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The journey continues here at K9 Track NW. I am growing as I watch each new dog come in to find the trails. New ideas, concepts, methods, and inspirations from each dog, and each handler I have the pleasure to work beside. 

It can be overwhelming at times trying to find the time and wanting to jump into a new concept. But just like you, I have to stop take a breather and enjoy the moment we are in right now. I have goals just like you. Goals for K9 Track NW and goals for my own team- Neo and I. Goals are good! Excellent actually. Yet, there is something really important that goes along with these goals. The journey.

Another piece of becoming a strong team is enjoying the journey.

Enjoying strengthening the team, learning, repeating, and learning some more.

Working on the muscle memory.

Having a track that just does not go well and learning from it.

The slip and fall and getting back up.

Being present each training session.

Yes, you will complete those goals during this journey...

Actually, this is not the last time. We or you will be addressing your foundation the entire time you work your dog. Or at least, that is what I believe is necessary to keep you successful and strong.

Everyone wants to jump ahead, make problems more difficult to be ready for the callout. Yes, this does need to happen, but without the fundamentals you will struggle more than you need too. 

It does not matter what the terrain, length or age of a trail is if you cannot find your start! Or, that you believe your dog when they find it or do not.

Yes, important to know what your dog looks like on, even more so when they are off!

And do you believe your dog sticks to one odor? The one you asked them to find?

Here are three items you have covered in your foundation. Different trainers may cover them a little differently- but a competent trainer covers all three. 

So, if you question any of these with your dog- start, off/on, or scent discrimination- then work your foundation!!!!!!...

I learned a long time ago that when I went to work a dog, I had to shake off any prior stuff. Meaning if I had trained a difficult dog prior or spilled my coffee- I had to let go of it before I began to work the dog. My goal was for each dog to feel like they were the best and had all my attention. During their training session I was 100 percent with them!

This should be your goal too! Every time you work your dog. 

I know I have spoken about this before- and you will hear me speak of it again because I believe it is very important! 

Now, lately when I watch two teams work with very similar dogs. One dog is so excited to work, and the other is like Eeyore. And, it has nothing to do with the dogs' drives. I think it has to do with the handlers.

One handler is on a schedule- needs to get certified. Always thinking about what they can do different to get the dog done faster or better. The other handler has no expectations. They are going thru the steps to see where it takes...

So crazy to be scheduling for 2023! Yet, it looks like again we are filling up quickly!!! Here is a rundown for what is happening in 2023.

If you are thinking about signing up for anything- please do not hesitate to get your name down now!!!!

January 2023

Courses Starting

Train the Trailing- year long course

Keep Strong- year long course

Groundworks Seminar Jan 14 and 15th

Reliance- weekdays

March 2023

Beyond Alaska

April 2023 

Response Seminar

Groundworks- weekdays

K9 Track NW Workshop 4/4-4/7

May 2023

Response- weekdays

June 2023

Reliance Seminar

July 2023

K9 Track NW Workshop July 25-28

August 2023

K9 Track NW Workshop 8/10-8/13

September 2023

Retreat- more to come soon about this one!

October 2023

Groundworks Seminar

Wild Starts!

Workshop 10/24-10/27

November 2023

Beyond Begins!!!!

Response seminar

I will also continue my travels next year! If you are looking for me to come to you get in touch soon! I only have a couple weekends open!

Here is a subject that folks have taken their sides. We have the side that it should never happen to the other side- I do it all the time. 

I am a -I do it all the time.

And, so far, I have not seen it hinder a team's progress. I have done it since my first trailing dog. My experience it helps the team. 

How?

Easy to train for one- you can go out and train without finding someone to lay tracks for you. 

You know exactly where the track is- keeping your dog on trail is crucial for beginning puppy trails and later it helps you try new trails with your dog. Yes, you can try new trails with other subjects as well, but here again- you know exactly where the trail has been laid.

It teaches the handler how to lay a good trail.

