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Topic: WCGSSC Tracking Seminar (Read 355 times)

Ryan Stanyer
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WCGSSC Tracking Seminar
« Thread Started on Nov 21, 2005, 3:51pm »

This was my fist official dog training seminar so please keep that in mind when you read this.

Friday Night Session: The evening was reserved for the theory of tracking. Got to meet the training director, Lance Collins, and the other seminar participants. The highlight, by far, was finally meeting Curt White – what a pleasure that was. Lance did an hour long presentation on the theory behind tracking – schutzhund style. He worked with a pc that was hooked up to a projector that displayed his slides on the wall. His presentation was very well organized and presented. Participants were encouraged to ask questions. After the presentation informal talks began over beers.

Saturday Session – 8am start at the tracking field. This day was all about demo-ing your dog and getting advice about where you are at, where you need to go from here and what you are doing right versus what you are doing wrong. The tracking field was huge and in great shape. All participants viewed the demos, which was great because you got to see where everyone else was at with their dogs. ‘Cona was more advanced at tracking than I let on – which was fine because this seminar for me was more about watching than doing. I was content to watch, listen and learn. Lance got to see all the dogs (around 15? I think) work and made suggestions. Many dogs were ready to go on to article indication so that is where 50% of the day was concentrated. Lance is very knowledgeable and has much charisma. He is easy to listen and understand. The WCGSSC (http://www.wcgssc.com/) provided lunch and then we went back out to the field in the afternoon. The club also provided diner afterwards which, due to prior commitments, I could not attend.

Sunday Session – Curt will have to pick up here as I had an urgent page from my SAR group for a call-out on Sunday. I had to make the difficult decision on whether to stay or go. Saturday’s session was so informative that I decided to attend the SAR call rather than the tracking session. My “where do we next” was covered on Saturday, which made my decision a little easier.

Overall I thought that the tracking seminar was well presented and very informative. I found all the people to be very friendly and helpful. I would not hesitate attend another seminar hosted by the WCGSSC. I encourage anyone who has any interest in training in any of the three phases of schutzhund to consider attending any up coming seminars, as you won’t be disappointed.

Meeting Curt, Sheba and Gator was fantastic. People who know Curt personally will agree that he is a top-notch individual. He was kind and generous and took the time to answer all my questions. His passion and enthusiasm for Airedales is infectious. Gator is, IMHO, also a top-notch Airedale. His build, coat, and temperament are wonderful. With a little more maturity under his belt I’m sure he will prove to be a very capable working dog – he is off to an excellent start.

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Don Turnipseed
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Re: WCGSSC Tracking Seminar
« Reply #1 on Nov 21, 2005, 8:26pm »

Good update Ryan. Sounds like it was worth it. I think Curt may have been a different Curt though.

Kind and generous would not be the description I would have used when the "Undertakes came rolling in at 3:00 in the morning/ :-X

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Curt White
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Schutzhund Tracking Seminar...Day Three...
« Reply #2 on Nov 22, 2005, 12:04pm »

Schutzhund Tracking Seminar...Day Three...

Ryan, I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting you, your wife, Kristi, and, of course, 'Corna...

Gator was absolutely smitten over 'Corna! There was an instant Airedale data link established between the two...No dog aggression between them!

I had to show Ryan the 'pink hankie' upon which Don made a comment. It was visible in my hip pocket in one of my posted Schutzhund Obedience pictures of Gator doing Obedience. The 'pink hankie' actually was a piece of leather used as a rag to reward Gator. So, Don, Ryan is now a witness that it ain't no Undertaker's 'pink hankie!'

Before I get into details of Schutzhund Tracking Seminar, Day Two, you should know that I am very biased toward the training techniques of the Training Director for my Schutzhund Club. Biased because...

In the past seventeen months: I've visited several Schutzhund clubs; joined a Schutzhund Club for a year while attending four Schutzhund Training Seminars, in addition to observing different clubs at Schutzhund Trials; and, finally I made the decision to apply for membership to the Schutzhund Club, that I am now a member, even with an Airedale! In addition, I probably pushed my 'welcome' with Maugh, whom I kept asking Schutzhund questions dealing with motivational training vs. compulsion training...so, thanks, Maugh for putting up with me!

This was the first Schutzhund Training Seminar hosted by my Schutzhund Club, and it was huge success. The Seminar was two intense days of hands-on learning, with the additional benefit that any attendee will have an opportunity to go to the 'Forum' at the http://www.wcgssc.com/index.php?categoryid=1 and ask questions or recommendations from Lance for a month.

Attending the seminar, I later found, were two police K9 Officers and one professional dog trainer. One of the police officers had a GS from a German breeder. The rest of the attendees were Schutzhund Handlers from various clubs with various dogs: Dobie, Rottie, a bunch of German Shepherds, and, of course, two Airedales!!

Lance Collins is the Club's Training Director and was the instructor for the seminar. His training mythology is based upon showing the dog what you want, then teaching the dog stress management...

Simply put, after the dog is taught what to do, then the dog is given an opportunity to make mistakes and, from that, make decisions. If he makes the wrong decision, then it is his problem and he must solve it...

Stress is applied, until the dog makes the right decision. A dog will easily move from stress to comfort, and will resist going from comfort to stress.

A prime example of the concept of a dog's resistance going from comfort to stress was apparent in a dog that belonged to one of the K9 Handlers...

The Handler was recommended by the dog's breeder in Germany to see Lance to solve the problem with the dog's hesitation, followed by, again going down after finding an article on the track. In this case the dog had been rewarded for finding an article (comfort). But, at some time, the dog had been given an incorrect correction (stress) after resuming tracking. So, the 'trained' dog was now hesitant to continue tracking, and would sometimes plotz again after the "Such' command. At the end of the seminar the problem had been solved, with one very happy Handler.

