USA HOT RESULTS? - Page 5

Frank,

 

Has there ever been a national event where there were not complaints/issues about tracking?   No matter where the event is, the weather can be an issue, the type of grass/dirt/pasture (not everyone tracks on everything, or even has all of it available to them), some are accustomed to the terrain, others are not.  It rains, it's hot, it dry, it's windy, etc. etc. etc.   One day is almost always better than the day before or the day after, with respect to conditions.   That's life in schutzhund.   Not a reason for histrionics.

not sure where the histionics are, Nia?  I haven't seen anyone complaining about how their dog failed the track.  Sod is difficult, how it is - some will pass and some will fail - any conditions will be difficult for some dogs depending on their training and experience.  My dog had never tracked on dirt before the 2005 Nationals in San Jose.  So I trained on PA cornfield disced dirt - he did ok enough - got to San Jose and the "dirt" wasn't dirt like I was used to - it was black, hard, crumbly, dry - more like gravel than dirt.  "Lava rock" most people were calling it.  My dog had NEVER seen similar conditions before that trial.  He V'd his track.  Others from the east coast in similar circumstances V'd their tracks.  Dogs from the area who should have been used to those conditions failed their tracks (some of them) - so goes the tracking TEST.

 

molly

Mystere

 

  I hope you are not implying that I was complaining about the track.. I wasn't at all...My first post was this :

" I was entered and my dog was one of the dogs that failed the track. I did NOT smell anything, he worked really hard and just lost the last corner. Tough break but that was it."

 My dog worked hard but lost it, that's it, tough break. I was saying I DIDN'T smell fertilizer at all. After that I was just trying to answer Molly's questions about the people that did not finish but still had enough points to pass....

 

   Molly

 

   The Tracking is "stopped" when the dog leaves that track by more than 33 feet or quits tracking. When your dog left the track you recieved a score didn't you? 52, 35, 12, whatever it was, was the amount of points your dog had "earned" during the track up to the point when it was stopped. If you had 70 pts earned up to that point, you pass. You do not automatically fail because the tracking is stopped, it is just very difficult to pass when the dog leaves the track before the end. The dog at the HOT had a "V" track going when it lost the track, that's how it still passed. It had only lost a total of 4 points when it lost the track. He was tracking awesome and then just lost it.

 

      Frank

 

 

 

Frank,

Thanks for explanation. I also thought that regardless of the score if the dog left the track (10 meters) it was considered as having failed.

The statements posted on the HOT web site seem to indicate someone has thin skin.  Other than the tracking, how was the event?

I have a friendly sod farm owner who told me I could track on his fields, however, he did warn me about the chemicals. So as inviting as several hundred acres of nice green sod looks, I never use it.  The owner said something along the line of not letting his own kids play on the fields when they have been treated.

C. Wilkins

Frank, My comment was not aimed at you at all. (Sorry I missed meeting you, btw). My reference was to the defensiveness, to put it mildly, that dajko has referenced.

Thanks Frank - now I understand and I have learned something.  I appreciate it!

 

molly

Mystere

 No problem, I just hoped I didn't come across that way. I ment to introduce myself to you but always found myself heading somewhere in a hurry or worrying about the next coming phase...

 

  Chuck

 

   The rest of the event was awesome. I thought the hosting club did an excellent job and were very friendly and helpful. I thought it ran very smoothly. I had  a great time....

 

   Frank

Frank

Thanks for taking the time to post this, I learned a lot !

Hmmm, maybe we need an ask the judge type Q and A on the USA page.