Heads up - a bunch of new IDs

405 since Friday says a lot... it was a mess.  I've been able to do them better at work than at home, but that doesn't help on the weekend.  Let alone being gone all weekend, too.

Lani - Tracking is SOOO MUCH FUN!!!

 Isn't it?!  Are you training for TD?  I knew you'd love it :)

I went to an all-day beginner TD clinic hosted by my Tracking club and led by two of our members who are both AKC Tracking Judges, one of whom has written a book and advised on the creation of two other books.  They're great resources and really helpful, supportive, funny people.  I liked it a lot.  Gracie ate it up, but in her own way.  She had no interest in stopping for articles, she was just following her trail, thank you very much!  So, we are new like puppy level, but it will be fun, I'm sure.

 That's awesome!! I wish I had access to those kind of trainers, WOWZA!!!  I'm sure G is gonna be a TD rockstar :)

 I'm sure they told that ignoring the article wasn't a problem and how to handle it.  But, for the sake of giving advice, I'd say pick them up for a bit (except start/end gloves) and train articles separate, then integrate them later.... so you train them as separate behaviors.  I don't know of other techniques (but, I'm sure there are many!) but it's how I trained Logan and I've received compliments from Judges on his article indication. I've trained a retrieve because him stopping his momentum and then sitting/downing in wet conditions was gonna be *hard*.  He has a natural retrieve so it just made the most sense for us.  Have you decided how you want her to indicate?

Super exciting!!! :)

No, I haven't.  It was all so new and they were focusing on us having a good start routine and helping to choose how the dog should indicate.  Except Gracie just blew past and once I got past the helpers on the first few legs and ended up w/the trainer, she was able to see that their initial method wasn't going to work for Gracie.  Everyone else, they had treats come from the human when the dog found the article so the dog could be rewarded.  With Gracie having spent so many years doing Obed, she thought the treat meant this fun sniffing thing stopped and she was supposed to work for the treat (ie, Obed).

I anticipated that being an issue - worried she wouldn't willingly leave me - so I had been deliberately not asking her to do anything for weeks, not calling her to me, letting her feel more independent.  It seemed to have worked and I didn't want to undo that by confusing her with commands for indicating. 

So!!! We'll be doing what you suggested and training on article indication separately, with the food INSIDE the article (glove/sock/whatever).  I'm hoping as a result of that, something will come naturally and we'll say "yep, she should sit, or down, or paw the ground,whatever" when she finds the article.

In the meantime, I have news for you.... I will be in Seattle area in a couple of weeks.... hit my cell phone or email tomorrow and I'll give you the scoop. 

WHAT?!  COOL!!!!  I'm at work till 6!  Are you on FB, I can chat easier than talk on the phone... if I'm "on" but not here, probably with clients.

 Awesome!!  I needed to rubberband the article closed, because he figured out how to shake it and get treats out..... he felt he was quite clever.  So, I sealed them so he HAD to return them to me to receive the treats from inside.  I'd hide them around the house "Find it" and put it in gloves or socks.  Next will be plastic tuperware and eventually something metal.  I need to vary articles, cause he blew right past a tuperware filled with cookies on a track (I thought for sure he'd stop!!) ... he brought me the glove perfectly though.  If you plan on going to TDX, after you get gloves/socks you may want to do the same, I should have started this sooner.  She sounds like she's doing great!

They mentioned we should be using varied articles right from the start.  Other things they suggested were switch plate covers (like for the light switch or electrical outlets - those plastic things you can get at the hardware store for 50 cents.)  Also suggested those small floppy disks for computers (good use for a defunct piece of technology).  On our track we had the plastic cover to a travel mug, a pair of 360 ear muffs, a strip of leather, socks, gloves, etc.  So we were introduced to various article materials right from the start.  :D

I can't have Facebook up at work, but I'll try to hit you up there tonight.  Whoo hoo!!  How far are you from the Sea-Tac airport?

 Yeah, they are smarter than I am :)  Logan stopped and sniffed the tuperware...... then kept on truckin'.  I *believe* if I had been on an actual VST or TDX track and I picked it up it would have been counted, because he did let me know it was there, just not his normal indication, by any means.  It was full of hotdogs.... it's funny how single minded they get when they are working!!

 From my home I'm about 25 min from Seatac, you just flying through? Or do you need a ride??  Funny, I can't chat much on the phone at work, but FB is fine. LOL 

 Mom's here till tomorrow, so I maybe hit or miss but I'll watch for you!

I arrive at Sea-Tac mid-morning on the 9th.  Then it's load 'em up and head 'em out on the 10th.

Have you guys noticed that since there's some amount of blocking in the ID creations, we're not getting ANY crappy ones?

Also, I think you ought to warn Terry in case Billy uses the Give Us Feedback button since he got re-banned.

I have a feeling we're in for some more spamming.  Suddenly have 6-7 new IDs and some don't look outright questionable (aside from being sort of nonsense names), but we have instincts about spammers and mine are alert.  Watch the forum when you can, eh? :)

Thx - P 

 I've been checking in from time to time and haven't had any spammers for a while

I refuse to approve an id called "joeyfartboy".... DISAPPROVED!

 HAH! I left that one, because I didn't want to approve it either! LOL -- it just seems like a bad idea, doesn't it?

 good decision!!

Sorry i didn't get online at all this weekend to approve - did a bunch before leaving though :)

Glad your trip was safe and decent Paige - love the pics of SD!

Lani feel better soon!

BTW I spent some time with my sister's vizsla pup - she is under-socialized and so frightened of the world - it was sad but with patience she seemed to improve fairly quickly so I am hoping they get her out and about.  It is amazing thought that none of the parks even allow dogs in them.  So there really aren't too many places they can take her, but for now she just needs to be walked in various places.  Made a huge change from walking the beast who if unsure rushes to find out what it is, she would just sit, ears back, and if it was really scary tremble

I felt a sense of pride when having encouraged her she started to point and flush birds LOL

 just did some ID's left two that I was leaning toward disproving - any thoughts?