Earthdog question

[cairnsby3]

Does anyone know where I can find pictures online of the Masters baffle? I have read the description, but would like to see some pictures. I am trying to concoct something at home to practice. The closest place to me that has tests has a strange baffle and Shiner can't seem to figure it out. He had done the baffle at other places without a problem, but he has never gotten to the rats at this place. I hate to miss their tests and don't mind gambling on the rest of masters, but this just seems like a waste of money unless we can fix this problem.

[bradl]

Dang, I think I may have an illustration at home, but honestly it wouldn't be until tomorrow night I could really check (club meeting tonight).

Here's a version from the Canadian tests

source: http://s2sec.freeservers.com/ME.htm

Different clubs have different design schemes in how they put their tunnels together (to achieve more or less the same result) but they often differ in terms of how they handle corner assembly and obstacle insertion. Steve Schultz has an interesting and well documented design scheme that includes his obstacle construction here: http://duffyscavern....%20by%20sps.pdf

Two of our master dogs went through a brief period where they were boggled by the root. I did whip together a simulated root so they could become more familiar with it at home. It can be a pain to track down and size a proper 6" pvc pipe, so I made one using a coffee can and A LOT of duct tape to cover the sharp, cut ends of the can.

[cairnsby3]

Thanks Brad, that helps. I think the one at Champaign, that I have practiced had the dowel up higher where the pcv was hanging on it. A dog actually could have gone under, although mine didn't. I know this cause we practices out of the earth. The one I have problems with is at Purina. Spring at first didn't get thru, but she finally figured it out, but Shiner never has. I know he could do it, bigger dogs than him have, but there is something funky about it, I just don't know what. There is a test there the first weekend in April and I have been begging people to arrange a practice, but it hasn't come together yet. So I thought I would try to construct something. Coffee can is a good idea I hadn't thought of that.

[bradl]

Depending on the specific details of the actual obstacle, if the pipe gets askew on the rod, it can sometimes jam in place. Likewise a free-rolling obstacle on the ground sometimes will be pinched by a taper of the actual den liner once inserted into the ground. (I always use light filler material instead of rocks and dirt on the obstacle liner section to reduce warpage and "pinch" (I hate spreader bars.) We have a hatch on our club rollers and I always verify by eye and hand that the pipe will roll forward and back without undue restriction, and that it won't twist overmuch on the rod. It's a fine line between enough space to roll freely and too much space that allows twisting. It's helpful if the den is 'square' and the ground is not too bumpy least under the roller section.

Some dogs may have a strong Over vs Under preference and sometimes finding the roller in the "wrong" orientation can boggle them. They really should keep at it until they find a way, but some dogs do give up if they get stuck on expecting it to work one way and they have trouble switching modes. I'm somewhat that way myself at times

When Haggis got stuck I could hear him in there making noises that sounded for all the world like cussing and swearing at it. He was obviously working the thing, but whatever he was doing was not being effective and it clearly ticked him off! He finally almost cried in disgust and gave up. It was sort of sad how frustrating it was for him, if almost comical how familiar the cussing sounded.

[cairnsby3]

Have to report that we went to an earthdog practice at Purina last Saturday and after luring Shiner over the baffle with Vienna Sausages, he is no longer "baffled" by the St. Louis baffle. Chances are he will flunk some other part of the masters test, but at least I don't feel like I am throwing money down the rat hole, with a baffle that stops him cold.

[Dirtdogs]

Cairnsby, how do you like the purina site? I am in central Ohio, and have thought about doing that trip...

Kristi

[cairnsby3]

Kristi, I like the Purina site, but I'm prejudiced since it is the closest one to me about 2 1/2 hours. They have several Intro dens. There was one then Purina built a couple of new ones. Junior, Senior and Masters dens are all separate, but I don't think they are interchangable, so at a two or three test weekend you will always use the same den, unlike Dayton where they can switch. Not being able to switch limits the ability to have practice after the test, but I think that's a matter of manpower too. It's a pretty long walk up a hill to the best areas to start the Master's walkup, but usually they have a gator to shuttle handlers and dogs up. Walking back down isn't bad. Purina is lovely facility and their new building for indoor shows is gorgeous, last weekend when I was there, there were people practicing earthdog at the dens, a large conformation show in the building, some folks practicing tracking in one of the fields and a herding test in the herding area.