April - Tracking Dog Excellent Test

Tracking Dog Excellent Test – Failed.  Those of us who enter the test with our dogs have a one in five chance of passing.  Magnum and I failed our first test at the Dayton Dog Club test in April.  All dogs entered in the tests that day failed – four Tracking Dog tests failed and three of us in Tracking Dog Excellent failed.

I did not start the day with confidence in myself or in my dog, which is not good.  Magnum had a good start and confidently made several turns and headed into the woods.  I was shocked how we entered the woods.  I had to bend way down and almost crawl into the woods.  Once in the woods, Magnum seemed to be everywhere and I thought he was hopelessly lost.  He tried to turn me right into a bush that led further into the woods.  I thought we should go left heading out of the woods.  Now I can’t tell you why I would think I knew where the track went since my nose was not on the ground and even if it was I still wouldn’t have known.  A dog’s nose is 100,000 times better than a human nose.  So, Magnum wanted to meander and I wouldn’t.  He got all tangled up and I had to abandon the lead and put a different lead on him.  We left the woods about 20 yards from the actual track.  We eventually got whistled, which means it is over. 

I walked back to the judges and the tracklayer.  The tracklayer walked us through the rest of the track.  Magnum had been meandering correctly in the woods, he had been on the track.  The place where he wanted to turn into a bush was the track.  I had to walk with the bush between my legs.  Seems hard to believe.   It was a lesson for me.  I hadn’t really understood about meandering in the woods.

I talked with both judges and they encouraged me to enter another test as soon as possible because they thought Magnum was ready.

I’ve entered three more tests.  The first two were in Michigan and I didn’t make it into them, but was on their wait list.  There were no passes at either test.  I was the first selected for the Tracking Dog Excellent test in Cleveland and will be tested this Sunday – Mother’s Day.   This time I will just follow my dog and support him as best I can.  If we are going to screw up, it might as well be his error rather than mine.  I am feeling much more confident in Magnum and in my ability to read him.  Keep positive thoughts for us in your mind.