A Lot To Talk About
We have been busy training this past month working towards our tracking certification in February, laying tracks at tests, and hoping to make it into a tracking test in March.
Chauncey and Blueberry had their tracking certification test in February, which they both passed on a nice cold day. I then entered them both in the March 18th test and prayed for us to make it into the test. We made it in and there were 12 entries to run that day, so I prepared for it and met up with Jean and Joyce regularly to train. I felt they were both ready and did my best not to get nervous.
The day before the test I shaved, bathed, and scissored Chauncey and Blueberry. I packed the truck, made snacks, and doubled checked everything. We left early (5:45 early) that morning and it was a chilly 45 degrees outside. I put the girls jackets on them, as Blueberry was cold. We arrived at the back parking lot of Denny's in Orlando and said our "Hi's" to everyone else while waiting for the draw to find out what order we would track in. I was the second to the last person to draw and drew track #1 for Blueberry and track #4 for Chauncey.
We then followed the judges to the first test sight and I waited until they called me before I took Blueberry out of the truck. We headed through the crowd to the start line and I could tell that Blueberry was a little nervous, so I tried to calm myself and give her some confidence pats. I started Blueberry, but she did not start well, casting back and forth for the scent. Blueberry made it to the first turn, but about ten yards after the first turn she totally shut down and refused to go any farther. She kept coming back and looking at me, finally she just returned and sat beside me, so the judges came up and said that we would fail because she just would not go any farther. The track layer, Luci, went with me as I encouraged Blueberry and was able to get her tracking again. We finally made it to the end and Blueberry found the glove, so she ended on a good note.
There were to more dogs to track at that site and neither one passed their track, so everyone caravaned to the next site, where Chauncey was the first one to go.
I got Chauncey out of the truck and headed to the start line. Chauncey started very well and came to the first turn. She worked it for a minute and really wanted to go right, but for some reason, I did not believe her and wouldn't for with her, so she finally went to the left and we got the whistle. The tracklayer went with us and I got Chauncey back on the right track and she nailed it the rest of the way and stood on the glove.
I learned a lot at this test about both of my dogs. Blueberry needs more confidence in crowds and around people. I need to believe what Chauncey says and follow my dog, since she is the one with the good nose. We are doing a lot of walking for endurance in the middle of the day so Blueberry gets better in the heat. We will be training here and there, so they do not get burned out tracking, with a lot of obedience work thrown in. I will try to get their test maps on the blog somehow.
Chauncey and Blueberry had their tracking certification test in February, which they both passed on a nice cold day. I then entered them both in the March 18th test and prayed for us to make it into the test. We made it in and there were 12 entries to run that day, so I prepared for it and met up with Jean and Joyce regularly to train. I felt they were both ready and did my best not to get nervous.
The day before the test I shaved, bathed, and scissored Chauncey and Blueberry. I packed the truck, made snacks, and doubled checked everything. We left early (5:45 early) that morning and it was a chilly 45 degrees outside. I put the girls jackets on them, as Blueberry was cold. We arrived at the back parking lot of Denny's in Orlando and said our "Hi's" to everyone else while waiting for the draw to find out what order we would track in. I was the second to the last person to draw and drew track #1 for Blueberry and track #4 for Chauncey.
We then followed the judges to the first test sight and I waited until they called me before I took Blueberry out of the truck. We headed through the crowd to the start line and I could tell that Blueberry was a little nervous, so I tried to calm myself and give her some confidence pats. I started Blueberry, but she did not start well, casting back and forth for the scent. Blueberry made it to the first turn, but about ten yards after the first turn she totally shut down and refused to go any farther. She kept coming back and looking at me, finally she just returned and sat beside me, so the judges came up and said that we would fail because she just would not go any farther. The track layer, Luci, went with me as I encouraged Blueberry and was able to get her tracking again. We finally made it to the end and Blueberry found the glove, so she ended on a good note.
There were to more dogs to track at that site and neither one passed their track, so everyone caravaned to the next site, where Chauncey was the first one to go.
I got Chauncey out of the truck and headed to the start line. Chauncey started very well and came to the first turn. She worked it for a minute and really wanted to go right, but for some reason, I did not believe her and wouldn't for with her, so she finally went to the left and we got the whistle. The tracklayer went with us and I got Chauncey back on the right track and she nailed it the rest of the way and stood on the glove.
I learned a lot at this test about both of my dogs. Blueberry needs more confidence in crowds and around people. I need to believe what Chauncey says and follow my dog, since she is the one with the good nose. We are doing a lot of walking for endurance in the middle of the day so Blueberry gets better in the heat. We will be training here and there, so they do not get burned out tracking, with a lot of obedience work thrown in. I will try to get their test maps on the blog somehow.
posted by Kim at 5:49 PM
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