I finally started Odin on tracking   I could've and probably should've done it 4 months ago, but never got around properly doing it.  He was antsy on his tie out when I was laying the track.  I took my time completely kicking in the triangle scent base and kicking in and triple laying a 100 yard track with lots of food drops within the first 15 yards to get him started on the right foot.  Considering this was his very first track, 100 yards of triple layed straight track shouldn't peter him out.  And it didn't!!  Upon giving the "suche" command, he buried his nose right down on the ground in the scent base triangle and fully soaked it up.  And he started out on the track without hesitation.  I was laying the track against the wind to make his first track easy.  But to my dismay, the wind direction had changed a little when I got done laying the track and we got a bit of cross wind   And of course, Odin kept wandering a feet left of the track every now and then.  I had a 20 foot long line attached to his collar, but didn't hold it - just to get him used to having a long line coming through between his legs under his belly.  I was using a 6 foot leash to prevent him from getting more than 2 feet off of the track.  He worked pretty methodically, considering this was his first track  I was glad to see that he was getting the idea down pretty fast.  At the end of the track, he was happy to enjoy and little pile of hot dog pieces and of course his favorite ball on a string   I am so proud of him!! 

 

We met this lay with two shepherds (an adult bitch and a 6 month-old male) on our off leash walk in the school.  I often see her walking her shepherds and a fat goldie.  I couldn't believe that she told me I could breed Odin NOW when I told her that Odin had just turned 12 months yesterday!  Anyone responsible will have to wait until a dog or a bitch is AT LEAST 18 months and OFA-ed to even start making decisions as to whether to breed them based on a variety of factors.  I think she's probably a backyard breeder or runs a puppy mill somewhere - that's so bad and sad!