Hi all,

Well the winter is breaking in my neck of the woods and I am onto tracking again! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I have been using the Leerburg videos and the forum for info but cannot find an entry for serpentines... I am wondering if these types of turns should be laid with foot prints in single file (bending of course) or should the arc be laid in a normal foot step pattern (alternating side to side for the left foot and right foot)?

This is how I would look at it - anytime that you're adding a new level of difficulty to a training exercise, it wouldn't hurt to make the learning portion of the new exercise as easy as possibile. So it wouldn't hurt to drop back to laying your track in a single file for the first three or so serpentine tracks and then then lay them in a normal footstep pattern after that.

By the way, we have discussed serpentine track laying in the forum before, but it's been a while if I remember correctly.

Will,

I have found the serpentine mentioned in previous threads but it was touched on as a method to slow the dog down when they are tracking too fast (from what I found). That is why I ask, because my real problems are the speed at which my dog tries to "charge" down each leg; that and the proper sweeping motion of the head from foot print to foot print. I (as most) mainly don't want to make mistakes that will take more work to correct in the future rather than train properly from the beginning. I do realize that I have to work on one problem at a time, but am just trying to formulate a training plan at the moment.

BTW.. thanx for the input Will!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Bradley, Areyou are talking about Sch? If so, have you considered trying to slow him down by going back to footstep to footstep with really teeny morsels? I found this + serpentines helped me slow down in the past. If not for sch, then sorry to interupt!

Hey,
If your dog is real solid in the track get your articles in. Have that be a safe place. If he goes to fast and misses articles bring in stress. There is way more to it then this, too much to describe in a post. Basically he needs to not be so confident on the track, a little nervous and feeling stress, tail should be down and he should be working, not loose and tail up or wagging. But for this to happen you really need to know that he understands the origin of the sent. If he does understand the origin of the sent, I would find someone who can show you how to put articles in and how to use compulsion/stress. This will slow him down and make your tracking much better.

best ..Chet

Chet,

Right now she is not overly solid, at least I don't think so. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> For the time being I am just trying to slow her down while still keeping her motivated to track. One technique that I learned from the forum is to make the track itself the reward by placing lots of food drops on it and not have a big "pay off" at the end of the track encouraging the dog to race to the end. I have done this and seems to have worked for now but the temp dropped again so I have not been on the ground for a couple days. To mark the end of the track, instead of a food pay off, I have been using an article (leather glove). At the moment the article indication is not very good but it is there. She will down on the track, at the article, on command. When this gets stronger I will eliminate the command. I am also still working on a strong indicating behavior off of the track too. So, that is where I stand now. What do you think? P.S. I will also give the idea of smaller food drops a try too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Each serpentine problem depends on the width of the serpentine track and wind direction. Some dogs will not even bother to follow the turns, they'll just continue on what appears to be an almost straight path. Even the wider tracks can present the same scenario with various wind directions.