Phase 4 is the dog's true introduction to corners.  After 2 session of open corners, we shift to 90 degree corners for the remaining 6 natural field and urban lawn sessions.  Interspersed are more curbed-island serpentines with 90 degree corners supported by curbs if you can find them.

​Gretzky P4.1.1 135 degree open right turn, 75 yards and 30 yards.  Gretzky starts out with clear commitment and keeps himself close to the first leg.  At the corner he shows loss of scent, finds the new leg quickly and is a rock star.  Really nice for a first corner.  They won't all be that good I am sure.  Lots of fun at the glove.

​Gretzky P4.1.2 135 degree open left turn, 75 yards and 30 yards.  Not quite as focused at the start but good.  Note on the first leg he is downwind and so I am holding him with increase tension and raising my arm.  At the corner he needs to search a little more and finds the new leg quickly.​

Phase 4.2 Urban Lawn Open Turns.  100x30 & 100x60, 15 minutes old.  Just like 4.1 field tracks, but on a short sports lawn with whatever contamination might be present.

​Session 4.2.1 Urban Lawn Open Turn.  Gretzky approaches the flag excited to be there.  Note I approach at an angle - a start is just a corner you have not tracked into.  If the dog is having trouble, approach straight-on.  He finds the leg and commits nicely.  I am happy to follow 10-20' behind him, you can often see the 10' knot on the line in front of me.  Gretzky has great concentration and focus.  When he notices contamination, he corrects himself quickly.  There is a side wind from the left to the right so you can see me holding him with increased tension when he is off to the side a couple of feet.  He is good about coming in for the tiny treats.  About 3:55 in the video, there is a big diversion but he eventually goes back to work.  At the corner, he  bends almost in the right direction but gives up and looks around; so when he gets close to the right direction again, I start to follow easily to help him understand what is correct.  This is typical for initial corners.  He seems to like the mower's furrows more than the track.  But patience works things out and we have a party at the glove.

Session 4.2.2 Urban Lawn Open Turn.  There is a long walk to the start of the second track and Gretzky is hot and less interested when we get there.  So I approach the start flag straight on but he is still distracted at the start.  Note a returning mower had run over the 30-yard flag while crossing the field right before we started the track - the kind of contamination money can't buy.  I am quick to help him there.  Notice him speed-up after his treats.  Gretzky is just being introduced to corners, so he is not quick to find the new leg.  But with patience and practice, he will get there.  Here he settles in nicely after a lot of searching and attempts in the wrong direction.  The distant distractions on both tracks are excellent practice for him.  Big Party!

Phase 4.3 - 4.12

​Poorly logged, sorry.

4.3 Curbed Island Serpentines.  9/16/2017.  Done at a school parking lot and at a park and ride.  Some of the gaps were a little extra wide but Gretzky used his nose to search and find the track on the flat.  Gretzky did a nice job.

4.4 Field Corners.  9/19/2017.  Natural Field Single Corners.  Windy.  Gretzky overshoots corners and looks around but not being organized - he loses focus and needs a little help.  Second track is similar but he only needs a hint at the corner.

4.5 Urban Corners.  9/20/2017.  Urban Lawn Single Corners.  Windy.  Gretzky handles first track corner nicely.  Overshoots second track corner and not quick to find the next leg even when he crosses it several times.

We went to Maryland for our National and got to do one practice session (4.4 again) at Fairhill where he did quite nicely.  When we got back two weeks later, I had misplaced the camera and so we did the rest of the Phase 4 natural field and sports field sessions without filming.  Gretzky did very nicely in the field in the taller grass - he seemed to have gain both some size and some confidence over the break.  The sports field tracks went well also although he still needs more experience with contamination.  So far, we have only done two of the three parking lots tracks but he did nicely.  

​I'll return to better logging for Phase 5.

