February 15 Brigid -- Goals: 1. start building track age; 2. get her used to a combination of very short and long track legs. Short track (260 yards), 2 turns, legs of 60, 150 and 50 yards. Age 1:10 old. Articles on every leg (two on long leg). Food drops every 20 yards, high-value food drops (pieces of roast lamb) thrown onto articles. No scuffing. Short to medium cover, with some sections of pine straw and pine debris. Clear, 46°, wind force 2. 59% humidity. Brigid is starting strongly, and was not phased by rather drastic change of cover 10 yards after start. First turn was near tempting line of trees with critter-laden debris, and she did let herself get drawn beyond turn, but eventually found the track on her own. I'm not sure I wouldn't have followed the false track if it were blind, We have to continue to work through that sort of tempting cover. She stuck nicely to the long second leg, and found and indicated both articles; third turn was nice and clean, but she had pr...
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February 2024
January 30 Brigid -- 4-turn track in unfamiliar field. Medium length hayfield all around. 400 yards, 50 minutes old. Three articles. Clear, 43°, calm. Humidity 67%. Good start, great track accuracy all around. Good turns, although still has to work on corners. Found and indicated all articles. What is really encouraging is that she is enthusiastic and eager all the way around--pulling hard to final article. Millie -- Short (230 yard), 4 turn track on new field. Foray into deep and thick woods. Aged 2:20. Medium length hayfield and woods. Sunny, 43°, wind force 1; humidity 69% Excellent start and confident first turn (open right), found and indicated first (and all subsequent articles). Worked on second turn (open left) along tree line and made it cleanly; followed third leg along tree line, up to 90° right into woods. Hesitated for a moment, then checked right and plunged through thicket into woods. Found article after about 40 yards of thick woods, then worked hard to find ...