Episode 75: Aivo Oblikas

If you're serious about tracking, this podcast is for you.Today I'm joined by Aivo Oblikas, a long-time student of tracking, respected judge, and someone who has spent decades analyzing what makes dogs successful on the track. Aivo has judged at the highest levels of the sport, including the FH World Championship and the FMBB IGP World Championship, giving him a unique perspective on both training and evaluation.Over the next two and a half hours, we dive deep into the world of tracking. We discuss everything from getting started with young dogs to advanced FH and IGP concepts. We talk about motivation, corners, article indications, contamination, aging tracks, weather conditions, surface changes, reading the dog, common training mistakes, and many of the details that often determine success or failure in competition.One of the things I appreciate about Aivo is that he doesn't simply repeat what everyone else is doing. Over the years, he has developed his own approach to tracking and in this conversation he shares many of the principles that guide his training and the way he thinks about the work.Whether you're brand new to tracking, actively competing in IGP, preparing for FH-level tracks, or simply looking to improve your understanding of one of the most fascinating disciplines in dog training, there's something here for you.This is a conversation for the tracking nerds, the people who enjoy the details, the people who want to understand not just what happens on the track, but why it happens.I hope you enjoy my conversation with Aivo Oblikas.