Comments are welcome on Facebook's Modern Enthusiastic Tracking Group
www.facebook.com/groups/ModernEnthusiasticTracking

Phase 3 is a short phase where we introduce the dog to crosswind tracks using 4 straight tracks per session arranged in the shape of a square.  We also have another curbed-island serpentine, a sports field serpentine and two article ovals.  Once completed, the dog will be ready for his introduction to real corners in the next phase.

​Gretzky Session 3.1 4-Square on Natural Field.  The first three were 75 yards each and the last was 50 yards.  Gretzky did nicely on the first two.  The third one was upwind and he started to be less focused and more distracted.  The fourth was pretty ugly - he was mentally  tired.  He still needs fewer and shorter natural field tracks as he gets mentally tired and easily distracted.  No video.

​Gretzky Session 3.2 4-Square Urban Lawn.  All were about 50-60 yards.  He did great on the first three but was distracted by the fourth.  Mental fatigue perhaps.  No video.

Gretzky Session P3.3​ is the Parking Lot Curbed-Island Serpentines just like the ones done in Phase 2.  Since I was time constrained, I chose a nearby parking lot with old dilapidated curbs and a lot of dirt and debris in the curbs.  The first track was 110 yards long across 5 gaps.  The second was 150 yards long across 5 gaps with a sharp corner hugging a curb at the end of the track.

P3.3.1 Gretzky 110 yards across 5 gaps.  Gretzky did a lot of shopping to check out the debris along the curbs and out from them to see what might pay with treats.  But he made steady progress and got by two people who were getting their dog and picnic stuff into their car.  He required some encouragement due to the distraction of the debris.  No video.

​P3.3.2 Gretzky 150 yards across 5 gaps with a 90 degree turn along a curb.  He works nicely across the first gap and past the car with a homeless person just waking up.  On the second gap he is wide shopping but comes into the track and initially choose the wrong side of the island so feels restraint.  The lamb-lung treat had ants.  And then he saw a man walking ahead and wanted to go visit but the man walked one.  He soon found a leather square.  At the next island he gets interested in some droppings and is encouraged past but then wants to ignore the article.  He is clearly mentally tired by this point but is willing to keep going.  I am subsequently quicker to restrain and guide him and he maintains his willingness to work until the final article.  He is very quick to take the corner to the left against the far side of the near curbed walkway.  What a clever boy.

Gretzky P3.4 Urban Lawn Article Oval.  We did one big oval about 180 yards long with articles about every 10 yards.  Gretzky noticed almost all the articles but did not want to stop at about half of them, so he was restrained and had a fun party at each.

Gretzky P3.5 Natural Field 4-Square.  Each was 50 yards with extra treats.  First three went nicely.  Fourth was not so good but he completed it.

Gretzky P3.6 Urban 4-Square.  Normally I do this on an open sports field, but I was time constrained and the open sports fields around here were all dead grass because of 3 months without rain.  So I found a business park with lawn edges around the block of buildings and did one track per side.  There was wind variation, but mostly wind swirling due to the buildings and trees.

​Gretzky P3.6.1 Urban Straight.  Gretzky starts nicely and then notices his reflection in the reflection of the window.  So it turns out to be excellent distraction training as well as general life socialization.  He does a nice job crossing the sidewalks.  When he gets distracted from the track, he finds it nicely and commits with confidence.

​Gretzky P3.6.2 Urban Straight.  This is a short track about half the length of the others since there was an obstruction I did not want to try and cross with him.  Gretzky has nice focus most of the time.

​Gretzky p3.6.3 Urban Straight.  This one had a parking car as a distraction and a bend to stay on the lawn which Gretzky handles nicely.  The bees seemed to like the lamb-lung on this track - how to make a reward into a punishment - not so good.

​Gretzky P3.6.4 Urban Straight.  This one is in a channel on the fourth side of the building complex so has more squirrels and wildlife contamination.  You can see me using more line while Gretzky is close to the track and less when there is a distraction or he needs encouragement.  

