1.3 Parking Lot | Curiouser and Curiouser!
Date: Aug 3, 2024
Track Layer: Lorie
Location: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Rothesay
Weather: Overcast, ~20 C
Wind: No wind.
Track Lengths: 15 yds., 30 yds. and 40 yds.
I have never seen urban tracking before, and I can’t imagine how my dog will follow a scent trail along the pavement. My curiosity is piqued, and I’m excited to see how this challenge unfolds. How exactly should I lay this track? Should I use one of the scent enhancer techniques from the book, or just stick to the basics? I decided to keep it simple for now, but I’ll definitely consult the book and the Facebook group for advice on starting urban tracking.
New Tool Alert! I recently downloaded the DogTracks app, which has been a game-changer for tracking distances accurately. You do have to walk slowly and wait for the app to catch up to your position, but it’s worth it. When it was time to run the track, I faced a dilemma: I have only one phone so should I use the app to follow the track or video the session with my phone. I opted for video this time, but I’ll plan better next time.
With no helper today, I worked Rumor out of the back of my Jeep. I parked so she could watch me lay the track from her crate. Each time, I positioned the Jeep at the beginning of the track (within 5 yards), then I walked over to get her excited with the glove before laying the track.
Session 1.3.1 was a bit short—10 yards instead of the planned 15, according to the app. I laid this first track along one of the shorter curbs in the parking lot. There were flies buzzing around the hot dog drops, which was a first. Luckily, they flew away as Rumor approached, so no issues there. Rumor seemed clueless, not even looking for the treats. She was more interested in the grass on the upper side of the curb, which led to a lot of tight leash moments as I waited for her to get back on track.
Session 1.3.2 went slightly better. There was some nose-to-the-ground action near the track, though I’m not sure if she was actually tracking vs just sniffing curiously in a new location. Still, nose on the ground is progress.
Session 1.3.3 showed more improvement. There was even more nose on the ground, and we moved along the track with less diversion to the grass.
Evaluation: I didn’t sense the same motivation from Rumor to start tracking today. Maybe it was the change in protocol—keeping her crated while I laid the track—or maybe she just didn’t understand what we were doing. When we approached the start line, she didn’t even sniff at the treat, just looked away from the track entirely. I’m curious to see how she performs on the next parking lot track.
I missed my videographer today. I botched the first two videos, so I only captured the third track on camera.
I’m looking forward to our next field track. Each session from 1.1 to 1.3 has presented new challenges for both Rumor and me. I can’t wait to see how she does with something she has seen before; a pristine track in a field.