Several problems were addressed and solved during the seminar on different dogs, as well as, the Handlers receiving training techniques for various tracking challenges...

For example, in my case with Gator, I had been laying straight tracks and ninety degree turns. The last track I laid was at a Schutzhund Seminar last August. Gator smoked the track with positive comments from the instructors...and, of course...

I readily assumed braggin' rights to that event...

Thinking that ole Gator was well on his way...

I made the mistake of telling Lance about that event...So...

Lance on Saturday, had me to lay a serpentine track in fairly high grass. Being somewhat cocky about this, I had Gator in his Ebay Tracking Harness (the only dog with a tracking harness, since Lance doesn't use tracking harnesses), and Gator was lookin' Sharp!

The expression 'Piece of Cake' came to mind at the start of my track, and the expression 'You can choke on a piece of cake' came to mind at the end of Gator's track. We made it, but...

The Handler lost his track...while...

Gator in two and half months from his last tracking had changed from a food tracking Fool to a sniff-and-look-around Goofball...

I should have probably requested a slice of Ron's Crow pie, if I hadn't already choked on my cake!

Lance evaluated Gator as being older. He's no longer takes tracking seriously by being motivated for food. Solution: Make Gator understand that he has to track for a reason now.

Sunday, Gator was introduction to articles. Now, he is learning to Plotz and show the article by using stress management. This will take a few weeks, then we're back on the tracking field again, but this time with articles. He already knows how to follow a track, he just needs a more 'mature' reason to follow the track.

One Schutzhund II GS was trained on a long track with leather articles...and, random nickels, dimes, and pennies dropped in grass, dirt and a ditch, over a distance of a few hundred yards. Just watching all the different dogs with their individual challenges, and having Lance explain how to correct a problem was a real learning experience.

There was no 'down' time during the training on tracking fields Sunday. We went from 8 am to 5:30 pm, almost in the dark, with a lunch break. Handlers were waiting with their dog when the dog before them finished. That's the way Lance likes to train: bang, bang, bang...who's next? OK, let's go!

I thought about including how Lance does articles, but I may save that as a project for Don's Protection area on The New Old Yeller!

Let me conclude this by giving you my personal appraisal of Lance Collins. I've attended and have seen a lot of Schutzhund events with different instructors and Training Directors. Like I've indicated...

I'm biased based upon my limited experience...

I've formed the conclusion that Gator is in outstanding hands with Lance. Each dog is different in their temperament and drive. Lance reads a dog to determine the level of stress needed. Gator is proving to be a easy learner, and very little stress is needed with that Goofball! I guess I should say that Gator is an outstanding Stress Manager!

Lance does these seminars, not for the money, but for the love of the Sport. What funds the Club makes goes to the Club. For the past 17 years, the Club has sponsored Training Week which has drawn people from all over the world, because of Lance's reputation from giving Schutzhund Seminars all over the world, in addition to his demonstrated Judging and Handling at World Events.

One of his gifts to the Schutzhund Sport is doing Training Week, as a payback to the many people that freely gave their time to Lance while he was learning their training methods. Last year, it cost me $40.00 for five days of training from 8 am to 10/11 pm (we had field lights then, and we should have field lights by next week). That proved to be the best $40.00 that I've spent on the Schutzhund Sport with Gator (I won't go into the amount I've spent on gasoline...

)

So, who is Lance Collins?

If you're interested here is his bio http://www.wcgssc.com/index.php?categoryid=15 (play around at the site, and you'll find some of his articles, and maybe...just maybe...a picture or two of Gator http://www.wcgssc.com/index.php?categoryid=39

).

I feel extremely fortunate in having Lance as Gator's Training Director, especially with a newbie like me who occasionally chokes on his own cake!

Curt, The Keeper of Gator, The Only Schutzhund Airedale, IT, in the Great Northwest and in Canada, as well as: Great-Grandson to Eng Am Ch Florac of Scots at Stargus; Grandson to Lotte v.d. Laubenhaid SchH 3, IPO 3, FH, KK1a SchH III IPO III KKL I FH; Great-Grandson to Jenna von der Laubenhaid, SchH3, IPO 3, FH2 SchH III IPO III, FH1; Great-Grandson to Finesse von Argonaut SchH 3, IPO3, KK1a; Great-Grandson to Kassiopeias's Dexter SchH 3, IPO 3, KK1a; and, Great-Grandson to Athos vos Haus Schirmer, SchH 3, IPO 3, FH on his mother's side, Madonna v.d. Laubenhaid, OBED 1, TR 1 VB, SHF, and Uncle Matey VPG3

VISUALIZE 2007 WITH AN AIREDALE!

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Curt White
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Re: WCGSSC Tracking Seminar
« Reply #3 on Nov 22, 2005, 12:10pm »

I tried several times to spell 'c-o-c-k-y' in the above and it kept coming up as thingyy

So much for this yadda-yadda, goodie-goodie Spell Checker!! Doesn't recogninze Schutzhund either!...So...

Cocky, cocky, cocky do!

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Curt White
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Dang, Spell Checker...Yadda- Yadda...
« Reply #4 on Nov 22, 2005, 12:43pm »

In my posting where...

This was the first Schutzhund Training Seminar hosted by my Schutzhund Club, and it was huge success.

Guess what...

Old Yadda-Yadda, Goodie-Goodie Spell Checker did me in...

"Training" above should be "Tracking" >:(