# IPO-2 Tracking, Track Layer Questions



## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

Who chooses the track layer for IPO-2 tracking? Is the layer chosen from a random pool or can one use the same layer that the dog was trained with?

Can the track layer also be a trial participant?



Thanks in Advance


----------



## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

Any and all, depending on the trial and club.


----------



## schh3fh2 (Oct 12, 2011)

pfitzpa1 said:


> Who chooses the track layer for IPO-2 tracking? Is the layer chosen from a random pool or can one use the same layer that the dog was trained with?
> 
> Can the track layer also be a trial participant?
> 
> ...


 The club provides the track layers. It can not be the handler and if it is a trial participant, they can NOT be entered into the same level (IPO2). Because you have to draw for tracks and that is not done until after they are laid.

Frank


----------



## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

schh3fh2 said:


> The club provides the track layers. It can not be the handler and if it is a trial participant, they can NOT be entered into the same level (IPO2). Because you have to draw for tracks and that is not done until after they are laid.
> 
> Frank


Same level participant makes sense. I've never seen a draw for tracks, probably because I haven't seen more than one dog do IPO2 at a time.

Thanks.


----------



## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

schh3fh2 said:


> The club provides the track layers. It can not be the handler and if it is a trial participant, they can NOT be entered into the same level (IPO2). Because you have to draw for tracks and that is not done until after they are laid.
> 
> Frank


So what happens if there is only one dog doing IPO2. Is there a draw between several track layers to lay the single track or does the club appoint the layer?

Can the same track layer lay multiple tracks at an IPO2 trial?

P.S The reason I'm asking is that I'll be doing IPO2 tracking at next trial with our club and want to determine if I it is best to work tracks laid by a range of different layers for practice or stick to one other layer in the club.
Out of necessity all my tracks now are self laid. I'm starting to do one out of my 5 tracking days a week with another layer from the club. I suspect I need to mix it up and use as many different layers as possible.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I am our club's tracking coordinator and also one of the main track layers. Who lay the tracks at our trials depends a lot on entries and if I am trialing. Last fall I was trialing Deja for her IPO2 and Vala for the FH2 so I laid the 3's, another member laid the 2's and a third laid the FH tracks (poor thing laid my FH2, 2 FH1 and also did helper work). At our trial last weekend I laid the 2's and 3's. We had an IPOFH so our one member laid the first track on Saturday and I would have laid the one on Sunday if needed. 

I RARELY run tracks laid by other people except in trials. Maybe a couple just to make sure my dog knows to indicate strange articles. If a dog can run one track layer's track they can run another's so mostly it is for us.  My bitch, Treue, only ran two blind tracks in her life. Her SchH2 and her SchH3. If you run a blind track make DARN sure that person knows where the track is located in case you run into problems.


----------



## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

lhczth said:


> I am our club's tracking coordinator and also one of the main track layers. Who lay the tracks at our trials depends a lot on entries and if I am trialing. Last fall I was trialing Deja for her IPO2 and Vala for the FH2 so I laid the 3's, another member laid the 2's and a third laid the FH tracks (poor thing laid my FH2, 2 FH1 and also did helper work). At our trial last weekend I laid the 2's and 3's. We had an IPOFH so our one member laid the first track on Saturday and I would have laid the one on Sunday if needed.
> 
> I RARELY run tracks laid by other people except in trials. Maybe a couple just to make sure my dog knows to indicate strange articles. If a dog can run one track layer's track they can run another's so mostly it is for us.  My bitch, Treue, only ran two blind tracks in her life. Her SchH2 and her SchH3. If you run a blind track make DARN sure that person knows where the track is located in case you run into problems.


Great, thanks for the info. How important do you think it is to have the articles properly scented (ipo doc says "carried for at least 30 mins by layer") by the blind track layer?

Any idea what "carried" means, could it be just in layers pocket?


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

We usually put them in our pockets. I also will put the article that will be laid down in my hand as I am laying the track grabbing the next one after setting the other one down. 

I was at a trial where we tracked in bitter cold temperatures. The track layers had only put the articles in a fanny pack type thing since they were laying a lot of tracks. They also wore gloves. The first day a lot of the dogs had problems with articles. Was it the cold, not enough contact with the track layers or a combination of both? Hard to know.


----------

