training for the FH - Page 1

I would like to hear how others have trained for the FH track in IPO. How did you train for the cross tracks etc? 

A lot of tracks.  I would work age some days, length here and there and add in the challenges on other days.  The cross tracks I either laid them myself (yes a dog can discern) or had someone else lay them.  I would then put some type of treat or article a little ways after the cross track to reward the dog for working past the the cross track.  Same thing with the road crossings (though they are no longer required).  The biggest thing is to make sure the dog is in condition and has experience working different types of terrain.  I did the same thing when I prepared Vala for the FH2.  I actually only ran one full length track with her to make sure she was enough in condition to do it. 

Lisa

I did long track, various terrains, articles, tall gras, even parking lot pavements ( I used the wet technique , damp tracking on a wet day) Then I learned I can used a spray bottle, thank you Slam!

I did not do FH1 or two till my dog had the stamina to finish about 2500 paces tracks with extremely sparse food. I included creek crosses (just in case you nevernow what place you end up doing your FH), Pep[le who have seen my dogs track will attest that getting lost and not finding the track or quitting is not an option in their heads! Shittiest track assure more focused training in my case. easy tracks sometimes are little airscented on corners. I do gusts, pouring rain, sprickle system tracking.
I used food on cross tracks in the beginning, road was tayght with articles.. i put articles on the road! and I found HEavy traffic fields. I even put tracks on a field after a fotball game!

GSDPack,
I'm glad the spray water worked out, your welcome! 

One thing I will add to the very good advice already posted here is to be exactly sure of where the cross track intersects the original track.  Remember, the design of the track teaches the dog how you want it to track.  I plan the cross tracks ahead of time and will bait the length of track before and after the cross track initially.  I will have some sort of marker for the person laying the cross track and explain where they need to cross.  Initially, I really like to see the dog's body language and see the indications it gives when it hits the cross track.  Then, later on I will know the signs or cues the dog gives off as it rules out the cross track.  As training progresses the food on the cross track is eliminated.  One of the biggest things is to know exactly where the cross track is laid and in the beginning I would separate it from other difficulties on the track. 

Tracking is my most favorite phase in the sport. I am glad that this topic was brought up as I am training Xena right now for the FH. I am hopeing to do the FH at the end of this year.

I feel the same way Jyl.

 I am training for the FH for the first time and want to know more about making your own cross tracks.  It is hard to find someone to do this for you at just the right time and I could more easily do it myself.  

Anything in particular I should do, like wear a different pair of shoes, etc?

I never wore different shoes.  I might walk a bit differently.  Luckily I have club members to help most of the time and rarely track in areas that are clean (turkeys running across a track just before you run it is a very intersting challenge). 

Lisa