Tracking Progress
Tracked Isaac in the early evening (was beyond wet this AM). Was about 78 degrees, no breeze, and the ground was was kind of sticky from the humidity. I believe the ground was warmer than the air temperature.
Once he gets to the third track he is settled in nicely, the first one is a rushed free for all, and the second is not much better. Part of that could be focus part of it could be that he is hungry, need to find the balance between wanting food and his attitude of ‘needing’ food. He tends to skip almost all the bait in the first two tracks and only concerns himself with the jackpot. On the third track he tends to spend more time searching out the bait.
Today I ran a straight trenched for the first track. The second track was a trenched arc right from the scent pad. Third and final track was a just a straight footstep (bait in each footstep). He looked the nicest on the third track. Here a diagram a tossed together so you can see what today’s tracks looked like.
Curves not Corners
Isaac ran three tracks this AM (check here for why 3 tracks). It is quite entertaining that he knows as soon as he goes in his Kennel without breakfast and then comes out on a leash we’re going to sniff the ground for some food.
First two tracks were laid like all previous tracks, this time the third had a curve in it (not a corner). I didn’t bait before or after the corner any different than normal since it was a gentle radius. As he entered the curve he overshot by maybe 3 inches, but recovered quickly and stayed in the groove then until the end.
Again because of the stomach issues I just used the kibble that he normally would get for breakfast. Since he skips a lot along the way it doesn’t seem to cause him to pause/slowdown to chew (it’s kind of hard), plus the majority of his breakfast in spread across the jackpots at the end of 3 tracks. He also doesn’t seem to be moving to quickly (IMO), we’ll see what the experts say. Again I was able to stay out of the way, essentially if I could trust him to walk to the field by himself I think he’d do fine, well except for the backtracking he likes to do when he’s finished.
OB followed with the remainder of the kibble in the driveway. He’s learning but the kibble isn’t the best motivator for this activity. Last night I worked with the tug and that seemed to work better than the Kongs.
Healthy Happy and Tracking
Isaac worked for his 2 cups of kibble this morning. He ran three tracks (short, double the short, triple the short) and he new what was going down as soon as he saw the flag(s). Kept his nose down and moved forward. Was very very eager to track….
For my part I kept the lead loose and gave him a click when he got to the jackpot at the end. Other than those two things I wasn’t part of the equation (which is progress for me).
I had .5 cup of kibble left over so we did some OB in the driveway, tossed in a couple of KONGS for good measure. He worked well for the kibble, just slowed things down a little because of required chewing time.
Schutzhund Training
I am beginning to wonder if Isaac and I will ever get down to the business of Schutzhund training. Now that the stomach seems to be cooperating (fingers crossed) I am a little hesitant to introduce summer sausage back into the equation until I get a week of regular stool out of the pooch. (I’ve never figured out what the issue was)
Though we haven’t done any tracking or official obedience training in quite some time, Isaac has had the opportunity to develop his prey drive (since the only reward is just more fun for him). I’m still not sure that ‘prey drive’ alone will be enough for obedience work though I may have to give it a go until this time next week (July 8, 2008). I’ve thought about mixing in some food with some two ball or tug for a reward. He’s not as ‘on’ for play as he is for food.
With regards to tracking I think the amount of bait required (minus any normally used during OB) might be an acceptable risk. Though I have to admit I’m a little gun shy.
It’s not all bad, he’s had tons of just plain down time bonding with the wife and kids and getting more socialization time (which is good). When I got home from work today he was laying on the floor of my room next to Bethany which is a plus because for awhile she wasn’t too keen on him (that’s changed). Plus he had the wonderful smell of big dog in the sun and she didn’t seem to mind!
Fingers crossed may try a little tracking in the AM, the OB doesn’t concern me too much since I figure he can always be taught that if he’s got the drive (food or prey)…tracking I’d rather have gotten a better foundation laid before having to take a break.
–As I typed a note to someone who knows more than me, I came to the realization that maybe he’ll work for his kibble (maybe not as much drive as ham, but more than the ball). She will remain nameless so that she doesn’t get anymore insane email than she already does…..(OK I gave her some credit)
Book List
Someone asked in a comment if I was familiar with the books/videos by the Monks of New Skete so I decided to list some of the material I have found most useful. I have read the books by the monks but I did’t find them particularly useful.
There isn’t just one book that teaches you ALL the skills you need to train a dog. All beasts are a little different and handlers all have different amounts of experience. You’ve got soft dogs, hard dogs, low drive dogs, high drive dogs, timid handlers, loud obnoxious (me) handlers……..so there is no one size fits all book. Needless to say I’ve enjoyed reading the following and gleaned some amount of knowledge from each one (may or may not have been worth the price of admission). These are in no particular order….and all the links are safe (I’m not making money directing you anywhere).
Just got this one in the mail, but I skimmed it one night at the bookstore and it looks promising.
Decent info if you’re a new dog owner or tend to apply human emotions to animals. Plus I like it because I was surprised to find out he’s not a 100% positive trainer (dorks). Doesn’t relate to dog sports like Schutzhund, but I like the fact that he mentions it as a viable option for dogs (few current mainstream authors do this). I’ve never seen his show so all I know of him is from this book.
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs (Getting Started) By: Karen Pryor
If you’ve got a puppy and don’t know anything about markers this will get you going. Markers are nothing more than what people have been doing forever with puppies (lure -> Good Dog -> treat), just a little easier for humans to pin point the behavior they want. Replace the good dog with a click and it’s seems to be easier for humans to not forget the good dog and also be more precise in using it. (way high level).
