Training Day

I need to move along a bit, as I'm returning to work in just a couple of hours.  On Sunday I took all of the working dogs out for a little run, and captured some video of our early season "head runs".  The goals of these first runs of the season is to help the dogs get their heads back into the game.

I've changed the format I'm using to record my training journal just a little.  I'm hoping that by using a table I can be a bit more consistent with the format and data that I collect.  Here are the entries in my training journals, along with some head-cam video clips of each.

Date, Day, &c: Sunday, Aug 11th

Mileage (Measured or Approximate):  1.5 Measured

Route, Trail & Terrain Conditions:  Driveway loop, some mud and puddles in trail

Weather:  50 degrees F, clearing sky, some puddles in trail.

Team:  Rose & Orion Seamus & Selene Midnight & Denali

Narrative:  Very easy for an early season run.  Selene is a delight to harness and handle.  A bit of hesitation on the first "gee" onto Boyce's driveway and again passing the power line trail to come back on the old highway trail.  Selene was on the wrong side of the gangline for a while after launch, but she is learning her "duck under" cue very nicely. No major incidents on this run.

Date, Day, &c: Sunday, Aug 11th

Mileage (Measured or Approximate):  1.5 miles measured.

Route, Trail & Terrain Conditions:  Driveway loop, some mud and puddles in trail.

Weather:  50 degrees F. Clearing sky and warming.

Team:  Capella and Just Nels and Grace Cassiopeia and Beau

Narrative:  Capella very excited, difficult to harness and handle on hook up.  Grace grabbing at lines again (sigh).  On launch Nels got a foot inside his harness, so had to stop and correct that.  Good turn onto power line.  Had to stop so Just could get the "gee" onto the driveway.  Very good job running past Ted's yard and heading up the hill. Rod Boyce had his truck parked in the trail up near the top, where he was doing some work on his house site.  Had to stop so Just could 'get' the "haw by" cue.  On the return from the loop Just needed even more time to get the "gee by" cue to go past the truck.  It was a tight fit and Rod was standing close,  and of course he's a very shy dog.  Nonetheless he and Capella figured it out and we went by with no significant mishap.  No problem at all going "straight ahead" past the powerline turnoff.  Again, another very nice early season training run.