Hay Day

Location: Hanover County Court Complex

Weather: 60, sunny, no wind 77% humidity

Time: 8-9 AM

We squeezed in a couple of quick tracks before baling starts.

Saber

Track age: 35-40 minutes

Video: https://youtu.be/DvZUj0WG_VI

Track Design: Could have been better...

We started on the grass in a median. Lots of cover change. It went from ok grass to sparse/dirt. We crossed mulch and a sidewalk. Green leather square for article in grass after crossing the sidewalk and mulch. At the end of the median I stepped off the curb and went left (left food for making turn). I don't think this was a good turn design wise.

She had to cross and asphalt opening, continued following the curb. Plastic article at the curb. Turn at article short stretch on asphalt to metal article/end.

Saber started well. She crossed the mulch|sidwalk|mulch but on the second side of much did some exploring. I let her have some room to explore because I know she needs to check out things to be able to dismiss them and I knew where the track was. The maximum line she got was 10 feet. I am not sure how much I should let her check out things to dismiss.

Closer to the end of the island we were on something got her nose. She wanted to turn very early. I stuck to the track and limited her options only letting her go forward where appropriate. She made the turn and finished the last part of the track pretty well There was more food on the asphalt parts. I also remembered my sprayer, the non-veg sections were augmented with water. Also turns out ant covered hot dogs may be delicacy. Saber had no problem slurping them up. She did not think much of the plastic and metal square articles. They need some work.

Syd

Video: https://youtu.be/fi4r0c8KXG8

Three tracks:

1 - serpentine on asphalt with food every 18-24' or teenaged lab lengthed. Aged about 10 minutes.

2 - 50 x 50 on grass with open left

3- 50 x 50 on grass with open right

2 & 3 - 10 scuff, 10 steps with food at 5/6. Article with food at end.

Track 1 Syd did great. Is he tracking or eating hot dogs - I don't know but he is very happy to do it.

Track 2 I was happy with. He had a good start. I think the turn was okay. He does crab a little. I try to wait for the straight spine but if he is headed in the correct direction I go with him because if I block too much he stops. His tracking style is very different from Saber and Karl's. I also think there is some air scenting going on.

Track 3 was not his best. I will have Matt mark turns. I want to know exactly where the track is at this point. I think Syd made the turn correctly. I also think he was doing some extra curricular sniffing. He was thinking about quitting when he visually locked in on the end article and went straight it.

His article indications are excellent. Next time I am only going to do two tracks for him. I think three may be more than his baby brain can handle at the moment.

As I am typing this upstairs on my computer, I can hear Saber snoring downstairs over Matt watching the TV. Tracking is exhausting. And now the poor dogs have to go supervise baling. Syd has questions about child labor laws.