Welcome to RDOC Tracking Class

I’m going to follow up on my post from yesterday. Tracking is different. In agility, in obedience or rally, we give cues or commands, the dog follows. We lead the dance. In herding, while the dog has significant authority and independence, we are still cuing, commanding, the behavior. In tracking, the dog leads, we follow. We, through slow and careful training, teach the dog what to follow….but the end goal is always that they lead, we listen, and we follow when they co

Group A and Group B will combine and meet at Cool Water. Again, both Tuesday group A and B will be together tomorrow, Jan 13 at Cool Water. Melissa (novice) Heidi, Beth B, Heather, Joan and Flora (TD) Emaline, Michele, Betty and Ralph (TDX) Susan Kolster (TD) and Ellen Oertel (TDX) assistants (Arlene will be absent) I will be texting with the TDX folks to get a plan and timeline together. TD and novice people please arrive at 7:45. Ellen and Susan please arrive at 7:30 if p

https://youtu.be/CFS7N6KEBa8?si=RKr0uRrDFtIJ2sjL MAM and I thought this video, and some commentary, might be helpful. This is Fletch and I last week. Please note that he starts tracking at the flag—he doesn’t run out, circle and catch it, he finds it at the flag. Can you see how centered he is over the track, spine straight? At 1’25” he wobbles a little, I slow to a stop, he searches, nose deep, working. I relax and let him work. He’s not asking for line, I’ve got a soft elb

I am wrapping up the accounting on our end of year LANDOWNER APPRECIATION GIFTS effort. Your generosity is nothing short of amazing. Here is a summary: Venmo 11 donations @ $470 Paypal 2 donations @ $70 Checks 2 donations @ $85 Cash 6 donations @ $220 TOTAL DONATIONS $845 !!! Additionally, members donated homemade brownies, homemade banana nut bread, homemade dinner rolls, homemade jam and honey. THANK YOU. I spent $300 on gift cards to an Ashland restaurant called Jake's P

Betty & Seren certified today, doing a beautiful job on a 5 turn, 480 yard, 75” old track. On to a test!

Kyla Smay is offering her new TDU class. I highly recommend Kyla’s classes, and the TDU class is 100% appropriate for those working on a TD. For more information, please email Kyla: ksmaydogs@aol.com

Group B will meet at our house on Tuesday. 18103 Teman Rd, Beaverdam VA 23015. Please let me know if you are NOT attending. Judi

Dale asked me to thank everyone for the gift bag. She and her family have thoroughly enjoyed it, and she listed everything in it! She’s most impressed at our baking skills! Thank you all! On a separate note, Clint & I would like to thank you for our gift bag. We have already devoured it! Dale is correct—great bakers in this group! Thank you all, and Merry Christmas! Judi

Thanks Emaline for this fascinating article: Abstract Understanding the anatomical and genetic basis of complex phenotypic traits has long been a challenge for biological research. Domestic dogs offer a compelling model as they demonstrate more phenotypic variation than any other vertebrate species. Dogs have been intensely selected for specific traits and abilities, directly or indirectly, over the past 15,000 years since their initial domestication from the gray wolf. Becau

For those of you who have taken Kyla Smay’s VST class, Kyla and Rylee earned their CT today. This is Kyla’s third CT dog. Congratulations team Rylee!

As most of you know, dogs track incredibly well in the snow. Is it because they can see it? Maybe….(not my usual answer). Some research done at the Duke Canine Cognition Center has found that puppies use their eyes first, and if their eyes don’t solve the problem, they use their noses. The research was done in their large Puppy Project, it’s unknown if this data can be applied to adult dogs learning to use their noses for a specific purpose. OK, that was a rabbit hole, sor

It’s become pretty clear to your 4 instructors that “leave it” might not be most student dog’s strongest behavior.  I’m going to offer a solid, established and well tested method of teaching leave it, and suggest this snowy day is a great time to get started. First, a tiny bit of theory.  When we ask the dog to “Leave it” we are generally focused on what we want the dog NOT to do—don’t eat that, don’t steal that etc.  When we focus our training on what NOT to do, we leave hun

https://youtube.com/shorts/cQJnSeQuSp8?si=4mM6cEOFivj9REL6 We saw this while plotting at Oatlands on Saturday, the all of the snow melted in 20 minutes, and then apparently the sun was warming the ground, causing this fog to rise from the ground. I’ve often been told that scent mimics fog. I do not know if that is scientifically correct, but if it does, is the scent where you’d expect it to be? In addition, there was zero wind, yet the air currents appear to be shifting uph

We are canceling both Group A and B classes for Tuesday Dec 9 due to snow and temperatures in the teens. The next Tuesday class is Dec 30. Fingers crossed for no more &/÷=#$ falling precipitation!! Mary Ann and Judi

Woohoo...Buster was on fire at the Mattaponi KC Tracking Test. Gorgeous start, pulling Leigh like a boss, tight turns, article!!

We are two weeks into class…..and I’ve heard one of my least favorite phrases already. “I did an article track, he just blew by the articles.” “She loves to track and just ignores the articles.” Let’s take a look at that. WHO is in charge of the training? Do you actually expect the dog to stop and indicate just because it’s there? The entire purpose of an article track is to train articles. Train. Not test. Your dog is track happy? Hooray, that’s wonderful. And th

We are so blessed to have access to amazing agricultural properties for our tracking classes and our AKC tracking tests. These private farms and our excellent volunteer base have put RDOC 'on the map' as one of the best tests to enter on the East Coast. This year we will continue our tradition of gifting a bag full of goodies to our landowners. I am leading the effort again this year so if you would like to contribute, please use my VENMO account (Mary Ann Massie). I will a

Guys, gonna look at this from a purely financial perspective. You get 4 (count them, 4) people to watch and evaluate you dog track. PLEASE…take advantage of our generosity!!! Post videos, post your thoughts….let us see how you are doing! WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED!!! Please let us assist!

CHANGE OF LOCATION Tuesday, November 25th GROUP B ONLY - we will meet at Dorey Park, 2999 Darbytown Rd, Henrico VA at 7:50 a.m. Dorey Park is east of Richmond, near the airport. Turn into the park and within about 200 yards, you will see an old barn that has been converted to an office building. (I can direct you to the restrooms from that parking lot.) So, Tuesday Group B people are Betty (X) & Ralph (X), Arlene (novice), Heather (TD) & Joan (TD). Lauritz (TD) will join

Week one is a wrap, and everyone did well! Please remember to post your track map, and ideally video, in your blog….and then text your instructors and assistants. We will comment within 48 hours. Looking forward to seeing your progress!