- Location
- South Wales
Finally getting round to posting some photos of trailing with Pongo....without doubt his favourite game at the moment. Here are a few from our first "proper" outing last weekend...
Mantrailing - Pongo's new game!
- Thread starter Rosie
- Start date
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Love the one of you peeking out from behind a tree 
- Location
- South Wales
Then we had another shot at it yesterday (fantastic weather!)
My biggest challenge is hanging onto him. In theory what I'm meant to be doing is keeping the lead at just enough slack tension that he can feel it (and it doesn't tangle), but absolutely not restraining him. In practice he is so very strong, fast and COMMITTED to the scent that I am hauling him backwards, usually failing to even slow him a tad, and ending up having to throw myself back on the lead to avoid losing it completely. At the end of yesterday's session I'd begun to get the hang of a technique of holding the lead behind my back with left hand, so I can use my body-weight to hold him, and just lightly controlling it with right hand in front. That seems to work but I need more practice.
We did one trail where Pongo was allowed to do it on his own, off-lead.....oh good god alive he loved that. Ever seen a dog trailing and hoolying at the same time? That was Pongo. No photo of that one but I was in stiches...
My biggest challenge is hanging onto him. In theory what I'm meant to be doing is keeping the lead at just enough slack tension that he can feel it (and it doesn't tangle), but absolutely not restraining him. In practice he is so very strong, fast and COMMITTED to the scent that I am hauling him backwards, usually failing to even slow him a tad, and ending up having to throw myself back on the lead to avoid losing it completely. At the end of yesterday's session I'd begun to get the hang of a technique of holding the lead behind my back with left hand, so I can use my body-weight to hold him, and just lightly controlling it with right hand in front. That seems to work but I need more practice.
We did one trail where Pongo was allowed to do it on his own, off-lead.....oh good god alive he loved that. Ever seen a dog trailing and hoolying at the same time? That was Pongo. No photo of that one but I was in stiches...
- Location
- South Wales
Ha! Yes, that was me trying to keep him from peeking out to see which direction the chickininabox had gone!Love the one of you peeking out from behind a tree
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Great photos - he clearly loves it!
- Location
- East Sussex
Love the one of him side-on forging ahead. He's having a great time!
- Location
- South Wales
- Location
- South Wales
Never was an emoji more appropriate....Great photos - he clearly loves it!
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
This is great Rosie
Clearly Pongo was born for it !!
Clearly Pongo was born for it !!
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
He's really having a ball! 
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Wow wonderful - you can tell he’s loving it 
- Location
- Monmouthshire, Wales
It looks great fun. I think Holly would enjoy that too.
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
He's having such a good time - love all the photos! 
- Location
- South Wales
I am absolutely sure she would! Come and join in, Phil (and Ruth) - it's fun.
The only downside is that the dogs have to spend a fair amount of time between runs waiting in the cars (or going for short walks, if their hooman isn't being a runner for someone else's pup...). Pongo finds that a bit boring, but he loves his trails so much I don't think he minds too much!
- Location
- South Wales
Yes, he's really loving it.He's having such a good time - love all the photos!
The child in me is enjoying being the runner for other dogs, too. I'm possibly taking it a bit too literally when the trainer asks me to "run down there, up that bank, and behind that tree....if you can tuck yourself into it out of sight, even better...".
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Well, you'd be less noticeable in the photo above if you weren't wearing that giant tree on your head. And did that dog in the photo just have a wee on your tree hat?
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
- Location
- South Wales
No, but I think he is laughing hysterically at me. I'm so glad Pongo didn't see me, he would have been mortified.And did that dog in the photo just have a wee on your tree hat?