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Karen Boyes and her 14 month old Australian Shepherd - Jasper Lil' Bear of Tucker Creek "Jasper” negotiate steps along their track at Lakehead University. In training a cooling blanket as shown above may be used to help keep the dog cool.Donna Smith has the well deserved reputation as a tireless worker who gives her time, energy and knowledge to others when asked. After meeting her you are almost breathless just listening to her training schedule, boundless plans for the future and her intense desire to expand the sport of tracking. I was left with the impression that she stays up late at night to think up ways to better train her dogs and her students.
She has, what I like to think of as an open mind. In the dog training world, there are those who teach and train in the manner of our forefathers and then there are the rare few who search, and prod and pry into the minds and actions of others for tidbits of knowledge which may give them an edge in training. She is, it appears, a lot like me. So it was not hard for me to step forward and agree to drive 1,400 miles to offer to help her and her students. I had friends in Thunder Bay and had been looking for an excuse to take the time and go north of the border.
Donna and I spent Friday morning touring Lakehead University, the planned site for the workshop. After a nice lunch, a gaggle of her students arrived to walk with me and pre-plot the games and example tracks around Lakehead University. After plotting, we adjurned to a local watering hole for a cool libation (or two) and a great sirloin steak!
When I arrived at the University on Saturday I had no idea that I would see dogs with their foundations firmly established through her training methods and their owners willing to participate and learn. We talked about their current training methods, individual problems the owners felt they were having and reviewed a few of the concepts I’ve developed.
On the bottom of my business card is the following slogan ...“Things are only impossible until they're not”. It is, to me, a mantra. As a trainer I try to introduce dogs and their handlers to new and sometimes unusual learning experiences during our quest for tracking perfection. I believe and try to teach three basic functions. Teach the components not the entire tracking process. Random training methods or keeping the dog motivated and guessing work better than structured, timed exercises and that this is a team sport and the handler must participate as more than the “dope at the end of the rope”.
For years, it was assumed that the owner would train their dog using the age old process of hundreds of tracks lined with pounds of food. It was all based on finding a pristine field, mark off a scent pad, scuff up the first few tracks. Drop food or bait along the track, and repeat, repeat and repeat until the dog finally understands what the concept is about or the owner gives up in frustration. If you were successful in getting your dog through the first part, you were then faced with untraining the dog to the use of food, scuffing, double or triple laid tracks and a miriad of other once structured training methods.
Linda Siczkar and her Belgian Tervuren - Ch. Chateau Blan Elan Illions TD TT “True” learn to transition from grass to a crushed rock parking lot during the first morning.As strange as it seems, it worked for thousands of dogs in the past and will continue to work for years to come. But as for me, I started tracking in an area infested with fire ants... food was not an option. Since I like to have fun with my dogs when I train, I was forced to develop unique and innovative motivation methods to teach my dogs to track. Over the past few years I’ve tried to look at the basic training problems and logically break them down into trainable components.
The attendees filed in with an assortment of breeds. Represented were Cockers (American and English), Flatcoat Retrievers, Belgian Tervuren, Jack Russell Terriers, German Shepherds, Doberman, Bloodhound, Cairn Terriers, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Australian Shepherds and a Bull Mastiff.
At first there appeared that we would have a communication problem. Y’all have an accent eh? But we quickly learned that tracking is a universal language. I told them that I would make demands of each of them and their dogs but with a soft hand and voice and always, yes always, implementing one unusual method or untried solution after another in a training session. We talked about making their training program more random, keeping the dogs guessing as to what will come next, and interspacing fun and games as innovative learning tools. We talked of developing and carrying a mental toolbox of helpful ideas and magic words. We discussed what I feel is the most universal concept in dog training: when it is time to quit for the day, leave with your dog wanting to learn more! There are, I told them, no rules cast in stone in training for those who strive for excellence in dog sports.
Renee Russo and her Best in Specialty Show winning Doberman - BISS/Ch. Dunrala's Liquorice Black Lexus, T.T. “Lexie” transverse a parking lot during the Article Game.Within an hour the dogs were introduced to a game I call the article game. The basic principal is to design a “U” shaped track at least a hundred yards ... oops meters on each leg with articles every 10 meters. The surfaces ranged from working on grass to gravel to asphalt and back. To say that there were skeptics in the crowd was minor under-statement, however, to their credit, each owner jumped in and was willing to try. The game teaches a multitude of components in a fun atmosphere. Progressing from article to article, the handlers learn a individual start routine for their dogs, a specific article indication, how to restart their dog at an article and how to become a teammate and not just someone following the dog. Within a few minutes we had automatic sits and downs being indicated at the articles, and the concept of re-starting taking shape. Then we moved from the article game to introducing corners using serpentine turns.
The author demonstrates the use of a "drag" to Linda Roe and her blind Flat Coated Retriever "Hellon"By the time we broke for lunch, the classroom was buzzing with excited owners talking about their dogs actually working on different surfaces and a few who were absolutely estatic at the excitement we were able to generate in their dogs. It was fun, but the best was yet to come.
After lunch, the pre-plotted tracks were laid. A total of seven tracks, averaging about 400 yards in length with multiple turns. Utilizing grass, asphalt, gravel, dirt, stone, steps, ramps, the buildings and even a couple of walking bridges which crossed the river. We brought in a selection of dogs and watched them negotiate the tracks, assisting the handlers and dogs when necessary. It was a learning experience to see both novice and experienced dogs work on variable surfaces and learn to solve problems on the fly!
(left) Ed Presnall answers questions after demonstrating a 700+ yard long VST track with his Field Spaniel CT CH Calico’s Hot Pursuit Del Prado “Race”Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny. We started the day with a demonstration. Race, my Field Spaniel and Champion Tracker and I ran a 700+ yard track in an adjoining complex. Starting on grass we worked around buildings on asphalt, dirt, long grass, crossed streets, across shale and rocks into another asphalt parking lot and onto mowed lawn to the final article. The crowd followed and we spent time talking about the track and handling teamwork involved.
Back at the University we again worked the dogs on surpentines and the article game. I spent time with several individual teams including a mantrailing Bloodhound and it’s owner working on track focus and reading the dog. I was proud to be able to come up with a few ideas which seemed to be helping a blind Flatcoat learn to track and accept distrubances on the track. Switching the dogs and tracks we again ran the pre-plotted tracks and watched several awesome demonstrations by dogs who were struggling only 24 hours earlier. Although I came to Canada with my dog, after two short days I was making offers to squeeze a Cairn, Terv, Dobe and Aussie into my Jeep to be part of my training program at Sandhill Farm.
As one of the attendees stated, “I can bet no man can claim that he was followed by a pack of women for 2 days on a college campus - lucky Ed!”
Yes, my feeling exactly, I was the lucky one. I got to watch and see the growth of a new generation of tracking dogs in Canada. These dogs and handlers will know that they can track on any surface presented to them. They will become teams who can track in urban environments and who will be stronger, better TD and TDX trackers for it. These are the ones who will be prepared, should the CKC implement a test similar to the AKC’s Variable Surface Tracking test, to step forward and lead their nation into a new level of tracking.
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