Three Early Walks

Went for a walk down the driveway and across the east field, and up around the back this morning. First out were Tank and Trust. I've purposely avoided going past the lower driveway for a few days due to either water or ice or combination at the east side. I knew I could get T & T past it, but then the next walk was Blast. We almost got past, using a Water Wubba for distraction, then suddenly he stops dead and 'looks'. That was it, off onto ice he went. The sun had greatly softened it and through he goes. I thought, "oh joy, now I have to convince him to come out"... I had to stop and laugh, as he was breaking through, he began to go one foot at a time out in front, break the ice, and continue with the next foot. Not too bad, I walked off and he quickly followed so wasn't totally soaked.

I thought this was another Blast picture until I noticed the ears! Third walk with Kira, she's racing back to me. She's losing teeth like crazy right now and the ears are still up and down.

What is that!!!!? Well, it's Kiras' bum, actually! Couldn't resist, going past that rock pile again. I got another little rock and decided to hold and squeeze with both hands this time, and throw up into a different area. It ended up going down in the hole at the top, not where I intended. I heard it bounce as it fell, so wasn't sure exactly where it ended up. Oh, well...up she goes...

I think she couldn't 'get' it immediately so began to search around a little bit more up there. I gave her about a minute, and figured there was a problem and I'd better climb up and take a look.

By the time I got there, she was digging like crazy into a crevice. Is that 'my' rock down there?!

All her digging was actually pushing it in further, so I pulled her out and reached in. Yup! MY rock! I just find this so amazing, but think I will try and avoid this area for a while and set up some new search games for her!!! (We are easily amused around here..!)

It must be spring now...

The birds and wildlife are on the prowl for mates; calling and doing their little dances. Talk about camoflage, I didn't see this fellow until he moved slightly.

Whoops...he's spotted me now for sure and not too pleased about it either...seconds later he flew off into the forest.

This afternoon...

Coming home this afternoon, I had only Kira with me and saw the ice alongside the driveway was semi-melted...finally!!! I decided to stop and take her for a walk through the field and come back by the ice on the way to the van. Heading out, we were near the rockpile. A few people were surprised at her finding a rock I tossed in last week. I though I'd try it again, just to see. She had her ball and wasn't paying much attention as I found a nice smallish rock. When I picked it up, she became instantly interested. I tossed her ball a few feet in the other direction, while she ran for it, tossed the rock into a little depression in the rocks near the bottom. She came back and I told her to find it. It took her no time at all to come out with 'my' rock.

Thought I'd try it again. Another rock, tossed in other side of pile and it rolled down until it fell in a hole between rocks. (I had tossed ball again). Back she came looking for the 'game' and this time started up higher on the rockpile and worked her way down, again right to it. She actually had to dig at this one to get it out. How proud she was!!! And didn't want to give it up. I traded with the ball, and we headed down into the field further.

She didn't know about the ice or water, as I've purposely avoided this area for a few days. It's been too cold, and I didn't want any of the dogs to go through. Well, what a treat she must have been thinking when she spied it. Here she is on a smooth surface that is just softening and she's starting to break through. She's not been on ice and so I let her play a while on that.

Then I walked her up a ways to the water. She loves water, what was I thinking!!!? Running back and forth and around and soaked by the time I called her out. Still barely above freezing, but the sun today caused lots of snow/ice melt, which is great. She had a great time. So much fun to watch these guys enjoy simple pleasures.

Trusts' 2nd Track Sunday

If anything, the cold wind had picked up since our first track. In the front of the building it was blowing directly against the building from (my) right side. Out the back on the large parking lot, I expected constant high wind. This was (partly) the area I worked Tank last week. Both Tank and Trust did not work well along this stretch. Not sure why, wind different for Tank. A bit of a mucky area, lots of dirty stuff with snow recently off it. Lots of foot traffic during the week. They both meandered quite a bit from the track along here. This was the first leg for Trust.

She has turned toward the driveway and I'm just waiting for a solid commitment from her before I move.

Off we go, on a little angle; I think the actual track leg was a bit before she turned. I'm not certain, as Tascha laid the track.

Off the driveway and unto grass again, she has made a left turn and is working along nicely. No interest in the cardboard which is frozen in place.

Trust turned, and is checking out this area. She actually came back, moved along forward again, and then committed to another turn and leg to take us back across the driveway..a little closer to the tree and pole on the other side of the snow.

We have moved along through the pine trees with wind blowing us from behind now. I was walking up to see what she was doing - not sure if she had found an article. The actual article was a 2" plastic cap, lavender, pointed out by the little red arrow above. We had both gone right past it on the other side of the trees. In UTDX, if a trial, that would have meant failure. But she was working great, so I wasn't concerned....not a good place for an article, and highly unlikely in a test. (I had told Tascha to put one in this area, though, to see what affect the weather/location had).

We're out in the parking lot now. Trust has gone quite a ways straight out on pavement, made a left turn in the third row. She went to the garbage (on the right) and dismissed it, and moved back onto the track.

We've gone a long ways on this leg, the red line shows the track. She is moving up towards the car, it appears. You'll see why in the next photo. How in heck, in these conditions, she is able to follow the scent along here is beyond any expectation I had this day. It is blowing like crazy from my left side.

Before reaching the car, she turned back to the track and found an article! I have to think the scent from it was blowing up towards her, bringing her back down to it.

Moving along, quite a ways, we are now on the last leg moving into the wind and towards and across another driveway into the lot, the back of the building, and towards the final article on grass. Again, so happy with her working in such awful "spring" (supposedly) conditions.

Another cold tracking day...

Well, we've still only found three places suitable to track in. Why this one area is so bare is odd, but not complaining, at least we have it! And cold is an understatement...-16C this morning, and windchill was -28C...horrid, horrid, horrid. In this first track we actually all ducked around at one time with dirt blowing off the pavement at us. Tascha had bare hands taking pictures and was in agony, her fingers were so cold. So, with the conditions again, I wasn't expecting a stellar track from Trust, but she sure surprised me once again. Her entusiasm is so much more evident than the past couple of years in urban settings. She just seems to be having such fun. First leg above, set off at a nice clip.

Dead on the corner here, almost tripping herself.

She's right on the track, over a cement area into the pavement.

If this looks familiar, Emma worked in this area last week. Wind is blowing directly at me and Trust has followed around the building. She got to the next corner, and turned back onto the track.

This is her first article, a plastic switchplate. If you double clicked to bring up the picture large, you would see her tongue stuck out as she licked the article. Ahead, you can see a covered overhang, with pillars, and she went up on the right side of those, against the building and checked in front of the entrance doors before turning.

This was a very open and very windy spot across the parking lot after she moved out past the corner of the building. She was drawn back a ways (yellow lines) and crossed to an island. I was so intent on watching her, not even thinking of articles, so we totally missed the sock. She spent a long time circling/scenting the island, then turned back. Above we are at the sock.

So the track did go up on that same island, but not from the direction she was moving. From the sock, we went back and over it, then moving out to the lot there was another tiny plastic article which she almost dove to.

Above, we've moved on again, made another corner, and she's moved from the track, right, over onto another island. She stopped at the far edge, as if deciding what to do next....She then came back over to the next island where the final article was.

This was the shortest of two tracks today, very, very, hard. I was so pleased with her. She put so much into it, obviously enjoyed working on it, and that's all I really want from her.