This was Kiras' fourth track...beginning her "tracking career" I finally decided to give her a harness today, and it was Spooks'. Spook was my first tracking dog. She was "the best" and introduced me to so much. She also introduced many others to tracking in my area, did many demonstrations and was in a few newspaper stories. Spook is always with me...maybe she will be 'with' Kira too. In the picture above, Kira is at her start, a small scent circle today.
Her little 'track' will wind our through some paths and make a few turns when we reach some "Y's" in the track. I am loving this method with Kira....she never walks at any other time, she's always in warp speed, and it's amazing to see her working so carefully along her track in a 'speed' I never see otherwise!
The nose down work for her is also rewarding (using food, of course) as this is what I expected to be my big hurdle with her, after all the search work we've done. Above she has reached her first 'Y' in the track, and makes the decision using her nose. It was the 'right' decision!
On we go, I'm making sure to keep the line taut, and she feels this wearing her harness for the first time and HOPEFULLY she'll continue to work on tracks at a nice speed. I know it will pick up, but a steady speed is what I'm aiming for (not her lurches as she does on a leash!).
The second 'Y' in the track takes her up a little hill. We headed into the wind going up here, she checked both sides at one point and continued on.
Nearing the top, she's working very nicely, very focused, nose down all the way. Good girl!
The end! And what a reward. I left a frozen marrow bone for her, I think she was totally perplexed, but happy, to find this. It actually took her a minute to respond, and pick it up. She then looked at me, wagged her tail, and we headed to the house with her prize. Back to warp speed! Very happy with her on her fourth "track".
