We have a fun and dedicated group of people in our Berners on Track online class. It appears we have 8 - 9 who are actively working TD dogs, four dogs who are doing TDX training, and quite a few auditors.
The first week saw a flurry of tracking activity and posts on our Facebook group. Our beginner dogs are catching on to the game, which involves using cookies in a straight trail to help them understand that they can use their noses to find a jackpot.
The course Teaching Assistant, Sadie
Some are already spacing out cookies and adding length to their track as the dogs transition from using the cookies as their guide to using whatever dogs are using to follow the track. Is it scent from shoes? Is it specific scent from broken vegetation or crushed snow? The truth is that we really do not know — and that is okay.
Before we talk about specific activities for the next week, let’s step into the process part of both the class and learning in general.
Learning a new skill is tough because it requires vulnerability. To learn, we must open ourselves up and acknowledge what we do not know. Unfortunately, admitting we do not know something is too often seen — even by ourselves — as problematic, as if there is something wrong with us; the opposite is actually true.
Learners — real Learners and not the “yes, but…” learners (note small “l” because they are not actually learning anything) — have both the capacity and the courage to be vulnerable. They are willing and able to stumble and bumble through the process of learning, and that is admirable.
Post-tracking romp — Claire and Sundance
Every person working a dog in our class is expressing vulnerability, courage, and graciousness as they allow others to learn from their learning. Kudos to each of them.
Auditors — please appreciate and support our Learners. You are our cheerleaders and encouragers, and we want and need to hear from you. Ask your questions, add your comments, and express your support and appreciation for those brave enough to allow you to be the fly-on-wall witness to their vulnerability in this process of learning new skills.
All — please remember that learning never looks like the polished, finished product. Why would we need to learn if we could just jump right to the finish?!
Dogs are starting to understand that they are to use something to find a jackpot. Some are starting to look for the jackpot, necessitating flatter jackpot bowls (click HERE) and clever hiding places. Some dogs are getting excited and want to just lunge around, hoping to bump into the jackpot. But all are also using their noses!
Claire’s track courtesy of the Tracking Dog app
The general plan for Week Two is to move to just one longer track per session — still straight — with food drops spaced as needed to keep the dog’s nose down, and a great jackpot at the end. Vary track treats to keep it engaging and in case you misjudged the deliciousness factor.
Give a bit more leash to allow the dog freedom to move maybe 2 - 3 feet off the track BUT do not move forward until the dog is moving forward on the actual track (and yes, go ahead and move when the dog is lunging to the bowl, having visually spotted it — and order the flatter bowls). Give the dog more responsibility to figure things out — but be ready to redirect as needed; this is illustrated well in the week’s video.
Continue to work on the dog finding and picking up random articles — this is new life for odd socks!
We only need 2 - 3 sessions this week and really focus on adding length. The dog is your guide — push length to where she is successful, and back off if she struggles; same with spacing of cookies.
Click HERE to watch the week’s video — remember our Teaching Assistant is just 12 weeks and so her tracks will be shorter than your dog’s track but the concepts are the same.
For those who are interested in watching more tracking, click HERE to see Claire run a 3+ hour track that was 771 yards long - thanks to Suzanne for this video.
Happy Tracking!