Mid Winter Tracking Refesher Course

Weather conditions:  NW wind, 10-16 mph, clear, 54 degrees F, 14:30 CDT.


Winston was complaining today that he hadn't been tracking all year!  The weather was nice so I asked Kelli to set a short but challenging course in the vacant 2 acre lot (50 yds x 200 yds) beside our home.  The lot lies North to South lengthwise so as she laid the track she would pretty much be working north into the NW wind. Winston loves working a track into the wind as this by far the easiest to work.  Today we would age the track by just 30 minutes.

Winston finds the 3rd turn and a treat.  He will make a 90 degree turn here and head towards the camera.

He made the turn and has no trouble following the scent at a run.

He finds a treat at this marker and continues straight on.

Winston becomes aware of his surroundings and suddenly stops.  "Hey, isn't that Mom over there holding a camera?

Having made another right angle turn, Winston is heading straight for the next marker.

At this marker, Winston finds another treat.  He has learned if you find a marker, you will find a treat.  It's time to switch it up on him.

Winston finds the lost bandana and a jackpot of treats at the end of the track.

Kelli set a track using our marking stakes so I'd know exactly where she had walked and where she left treats for Winston.  The track ended where she 'lost' her bandanna and coincidentally a jackpot of treats.  If Winston got off track, I'd know EXACTLY where Winston could be encouraged to reacquire her scent should he get sidetracked by an interesting bunny or field mouse scent.  But he wouldn't be needing my help today.  Once I put his tracking harness on at the start of her trail, he was on her scent dead on balls accurate (it's a tracking term) for the short length of her track.  Winston really didn't need a refresher.  His skills are still sharp even though we haven't track trained since last year (He found my game for me about a month ago).

Gotta love a dog as good as this one.

Good work, Winston.  You make me proud!