Advanced Schutzhund By: Ivan Balabanov
Decent read if you’re into Schutzhund, nothing terribly new, but stuff that is hard to find in print.
Schutzhund: Theory and Training Methods by Susan Barwig and Stewart Hilliard
This is the standard Schutzhund book that everyone in the sport has at least looked at. Not a lot of current state of the art training methods, but gives a very good overview of the sport.
TRAINING THE BEHAVIOR by Gary Patterson
I’ve read the entire book, but bought it just for the tracking piece which I really really like and seems to be working well for Isaac.
Obedience without Conflict DVD 1: Clear Communication by Ivan Balabonov
Obedience without Conflict DVD 2: The Game by Ivan Balabonov
These videos are a little pricey but I think they are worth it. They are interesting and have good information in them. They fit between the Clicker training books and the document on Bridge and Target Training by Kayce Cover.
Introduction to Bridge and Target Training by Kayce Cover
I’m not currently using Kayce’s methods, but this is an amazing read and very interesting. Think clicker training to the power of a million. Here’s and example….teach your dog to touch any given part of his body to your hand through the use of a tertiary bridge.
Second Trip to the Schutzhund Club
Isaac went to the Schutzhund Club (Indian Creek Schutzhund Club) for the second time today. He had his first accident in the crate on the way to the club. WOW did he have an accident, a giant pile of crap. So the day was off to a rough start.
Tracking: Isaac did well on the track (I did well too, stayed out of his way). The track was a little shorter than he was used to, but because he crapped in the crate I was running late. He is still moving a touch fast and tends to not go side to side with his nose as much as he moves forward, but all an all it’s not bad. This is the one area where the work I’ve been doing with him seems to be paying off. I kind of slacked off on everything else in an effort to get his nose in the ground.
Obedience: Isaac did his obedience, I used summer sausage cubes instead of ham. The ham seems to send him into over the top food drive and the summer sausage tone it down a little (maybe a little too much). Had the two balls in my pocket, but I didn’t break them out. Two ball is working at home inside, but only on occasion outside. The Fuss, Platz, Sitz, and Look are coming along. I’m working the sitz in front, but haven’t associated a command with it.
Protection: Bill (kulladogs.com) had the two puppies in attendance come out together and he tried to get them to interact with the rag on a stick. They seemed more interested in each other and Bill than in the ‘toy’. It’s interesting because at home Isaac interacts with items like this, I think it is going to take him time to adjust to the club and interacting with a ‘helper’ other than Noah or myself.
Soccer: Straight from the club to soccer. When we arrived the lightening warning was sounded and everyone (100’s) headed to the pavilion. Isaac got some socialization with some good kids and some horrible kids. He also got some time with a two year old retriever. He kept his mouth to himself and took the torture in stride.
Video of some puppy tracking
Noah took some video of Isaac tracking today, the video is a little sketchy as is my technique. Noah skills as a camera man appear to be improving faster than my abilities as a dog trainer. I seriously thought about editing out the ‘bad’ parts to put together a couple of minutes of ‘solid’ tracking, but figured I wouldn’t learn anything from that. Though I think I could have a spliced together a nice highlight reel.
The good news is that Isaac is moving forward while keeping his nose down. Now for the bad news! I still at times keep a tight leash, I stepped in and pointed a little, and in an effort to keep the tracks in the shade I had my scent pads to close together (yes I said scent pads plural).
All and all for a slacker handler I think the dog is pushing through and figuring it out regardless of my faults. He even kept his nose to the ground as Bethany ran up screaming “Mom, what are you doing?”
Why the three tracks? Well I’m sure this will be a controversial topic, but I am using the tracking program that is detailed by Gary Patterson in his book entitled Training the Behavior. The 10,000 foot view is that working with three tracks the dog is able to settle in and calm down and regain focus between each of the tracks with hopes that the third and longest track is the best. You only use 3 tracks during the early phases of tracking (it’s not a forever thing). Seems to be working (if I could just get out of the way and let the dog work we’d probably progress a little faster).
Here are the videos (Track 1 is about 10 feet, Track 2 is about 15 feet, and track 3 is about 20 feet). They are all baited with a Jackpot at the end, I made the jackpot a tad smaller than the ones I used on Monday. Isaac still heads back to the tracks from Monday when ever we pass by with the hopes that more meat fell from the sky while we were away.
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Tracking Update
Isaac, Noah, and I went out this morning after soccer and did some tracking (trenching is more like it). Just straight turf, wind in the face.
While Noah restrained Isaac I laid 3 straight, trenched, 8′, tracks with bait every 9 inches every other trench. Started with a scent pad with bait at the four corners and one in the center. Jack pot at the end of each track. Used flags at the scent pad as well…
The bait was a little too big and took a little too long to wolf down. Kept his nose to the ground and moved forward going from left to right with the snout. The only challenge was that he wanted to lay down when he found the food (no he isn’t identifying articles). Moved a little to quick (only skipped two pieces of food). Leash was top center and loose the majority of the time. He reverse tracked the last track after hitting the jack pot, I let him go with it since his nose was down, swinging, and he was moving forward. Just quite calm good boys (he didn’t even hear me).
He moved quickly but wasn’t frantic. I think with smaller bait he’ll be able to eat it standing up and probably move a little slower digging it out of the turf (he did get some of them visually).
Will work them again in the morning with smaller bait and a little more distance between drops.
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