# Bottcher harness



## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

For those of you that have used a bottcher harness in tracking, what collar do you connect it to? Flat, fur saver, pinch? I can't let my dog pull so hard when we start tracking again initially to protect her Iliopsoas. I don't want to put a lot of obedience on her tracking just slow her down and keep her from pushing off hard with her hind legs. My knees and back would appreciate it too.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I don't think the Bottcher will be much help with that. It helps keep their head down, but I think they can still pull into it as easy as a collar alone.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

:frown2:


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Truth is, I think the number 1 thing that slows them down, is obedience.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Steve Strom said:


> Truth is, I think the number 1 thing that slows them down, is obedience.


Kind of late for that and not applicable to trailing, which is the fundamental point of tracking for me.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Trailing is completely different than our tracking. And Steve is right - obedience to the track slows them down. Food slows them down. Added corners slows them down.

Our collars and harnesses don't slow them. I want my dog to pull into the collar and keep the line taught. You would be better off asking people that do your type of tracking.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Jax08 said:


> Trailing is completely different than our tracking. And Steve is right - obedience to the track slows them down. Food slows them down. Added corners slows them down.
> 
> Our collars and harnesses don't slow them. I want my dog to pull into the collar and keep the line taught. You would be better off asking people that do your type of tracking.


Yes which is why I chose AKC tracking, not knocking IPO tracking at all, posted here with the idea a botcher rig might help. 
She's definitely motivated to track and turns don't slow her down much at all.
Will go back to littering the track with food and give her 1-2' of line, see if that slows her down, just don't want her pulling hard into her harness and firing off her back legs until Apr/May.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

ausdland said:


> Kind of late for that and not applicable to trailing, which is the fundamental point of tracking for me.


I don't mean obedience specific to the style of tracking. I mean obedience as in settle down and focus, you aren't pulling me like that.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Jax08 said:


> Trailing is completely different than our tracking. And Steve is right - obedience to the track slows them down. Food slows them down. Added corners slows them down.
> 
> Our collars and harnesses don't slow them. I want my dog to pull into the collar and keep the line taught. You would be better off asking people that do your type of tracking.


Full disclosure, I know Aus and Yana so I knew what he was looking for with tracking. I was being general instead of any kind of training detail.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Steve Strom said:


> I don't mean obedience specific to the style of tracking. I mean obedience as in settle down and focus, you aren't pulling me like that.


Argh I'm trying..


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## deacon (Sep 5, 2011)

So what is the correct answer?


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

deacon said:


> So what is the correct answer?


To? Slowing the dog down tracking and not having her pull into the harness like a sled dog? Apparently not a bottcher harness. Food on the track. A short line and braking, maybe line checking. We'll see when we get back to it. Suggestions are welcomed. I don't want or need her to be disciplined to foot steps, just the track and to slow down to a walking pace.


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## deacon (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks but I want to know the answer to which collar you attach it to.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

A fur saver I imagine


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Have you tried double lining him? One line on what ever you normally track on and one line attached to a pinch to use for corrections to slow him down. I would also use the food and make the tracks more difficult. You could also add more articles and smaller articles so he has to be more careful.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

^ I will try that.


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