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This weekend we participated in a two day Tracking Clinic
with trainer and judge Mary Thompson of York, ME. Dorie V. of the Pioneer
Valley Kennel Club organized the event and assisted Mary. What an exciting
time! We arrived at the field at 8:30 in the foggy, misty morning along
the Connecticut river. Please keep in mind that Crysta is still in a full
show coat ;-) We took along an old jacket that had been made for Max, but
altered slightly for Crysta's functional use. |
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We were one among 15 teams of handlers and dogs to participate.
Several were intermediate level teams - we were among the rookies. The first
order of the day was - of course - coffee and donuts, and stuffing those
"articles" with bait. We were given basic instructions on how to lay a simple
trail with baited articles . . . and placed along the field break, facing
a field of shin-deep clover and grass - very thick and very wet! Needless
to say that many of us rookies came out at the other end with squishy socks/boots/feet
and jeans. Thank goodness it was a warn morning, even in the wet. |
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Then we all stood around for an hour and a half getting more
instruction and interesting stories told by Mary of her police work with
her tracking dogs. After the tracks had set properly, we all got our dogs
and went to our track. Crysta was quite the focus of attention going out
- in her bright orange coat and coordinated wildcat snood. Well - it was
soaking out there! |
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I was very impressed at how well the dogs did in finding the
track, the articles, and having success. Crysta came out of the field happy
as can be with a tummy full of treats and very muddy paws. Her little suit
kept her basically dry, but the lining had worn out up to the elbow, so
she was soaked to that point. |
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Thanks to Dot Mustard for those lovely crate floors - she
went in her crate and dried nicely, dropping most of that mud through the
floor rack! |
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Out again we went and laid another track, followed by more
instruction, and another hour and a half of waiting. The sun came out -
dried the field a good bit - then dogs back in harnesses and into the field.
This time we had to do someone else's track. PANIC! I know she knows my
scent . . . but how will she have a clue as to what to do this time??? |
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Believe it or not . . . Crysta went to work, picked up that
scent, and never really looked back. She loved finding those articles and,
of course, the treats held within ;-) What a little tracker she was! And
I had her out this time without all that suit/snood stuff. |
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Lunch, another track laid - across all the tracks that had
been laid in the morning!!!! That meant we had to follow a track that crossed
every track that had been used in the morning. How would the dogs know what
to do! Well, those of you who are experienced know the answer - but we rookies
were very nervous about all this stuff . . . and were quite impressed by
the talents of our dogs. Little Crysta just charged ahead - checking all
the cross tracks, but following the correct track all the way to the finish!
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Evening brought all of us together for a lovely dinner at
a club member's home and the enjoyment of sharing all kinds of dog stories.
Crysta was one of the 3 small dogs - the other 12 were much larger. Many
were champions of their breed, some just starting their show careers. It
was a great chance to swap stories and tips on handling, feeding, raising
puppies, etc. |
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Day two was "in the clouds." That is - a constant mist. I
got smart and donned my Gore-Tex hiking boots, gaiters, Gore-Tex hat and
jacket. I was much dryer that way! First track of the day . . . a new field
. . . a corn field . . . and we were going across all the rows/furrows and
making an "open" turn. All this on our 4th track. Mary believes in working
quickly into more complex tracks. This field had some grass, but not a lot,
and it was short. This made it more difficult to hold the scent of our walking
or trail, and I must admit that Crysta had more difficulty getting on the
scent. As the grass became more thick into the field she worked closer to
the track, made the turn . . . and spotted the final article before she
came to it . . . rushing over to check it out. Now this was an article she
had never seen before - but she had the game down pat!!! By the last track
of the day, she was moving out well ahead of me on the lead, nose to the
ground all the way to a single item at the end of the track. |
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Well, Jane . . . what can I say! I think we are hooked ;-)
I took home a tired, wet, muddy-pawed little cocker who had just as great
a time as I. and this morning when I got dressed and headed out to work
without her . . . she sat there looking sadly at me wondering why we were
not going back out into the field again today! |
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I told her not to worry - Obedience class is tonight and I'll
be home in time to change into play clothes and take her ;-) There really
is a great deal more to life after the Breed Ring . . . ! |
At Home - Summer '01