tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550735319632074422011-07-08T08:16:49.536-04:00Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.comBlogger171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-57504274016459110212009-11-28T21:50:00.001-05:002009-11-28T21:50:30.030-05:00

I've made the leap and integrated all of Lucy and Walter's blogs into one single blog. So from now on, updates on Walter's tracking fun will be at www.muttsandaklutz.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there.

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-83412151198598790972008-05-28T16:15:00.001-04:002008-05-31T16:27:07.454-04:00

For our last lesson, we all set two tracks for our partner's dog. There were two new aspects: (1) This was the first time that someone else set the track for our dog; and (2) this was the first time for a track with two turns.The first track was aged about 20 minutes. Walter did pretty well with the first two legs, but the second right turn was a challenge. Eventually he did find it. Even

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-90274384206698503542008-05-25T20:40:00.002-04:002008-05-25T20:46:53.630-04:00

Location: field next to other agility fieldWeather: dry, a not-too-warm ~20 degreesHmm, might not be a great idea to do a track at the end of a long day.After a longish Sunday, right after an agility practice, did a track with a right turn aged 20 minutes. Didn't go so great; he had trouble picking up the turn. Darn; it was so convenient, setting the track and letting it age while we did

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-45672170798660408452008-05-21T17:39:00.003-04:002008-05-25T17:43:58.655-04:00

1st: track with left turn, aged 20 minutes. (previously all tacks have been very fresh.) Pretty messy! Once again I got lost out there, and Walter wasn't totally on so this combination left something to be desired! The instructor said not to worry, that it's actually fairly common for newbie handlers to get lost on the track. Yes, the very same track that they themselves set. Common or not,

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-62798025600977213672008-05-20T19:07:00.003-04:002008-05-20T19:35:22.189-04:00

Location: field next to soccer fieldWeather: dry and moderately warmFirst track: 50 metres straight. Walter overshoots the tug and goes to the flag. I wait for him to come back to find the tug.Second track: With a right turn. He nails the turn and I can't help but wonder if I'm inadvertently cueing him to it... He finds the toy but doesn't pick it up. To liven up this blog a bit, here's a

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-88748180166330162902008-05-19T12:45:00.002-04:002008-05-19T13:42:45.548-04:00

Didn't get out for many practices lately due to my elderly cat being quite ill, but thankfully he has amazingly turned a corner and is almost back to normal.Speaking of turning corners...Location: Field next to soccer fieldWeather: Cool with showers1st track: 50 steps straight track. Good dog!2nd track: track with a right turn. Bad human! I only had one flag and I used it to mark the

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-90421129297959328652008-05-14T20:36:00.002-04:002008-05-14T20:47:22.060-04:00

The first track was a 50 metre straight track.Then, the dogs did their first turns!90 degrees to the right, two tracks. I'm not too sure how Walter did. It all happens so fast; hard to keep track of everything. Both times however he did eventually find the reward (tug).Lesson for those who tend to klutziness like me: Before releasing the dog to the track, no matter how excited he is, or,

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-56207584894708598672008-05-09T21:52:00.001-04:002008-05-10T22:16:08.734-04:00

Location: Field next to soccer fieldReward: TugWeather: Warm, sunny, drySingle laid two 50-step tracks.The first one he was totally "on track". :^DThe second one, he couldn't pick it up at all at the start, then the whole way he looked unsure a lot of the time. Eventually he found the tug.I have no explanation for the difference between the two tracks!

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-38265268557429874012008-05-07T19:47:00.003-04:002008-05-10T22:16:00.651-04:00

Weather: 11 degrees, light rainWe did two tracks today. The first was double laid, about 30 steps, but contrary to previous tracks, the dog was held out of sight so couldn't watch it being set. Walter was not quite the calm, mature guy he was last week; instead, today he yapped his fool head off in protest while I was setting the track. Then he went right to business and found his reward, the

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-6639212530087355482008-05-06T18:50:00.004-04:002008-05-06T19:04:25.325-04:00

Today Walter bought a harness to be used only for tracking instead of using his seat belt vest harness thing.Did two 30-pace tracks at different locations in the nearby business park, rewarding with dried liver treats. Nothing new to report.

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-1723024875551078382008-05-05T12:43:00.002-04:002008-05-05T12:50:52.766-04:00

Location: field next to agility fieldTreats: dried meatSet two 35-step tracks. He seems to quite like this game as he gets really excited when I take him out of the car and bring him to the start of the track. Then again, he's always in hyper-excited mode when he gets out of the car at any interesting or new destination so who knows.I'm finding that after he finds and eats his reward, he's all

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-72365330119181590132008-05-03T21:32:00.000-04:002008-05-04T21:38:04.945-04:00

Location: empty field near soccer fieldSet a couple of 30-ish step tracks. He was wavering side to side the whole way; could it be because it was very windy? I have no idea. :-)

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-75773716240293170662008-04-30T21:58:00.001-04:002008-04-30T22:35:48.397-04:00

Today was the first practical class. We were introduced to how to lay a simple track. We each double laid three short straight tracks for our dog, each about 35 paces long (the tracks, not the dogs). Canned food was Walter's reward. His first two tracks had a treat halfway through; for his third we omitted the halfway treat because he was almost at the final treat by the time he passed the

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-49027594860159846492008-04-29T22:17:00.000-04:002008-04-30T22:22:46.041-04:00

Location: a different grassy knoll off Canotek.Treats: stinky dried meat productsOur most successful so far. Is it ok for the dog to watch you scatter the treats? He waited in the car and watched while I did it and as soon as he came out he went straight for the treats. Wandered in and out a few times.Again, when it was time to drag him away, there wasn't much of a drag necessary. These are

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-68668895018491268782008-04-28T17:15:00.001-04:002008-04-30T22:37:51.412-04:00

Location: Grassy knoll off CanotekTreats used: dried meat treatsHe liked the treats. Wandered out of the circle a bit but came back. When there were only a few treats left I pulled him away without saying anything. Unfortunately he left the scene willingly so I couldn't drag him away. Totally forgot to give him the handful treats from me afterwards.

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-59321799530676377872008-04-24T17:14:00.000-04:002008-04-28T17:15:34.479-04:00

Location: grassy knoll off HawthorneTreats were not smelly and/or special enough as he wasn't really into it.

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55073531963207442.post-61606436864512662002008-04-21T22:12:00.000-04:002008-04-30T22:27:24.505-04:00

Welcome to Walter's newest blog!I've wanted to take a scent-based class for a while but nothing ever fit my schedule until now: we've signed up for a beginner tracking course. Today was the theory class where the dogs stayed home. What fun getting an introduction to a brand-new-to-me sport. I know absolutely nothing about tracking, SAR, scent work in obedience, etc etc, and hardly anything

Muttsandaklutznoreply@blogger.com0