Last Sunday I put in a track for Devon at a local elementary school. I had not tracked at this particular school before but found a nice area to do a short VST track. I can’t remember the last time we tracked, so I didn’t want to do anything real challenging.
I mainly worked transitions from veg to non-veg. I want to know that I can read her at a transition. She’s a pro at curb work, but I threw that in for good measure and a confidence builder. I figured the school hadn’t been used over the holidays, so I did put in part of the track on the grass between the driveway/sidewalk and playground equipment. I figured that had been used during the holidays as the school is surrounded by subdivisions. I also put a turn at the base of a handicap ramp in the driveway in some light debris of dirt and leaves. I figured this would give her a “hard-surface” turn with a lot of stuff to hold the scent.
We went back 3 hours later, and as I was getting her out of the SUV, a van came around the back of the school. Great! The person even had a dog hanging in the front window … even better. Sure enough, he parked in the driveway right in front of the playground and woods where I laid the track. He wasn’t on the track, but the track did a U around his van.
I started the track anyway, figuring I could abandon it by the time I got there if he hadn’t left. I kept an eye out for a dog coming from that direction, too. Devon’s start was great, and she acted like it was a 1 hour track as fast as she worked it! She missed tracking.
Devon was working down to the curb when a second car came around the back of the building. Now what! As Devon worked, I watched this car and shortened up on the line. Sure enough, the car came along the driveway where she was working the curb. I called Devon back to me and waited until the car went by; two teenagers who were very disappointed about all the activity at this school! However, they did give me a great opportunity to have a restart.
As we neared the van and I had to make a decision, I called out to the person asking if their dog was on leash. Nothing. I was still weighing my decision to abandon the track, when dog and master came into sight walking right past that “non-veg” turn I created – great! I heard the dog before I saw them and called out asking if he was on leash. Yes, he was. They got into the van, and I once again stopped Devon’s work and waited for them to leave. Another practice restart!
Now Devon could work the hardest part of the track in peace … yeah right! Just when I thought we could concentrate, a patrol car moved into the parking lot. He stopped and checked out my vehicle, which was unusual with a temporary plate. As he came around toward the playground, I stopped Devon once again and waved at him and smiled when his lights hit me. I quickly explained that was my SUV he saw and my dog was learning to track human scent in urban areas and we were practicing. He thought that was great and wished us good luck and good evening. I’m so glad police officers understand these things and support them!
Devon was restarted for the third time, but it was now very hard to get her focused. This was the area where the dog and owner had come through, and I wasn’t certain how much direct scent they had laid on the tracking area. Devon found her non-veg turn and indicated it strongly, but she also insisted on pulling me to the right where the dog had been. When I wouldn’t go repeatedly, she tracked where she was supposed to. However twice more she tried to con me into going back to the right. Luckily, I knew why she wanted to go that way (looking for some friendly dog who had just been here and was bound to want to play with her), and I knew where the track was. I held my ground, and she finally gave up and tracked to the glove 25 yards past her last attempt to pull me off the track.
So, we did work transitions, but also restarts! I decided to try to get a track in Monday evening, too, to have a more positive experience at the end of her track. Except for the end of the track, she handled everything that was thrown at her with ease, so I was pleased.
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