Bailey at 19 months

[T.C.E]

Bailey at 19 months this week starting training yesterday for working trials, we travelled up to Leicestershire from London. Tracking was certainly interesting with an added twist, tracking without your dog!
Imagine a huge field, you stand at a marked point and find yourself a marker on the horizon and walk towards it counting your paces then turning right towards a determined marker and count your paces you then place your car keys on the floor, then returning to the original point you look up only to find the field looks 3 times its original size and you car keys are out there somewhere. Luckily I was accurate to half a stride and found my car keys
Bailey had a great time learning new things, he tracked his treat/toys 3 out of 4 times.
Stuart asked me yesterday if this is what I want to to do with Bailey.
I dont really know Stuart, is the my honest answer. I think Bailey will let us know what we do with him, yesterday watching him running around a huge field just having fun as well as working when required tells me one thing for sure, I want to spend as much time as I can with him be it work or play and if travelling 280 miles for a days training makes him happy then so be it. I managed to take a photo of Bailey just before his first track not very flattering shoto of him but seeing him so focused on the track he never noticed me step back to take the photo

[Stuart]

I always believe that a dog should have a job,.. maybe not a permenent one, but one that he knows how to do,..it doesnt really matter what kind of job,..in my case its dog scootering,... maybe in Baileys case it is tracking.

I very nearly got into this myself, and I think if I only had one dog I think I still would,...its good for us humans to get out,..and tracking is great for any dog, it focuses them, it tires them out, it is rewarding for them, and it is natural,.....its a job

So I wish you and Bailey well,..let us know if you take it up perminant

[ and remember, once he has learnt, there is no reason why he cant do it on the streets of London,..after all, they are paved with Gold...lol..]

[LindaM]

That sounds like it was a lot of fun for you both (glad you didn't lose your car keys

[sami]

My Max loved tracking but was completey disinterested in showing and obedience, I think you are right Ray, Bailey will tell you what he wants to do.

Love the pic.

[LOVEGSD]

Enjoy!