This past weekend, I spent a day soaking up the sun and a lot of knowledge during the PNW Regional Helper Classification and Tracklayer Seminar.

I’ve talked about helper seminars and classifications in previous posts, so I want to focus on the Tracklayer element here. USCA (germanshepherddog.com) started the Tracklayer program about a year ago. The goal is to make sure that everyone laying tracks for events, whether they are local club trials or national level competitions, are achieving the same standards. 

While in theory this is a great goal, in practice it has raised lots of questions. Because of this, it has take a long time to actually get the program up and running and be able to clearly spell out those standards the organization is striving for. 

Despite those hurdles, about a half dozen of us sat around, huddled in the shade of a pop-up tent while Tracklayer Teacher and Judge Paul Schneider ran us through a brief rundown of tracking basics. Even as he walked us through the rules, he often paused to explain that something was currently the rule, but was going to change when USCA decision-makers decided how to change it. 

We each went out and laid a track for ourselves. It was interesting to see how the same basic instructions came out differently depending on the person laying the track, the area they were laying it, and the understanding of the rules. Which I suppose is exactly why the program was created in the first place. 

After a little more lecture, we all went back out and had to rewalk our track, find the three articles ( small items) left on the track and return. Sounds easy, but it is harder than you might think.

So, having passed the written test, laid my track, and found my articles, I am now a basic level tracklayer. 

On the homefront, and still speaking of tracking, I am working with Xiggy to teach her how to track. I would think it would be simple for her since the key to getting started is simply smell the treat, eat it, walk forward a foot to the next one. Repeat. She is with this, as with all her training, very obstinate about doing anything I ask of her.