. So I can set the track up to work on a different problem. So I have a PLAN.

Thoughts when you are the tracklayer for someone else.

Is it a blind track? If so, keep your comments to the bare minimum. If, as the dog is either casting or going down the track, you start explaining where to track goes to the handler....it's no longer a blind track. In addition, the handler is now listening to you, and/or looking for landmarks. Neither of those allow the handler to concentrate on and observe their dog. Remember, your job as tracklayer is to closely observe the team, with emphasis on the dog. You put the track it, you know where it is, YOU will see indications the handler misses.

Mary Ann and I are trying to decide on the words we recommend:

STOP: handler is about to be too far off the track to recover.

OVER: you have passed the turn. This is said the second one handler foot has stepped past the turn. The handler has the option to continue to follow to see if dog gives LOS, or they can apply line pressure--depends upon where they are in training. Should they follow the dog, BEFORE they've gone too far to recover, you will say STOP

YES: this requires judgement on the tracklayers part. The team has been working a turn hard and YOU see a clear indication from the dog--YES! Dog has shown the handler the track several times and the handler hasn't gone--YES! When the dog indicates again. And, if you see the team make a challenging decision....after they've committed, a quiet YYEESSSS can really help their learning and confidence. On the other hand, if they make the turn nicely, good teamwork etc, be quiet. The need to learn to trust the decisions they make without any external feedback.

I'm always trying to keep you from talking on the track. What I really don't want is you chatting at/nagging the dog. There is most definitely a place for talking (quietly) to yourself--and out loud is better than silently.

So to improve your handling, and to improve your tracklayer coaching.....let's start doing this:

When following your dog, on a track you laid...use the terms above. Quietly. You are talking to you, not to the dog. When you see the dog lock into the scent, take a couple of steps and say 'yes' out loud, quietly. If he takes you past the turn, as you pass it, say 'over.' If you feel yourself being taken off the track, say 'stop' quietly and out loud--almost mumble this one, as your dog WILL learn to respond to it, and that is not the goal.

I'll lay serious odds that if you start to do this, you will become a more successful handler. As a lovely addition, you'll become a better tracking buddy.