It gives you the opportunity to watch your dog, learn from your dog without the stress of where the trail maybe.

It simplifies the training so you can get multiple reps in a shorter amount of time.

It builds the team- just you two out there together!...

This week we have a couple of discussions about intuition. When you are on a trail and your gut tells you the person made a turn or went down the trail to the left. 

Here is the thing about trailing and your intuition- it can take you the wrong direction fast! This actually goes for any detection work as well!

It cannot be about where you think someone may have gone.

It has to be about what your dog says.

Using your intuition with what your dog is telling you, now that is a different story. You are listening and trusting what your dog is saying and what you do comes from the dog. 

Example-

Your dog is trailing to a dead end. You think there is no way someone would go down there. You see a trail to the left- aha they must of gone there! You stop your dog and have them check. First ding! The dog says no. But, you think there is no other place for person to go- so you make them check it again- Next ding! On the third attempt your dog keeps going down the trail- you think - I...

Foundation is the most important piece of any training you will do! And, it is always what we want to rush.

It can be obedience, detection, trailing - we always want to get to the good stuff, and get thru the easy stuff fast. 

Please! Take your time- do your homework- do not skip ahead.

My foundation work is set up for you to take the time to learn each step. To learn how to work the line, cast your dog, read and respond. The foundation is not just the first 8 weeks teaching the dog what to do, it is 3 courses teaching you both!

I know it is easy to get caught up, and want to keep moving forward. After a couple weeks, teams want to move to trails or sidewalks. And, yes your dog can track those areas after learning the very basics. But, it is not all about the dog, it is about you two as a team. I am not just training the dog's foundation, but yours as well. Before, we hit the neighborhoods- you need to be ready too!

I can almost guarantee if you skip steps it will take you...

Yes, I have switched and updated a few things- again! Always trying to find ways to make goals more achievable and run trainings more smoothly!

Wild Course will now start every October! 

Beyond Course will start twice a year- November and March.

Cannot make it to a monthly Beyond? Check out Beyond Alaska. This course will start in March as well. Instead of heading to Bellingham once a month there will be two trainings here. A full three-day training and the next, four-day training.

Keep Strong Course will begin every January.

The foundation courses will start up two times a year! 

Remember I run the courses with only four teams each. So check it out now!

Please get in touch if you have any questions

360-319-0043

Thanks all!

Lately, I have been talking a lot about breaks. Some of our courses are pretty intense. Both dog and human need a break. A break does not mean you just hangout eating bon bons- although that can be a great thing to do on a rainy day with an old movie- a break just means you get away from the trails a bit. This also fits in to why I encourage people to do other things with their dogs in our foundation courses and if you have forgotten the "why", well this post should be a good reminder. 

First yes, our dogs need to learn to work with us under stress, yet they do not need to work with us when we are grumpy or overly tired. Laying a track maybe the last thing you want to do, so just go for a walk!

You must build your dog's stamina and your own- remember a mile trail maybe more than two in actual steps. Your physical stamina must be good enough to stay in it mentally! If we get tired we miss the signs our dogs are trying to give us. Your dog has to have the stamina to stay in it as...

This last week one of our groups worked double blind problems, and what an adventure it turned out to be. We worked seperate trails, and we worked a couple as a group. One trail will go down in our memory for a long time!

One of our members went out for about a five minute walk breaking off trail at the end to find his hiding spot. 

Now, we gave each dog 17 minutes to find him.

5 dogs worked it- and none of them found him.

Why? Besides us thinking he had found his way into the Bermuda Triangle, here are a few of my thoughts.

1. Starting too quick before dog has trail. Meaning we knew where the start was so some of us may have moved too quickly while dog was still searching for trail.

2. Moving too quickly period. If you are moving too quick to respond to what your dog is telling you then you two need to slow down. Running down a trail more than not is a frantic search rather than a dog on trail.

3. Getting a negative and going back before you cast. How far do we go on trail to...