Don't get negitive now! He might just surprise you again. The biggest obstacles you face are going to be patience, frustration and attempting to progress too fast.
It has begun
Well I finally got motivated enough to try to get Jak started in tracking. I did it just like the article on Schutzhund Village detailed - doing a square with pieces of non smelly kibble inside. It rained today, which helped me to see the edges of the square. I took Jak to it, pointed to the ground inside the square, and told him "Such" and he took right to it. Even though this was the first time he'd ever done this, he ignored when a car drove by us and the VERY ANNOYING neighbor kid that won't leave us alone any time we're outside. I only had to redirect him once, and after that, when he came to the edge of the square, he turned around on his own and went back into it! I praised him, let him sniff for a few more seconds, and then pulled him out and we ran around the yard and played with his tire for a few minutes. I never expected our first time to go so well. Next time will probably be horrible.
:lol:
:lol:
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I'll be starting tracking with my lil girl tomorrow morning... should be interesting, considering I've never trained tracking before and have very little clue of where I would start with this -- people have explained it to me so I get the jist of it, but I'm a hands-on kinda guy, I needa DO something to learn it.
So for now I will say... keep at it and have fun! And tomorrow I may change my tune
Her bitework was good today though, her 2nd "formal" bite training session.
So for now I will say... keep at it and have fun! And tomorrow I may change my tune
Her bitework was good today though, her 2nd "formal" bite training session.
Just remember that the biggest thing that will set you back is to progress to fast. Have patience as Phil stated and take your time. Tracking can be loads of fun.
Good article in the Schutzhund village site.
Did anyone mention to have patience? :wink:
Did anyone mention to have patience?
:wink:
Although my tracking is more police oriented, I still think tracking is some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Keeping it fun for both you and the dog, pays enourmous benefits.
DFrost
DFrost
I was just emailing Mike that the funnest training I have done are obedience and tracking!David Frost said:Although my tracking is more police oriented, I still think tracking is some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Keeping it fun for both you and the dog, pays enourmous benefits.
DFrost
Tracking with your clothes off is REEEELY not much fun in the woods. Poison ivy is bad this year.David Frost said:Although my tracking is more police oriented, I still think tracking is some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Keeping it fun for both you and the dog, pays enourmous benefits.
DFrost
:wink:
<<<<Poison ivy is bad this year.>>>>
Not to mention chiggers. Ahhhhh the joys of tracking.
DFrost
Not to mention chiggers. Ahhhhh the joys of tracking.
DFrost
LOL Bob!
I plan on staying with squares for a while. I'm in no hurry to get to long tracks just yet, especially since, like you, Mike, I haven't ever trained tracking before and have no idea what to do other than what the Schutzhund Village article says, and what other people tell me. I'm also a visual, "show me and then let me do it" kind of learner.
Mike, let us know how Lyka does!!
I plan on staying with squares for a while. I'm in no hurry to get to long tracks just yet, especially since, like you, Mike, I haven't ever trained tracking before and have no idea what to do other than what the Schutzhund Village article says, and what other people tell me. I'm also a visual, "show me and then let me do it" kind of learner.
Mike, let us know how Lyka does!!
Yesterday I did another square. Jak did well again. He did wander out of the square a step or two one time, but then seemed to realize that he was in the wrong place and went back to the square, at which point I praised him, pulled him out, and took him for a walk around the neighborhood before giving him his supper. The forecast is calling for rain for the rest of the week, so I don't know when I'll get to do another. :?
So far, so good, for a newbie!
So far, so good, for a newbie!
Be carefull about staying in the square too long. Dogs sometime think that's all they have to do when they get there and they quit. What I would do is, after a fee squares, start laying short foot step tracks ( ten feet) with a treat at the toe of each step. ( They have to sniff through the foot step to get their reward.) Remember to use your flag at the start. Get them use to the flag being there.
Can someone please explain this "Squares" thing to me? Either it's more advanced than the first steps we are doing with my dogs, or it's a different technique... just curious!
I hope this isn't an extremely dumb question, but does the flag need to be any particular color? The reason I ask is because I use white flags to mark the boundary of the yard, and I don't want to confuse him. :?
Also, exactly where does the flag go; at the first footstep??
I may just wait until you or someone else at club can show me, before I do anything more than the squares.
Mike, see http://www.schutzhundvillage.com/nose1.html and http://www.schutzhundvillage.com/nose2.html
Also, exactly where does the flag go; at the first footstep??
I may just wait until you or someone else at club can show me, before I do anything more than the squares.
Mike, see http://www.schutzhundvillage.com/nose1.html and http://www.schutzhundvillage.com/nose2.html
QUOTE (Armin Winkler): Here is a technique that I have had good success with. I trample an area that measures approximately one and a half body lengths of the dog by one and a half body lengths of the dog. So the size of the dog determines the size of the square. I trample the entire area down, so that every inch of the inside of this square has disturbed ground. END QUOTEMike Schoonbrood said:Can someone please explain this "Squares" thing to me? Either it's more advanced than the first steps we are doing with my dogs, or it's a different technique... just curious!
This is from Schutzhund Village at
http://www.schutzhundvillage.com/nose1.html
The way my trainer is teaching me tracking with 100% beginner dogs is basically "you can use a flag if you want but its not important", he doesn't use the flag at all, we only used one because a club member had one with them n offered to use it.... but he basically rubs his feet in the grass n drops a few pieces of hotdog where he rubbed his feet n we tell the dog "zoeken!" n praise for sniffing around the footstep area.
How many is a few? A few days of squares?Jerry Lyda said:Be carefull about staying in the square too long. Dogs sometime think that's all they have to do when they get there and they quit. What I would do is, after a fee squares, start laying short foot step tracks ( ten feet) with a treat at the toe of each step. ( They have to sniff through the foot step to get their reward.) Remember to use your flag at the start. Get them use to the flag being there.
Which is better; stomping or rubbing your feet? This is addressed to anyone who wants to answer, in response to what Mike said.he basically rubs his feet in the grass n drops a few pieces of hotdog where he rubbed his feet n we tell the dog "zoeken!" n praise for sniffing around the footstep area.
Uh-oh. I guess I need this answer too. I thought it was whatever it took to flatten the area.Kristen Cabe said:Which is better; stomping or rubbing your feet? This is addressed to anyone who wants to answer, in response to what Mike said.he basically rubs his feet in the grass n drops a few pieces of hotdog where he rubbed his feet n we tell the dog "zoeken!" n praise for sniffing around the footstep area.
When I laid a track for a tracking dog a few months ago I basically dragged my feet along the grass n spat every 4 or 5 ft, so my trainer obviously is more into the rubbing than the stomping.
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