P3.7 Parking Lot Article Oval.  Gretzky did a nice job indicating perhaps 3/4 of the articles and just nosing and trying to move on at the rest.  He was restrained and we had a great party at every one.  Gretzky is visual and did a lot of shopping which did not earn him any treats, but he seems to enjoy it anyways.

P3.8 Gretzky Urban Lawn Serpentine.  These were two serpentines full-length about 150 yards each.  They were uneventful so I am not including the video.  See P2.2 and 2.8 for examples of typical urban lawn serpentines.

Comments are welcome on Facebook's Modern Enthusiastic Tracking Group
www.facebook.com/groups/ModernEnthusiasticTracking​

Phase 2 is similar to Phase 1 in having short tracks that get longer as the phase progresses.  There are sessions with 2-3 fairly straight tracks in natural fields, 2 serpentine tracks on urban lawns, and 2 island-curb serpentine tracks in parking lots.  Instead of laying the tracks one at a time and teasing the dog while we lay them like we did in Phase 1, we lay all 2-3 tracks in a row with the dog still in the car, then bring the dog out to run the tracks one after another.  There are 12 sessions with the tracks starting out very short and gradually getting longer as the sessions progress.  Another difference is we reduce the short-hard-steps to just the first 5 yards for the first 6 sessions and then all normal steps after that.  And we stop adding food to the glove in the second half of the phase so the dog will learn to notice the glove by itself and then immediately get a fun party from his handler.

​Gretzky was just 3 months old as this phase started and was just 4 months old as it ended.  So I kept the track lengths close to 1/3 to 1/2 the normal length particularly for the natural field tracks where the tall grass was challenging for him.  The Sports field tracks could be closer to normal length.  

​The first six session were uneventful and I only took videos occasionally.  I do introduce the start sock in these sessions which may cause a bit of a distraction for the dog.

​Gretzky P2.2 Sports Fields Two Serpentines.  75 yards & 105.  The purpose of serpentines is to introduce the dog to staying close to the track as it makes gentle bends.  Ideally we want the dog to stay right overtop the track but some searching at the bends is normal as the dog learns this new concept.

​P2.2.1 75 yard serpentine.  Gretzky is distracted by the sock but gets down to work soon.  The segments are about 15 yards each with a slight bend at the flags and a treat mid-leg.  Gretzky does a nice job bending right after the flag in each new direction and he is pretty reliable about finding the treats.  Notice the fun glove game party we have at the end of each track. 

​P2.2.2 The serpentine are supposed to be generally downwind but due to their curving nature, the wind varies a lot.  Track 2 starts out cross-wind but bends to be more downwind in the middle.  

Gretzky P2.4 Natural Fields.  Gretzky has been doing nicely on all three types of sessions but the taller grass in natural fields has caused him to get distracted or mentally tired so I have chosen to not only make his field tracks shorter but also give him only 2 rather than the normal 3.

​P2.4.1 Gretzky is distracted and gets off the track at the start so I wait and then encourage him to find it.  He does a nice job of searching for the track and committing to it once he finds it.  Along the short track he corrects his direction toward the track several times quite nicely.  While the grass is not tall in absolute terms, it is just over his head so presents a challenge.  Nice glove game at the end.

​P2.4.2 The grass starts to be mixed with a white flowering weed which is quite tangled and resists my footsteps as well as Gretzky trying to push through it.  So the track is a harder than it should be and Gretzky shows his struggles as we get further down the track.  He seeks channels of lower grass to the side because they are easier.  Now it is important that a small dog learn to push his nose through tall grass but this became too hard and I had to help him.  I try to let him do the work as much as possible without having him quit.  I should have stopped the track and put down the glove before the section of tall white weeds near the end.

Gretzky P2.7 Field.  I tried three tracks because the grass was shorter with lengths of 30, 50, and 110.  The ruts in the field are at a diagonal provide low channels which hold scent and allows the dog to get off and have to find the track again - a chance to use your raise & lower line-handling techniques.  ​A very new to tracking student is walking next to me observing and so you can hear me talking to her as the tracks progress.  

