3/15/2023

3/15/2023 - 10:40 am

Location: Holly Ridge Farm

Weather: 41 degrees, sunny, NW wind 5-14 mph, 39% humidity, 18 degree dew point

Cover: Grass pasture, woods

Age: 3 hours 40 minutes

Tracklayer: Kelly

I started and ended the track in grass. It was all left turns. I walked the first 70 yards and then took 2 big steps to the right and continued walking 50 yards to the woodline. I wish I had video of when she got to the place where I stepped over. There was a clear loss of sent. She did a big circle (I was probably at about 30 feet on the line). When she crossed the track there was a definite head snap. She checked out the left one more time and then went directly to the track.

I picked a terrible place to enter the woods. Thick cover and thorns. I decided oh well and did it anyway. Saber did not appreciate this but forged ahead. I put a cookie down just past the brambles as a reward. Neither of us saw it. I guess some wild animal enjoyed a blueberry crunchy. I then turned down the first sunken road. The first article was a baby shoe with no food. Saber's indication was good! Stopped and sat. She continued on and wrapped us around some trees on a side jaunt. This slowed her down but she corrected and continued pretty dead on the track.

We curved around the the lower part of the woods. Her second article indication was excellent. She downed at the empty pill bottle. She over shot the last turn out of the woods but corrected. I wish this was on video because I think probably limited her options her instead of letting her work out the problem. She exited the woods. Neither of us saw her exit cookie but she got to the article and downed. That one did have hot dogs.

Really she was very good. Great start. Tracking in the grass was excellent. She did want to meander a little in the woods. How do I encourage her to stay focused on the task at hand? I would prefer less smell touring.

My plan is to do starts this weekend at 3:30, 4, and 4:30. Those will be short which I think will be good for her brain.