Teffy

Hello...thanks for the replies!

Vibrant...I got in contact with Renee, and through her made the connection...I DO know you, not personally, but I have met you and watched your dogs trial. I have two mini apricots, the one I track with is Tessa you've never met her, however, I believe you've seen Buffy, with an undocked tail, I'm Chinese.... I was at the PCC regional this year for the Rally trial with Buffy. Thanks for the info, I wrote it down for future reference. Currently I'm with Marie-P Babin and joined her club, Cross Country Tracking Club. I posed this question here instead of asking the club members because it's such a poodley question. I understand with the juggling, you do a lot with your poos...and you do it very well! I remember watching you get your RE at Pine Point last year, the backwards heeling was fantastic! I'm still working on that. Very nice to put a name to a face. Renee is awesome by the way, a wealth of knowledge!

bigpoodleperson: Thank you! I think you're right, the more contaminated the better right? That'll make the test easy peasy. It's not like she's learning to track, she knows how, she needs to move on and try to grounds. It is a relief to read though, that I can use local parks. One place I use is behind a factory, and though most days are safe, sometimes questionable people show up there, in their cars doing who knows what. One of the local Schutzhund club people decided to use this same field as well, which is awkward when you're laying your track and....here comes someone plotting their track ontop of yours. Yeah, a cell phone is always on hand. Funny how Riley didn't eat the hotdogs, good for his waist though!!!

Karma'sacat: If you have a tracking club near you, you can work with them. They could plot tracks on more maneouverable floor for you. The tracking test I watched in the spring was on a pretty flat field but I don't think every test is a smooth, you'll have to contact your local club for the info. I do know of someone who is in a wheelchair, her friend tracks with her dog. It's a great sport for your dog especially if she's into tracking already, maybe you can swap dogs with someone? Good luck.

Feralpudel

The tracking list is called Tracking Poodle (original, eh?). There is also a general all-dog tracking list, but it can be high volume and chatty.

The general rule is to introduce one thing at a time...winds, turns, change of surface. Most people (and Carol) start a dog by putting a piece of food where you've stepped and starting on a short leash, walking by the dog's side. The first tracks are very short (10 yards, gradually longer), so you shouldn't need to have a change of surface. After a short while, you will probably notice the dog ignoring some/all of the food and motoring on down the track, and that is your cue to start fading the food. After that, you should feed from your hand when you want to reward the dog, and use articles to motivate them on the track. They find an article and indicate it, they get praise/treats/play from you. Once they know that articles are a good thing, you can use them to reward working through something new or tough, e.g., crossing a paved surface or other change of surface, after corners, etc. This is a very long way of answering your question: I wouldn't introduce a *change* of surface until your dog understands the game. Then I would use an article on the other side as a reward for working through the new challenge. I say a change of surface because it is actually possible to start your dog on pavement. A a seminar I attended this spring, Carol suggested starting VST work with Dexter and just working on pavement for a few months as a way of slowing him down, as I was having problems with him going too fast. She had done the same thing with her puppy for the same reason, then went back to vegetated surfaces and got her TD.

Feralpudel

KaC, AKC has recently introduced a new title--I think it is called Urban Tracking. If you want to work towards something that you yourself could participate in a test in, that *might* work (unless the track can include steps...). It is a novice level test that includes lightly vegetated surfaces and pavement. I am not sure how many clubs will actually offer it, but you might want to check out the regs.

Otherwise, I think it would still be fun to get out there in a field you can navigate and see what your pup can do. It is such a blast to watch your dog tracking, and I think it builds the relationship in a different way from other dog sports.

Teffy

Thanks Feralpoodle (love that name), I'm printing these pages and creating a tracking folder. I've been getting lovely tidbits everywhere and need to compile them all. Who would've thunk...Tracking Poodle eh?

Yeah, I'm on the yahoo tracking list...it's not as nice as this forum where things are organized so I tune out those posts.

bigpoodleperson

I agree that i builds the relationship differently. Riley and i have tried many different things. Obedience, agility, therapy. Tracking is the thing that "clicked" the most with us!! It was a sport that Riley excelled at, and was the best fit for us as team. He was 5 when we started, and just took to it so well. Every judge that has seen him has remarked at how beautiful a tracker he was (even an AKC rep that was following us in a track commented on what a beautiful tracker he is).

I think one of the hardest parts of tracking is to learn to trust your dog and be a "dope on a rope" as my instructor tells me!! I have failed my dog in a test more then once. She always tells me, let the dog fail you, dont fail your dog. Trust him, he can smell and you cant. You have to think and watch on the track, but dont overthink it!