​P2.7.1 - The ruts are quite distracting but Gretzky corrects himself pretty well with only minimal increased tension and restraint.  I am trying to hang back and let out more line to 15-20' although I shorten up quickly when he gets off in the ruts.  Also note that while you give the dog 6-10' to either side of the track before restraining him, for a puppy each distance is cut in half so I am trying to keep him within 3-5' of the track.  Sometimes, Gretzky thinks I am controlling him too much but that is normal for a Westie.

P2.7.2 - The student asks about how slow Gretzky tracks - her dog runs on her tracks with everything happening at super high speed.  I explain Gretzky is slow in part because he is a puppy (Her dog is too but older) and also because he is more detailed oriented and less impulsive.  Gretzky does an excellent job on this track - correcting himself and staying nicely focused on the track.

​P2.7.3 - The length and the ruts combine to make this too difficult - he gets tired and easily distracted.  So while he does some good tracking, and does not give up, I have to help him more than I'd like.  Note the use of intermediate flags along the track every 30-50 yards so I know exactly where the track is located.  Another good glove game at the end.

Gretzky P2.8 Sports Field Serpentines

​P2.8.1 Gretzky 90-yard sports field serpentine bending to the left about 15 degrees every 15 yards.  Gretzky starts focused and changes directions nicely at each flag.  He does find some contamination and a dandelion to be distracting in the middle but returns to work nicely.  Fun glove game at the end.

​P2.8.2 Gretzky sports field serpentine bending to the right.  Track was interrupted by loose dogs so the video is split into two parts.  Gretzky starts out to the right of the track on the first couple of segments so you will see him holding him close with a fair amount of line tension.  The wind caused him to want to follow scent to the side and while I want him right on the track, sometimes one has to let them work where they find scent.  He notices a person and dog walking to the left near some trees and wants to go play - just more opportunity for me to practice my line work.  Near the end of the Part 1 video you see him noticing the woman and dogs walking when she cleverly lets her dog off-lead.  I work to keep him focused on the track but when they are running towards him, Gretzky will have none of the track and I have to pick him up to avoid a confrontation.

After I talk to the lady who finally catches up with her off-lead dogs and convince them to follow her back to the sidewalk, I put down the start sock and get Gretzky tracking again.  The Glove is only 15 yards away.

Gretzky P2.12 Island Curb Serpentines.  90 & 105 yards.  Curbed-Island Serpentine will teach the dog to focus on the track on flat pavement.  There are 4 such sessions in this Phase and this is the last session.  In Phase 1 the dog learned to find scent along the vertical curbs.  The curbs along the islands provide easy tracking next to the curb and a bigger challenge while crossing the flat gaps.  By interspersing them, we get lots of good practice at finding and staying with a track on the flat pavement.  Notice that each island has an easy article (cloth or leather) about midway along the curb.

P2.12.1 Gretzky 90 yards.  Gretzky starts out staying right on the curb, circles at the beginning of the gap then focuses on the track across the gap.  Just what I'd expect him to do.  He finds an article along the curb of the next island and is ready to track right on by, but I restrain him and have a party to build his article indication.  You can see my chalk marks at the beginning of the gaps and on the landing-site curb.  Gretzky is a committed shopper using his eyes to find things in the gaps that might be interesting.  

​On the final curb he notices the fire hydrant and suspects it is troll waiting to pounce.  So while he tries to get back to work, he needs help and support to get all the way down the curb to the glove and a big party.  After the party, I take him over to the hydrant and he figures out it is nothing to worry about.

P2.12.2 Gretzky 105 yards.  Gretzky was hot so we cooled off in the shade for a few minutes and had a nice drink.  You can see Gretzky panting but he is able to work nicely.  Notice how quiet I am while he works things out.  Towards the end of this track, several of the lamb-lung treats are covered with ants - ugh.  

Comments are encouraged on Facebook's Modern Enthusiastic Tracking Group
www.facebook.com/groups/ModernEnthusiasticTracking