Making Scents of the Urban Jungle

Today I had the privilege of being a "tracking slave" for Steve Ripley's VST seminar on Making Scents of the Urban Jungle. I've been lucky to work with Steve as he's been training his Golden Archie (along with our friend Terrie and her Weim Sage), and I have learned so much in the last few months about scenting. If you have any desire to learn more about VST, click on the link to the book and order it! It's presented in an easy to read format, and you will absolutely learn something!

This morning, Terrie and I laid two tracks a piece which were three demo tracks and the first working track. Then we adjourned to the lecture portion of the seminar. Before running our tracks, Terrie, Janet and I took the auditors to the working dogs' tracks, and we taught them how to lay VST tracks for the five additional working dogs.

Around 11 a.m., the demos started. Sage ran first, and she did an outstanding job! I love watching Terrie work Sage; they are such a great team. Sage never gives up. I've never seen this dog stop working a track. Terrie is the ever patient handler, and my goal is to be as patient as she is. I know this team will get a CT. 

Next, it was Devon's turn. The track she ran was a variation of the track she struggled with last weekend. Devon was thrilled with the amount of people who got up on a Saturday morning JUST to watch HER track! The map here is the track Devon ran this morning. The flag indicates the start, and the Xs indicate her metal, plastic and leather articles (in that order). It was aged 3 hours. Transitions and turns were marked with chalk and finger touches (if you want more info on this, order Steve's book!). The track was approximately 437 yards long, with 68% non-veg.

Devon started very strong as usual, but she did fringe north of the start flag. What you cannot see on map is that the start was on a small hill or mound. I'm sure the scent drifted down the hill and pocketed at the bottom, and Devon had to check it out. 

Devon is a wonderful demo dog, because every time you start to say something she does it right on cue as if she heard you. For instance, right as Steve said, "She should show loss of scent here soon since she's past the first turn," Devon's head came up. She actually came down into the curb of the parking lot as she circled and found the spot where the track entered the parking lot. However, she continued to search the transition to make sure - and to give Steve the opportunity to narrate to the crowd what she was doing!

She worked her non-veg turn at #2 pretty hard. The gallery was all around her in a J as she worked along. I can't believe her work ethic as people are standing 6-8 ft. from her - what a good girl! As Steve teased me, this usually worries me, but it clearly doesn't worry my dog at all. I think I should just relax! She finally committed around that pesky turn (can you tell MOT turns are our next thing to tackle?) and stopped after a few feet. She stood in the grass at the corner of the building air scenting - the turkey had air scented the first article!

I was very glad Steve was there to tell me what was happening. I have rarely had to "battle" Devon on a track. She's usually an "on the rails" and play by the book tracker. Not today! She air scented that article, and she wanted to cut the corner and dash! She must have known Terrie laid her track and left a cookie in it! We had a nice little battle of wills until she finally went left up into the grass. As she circled back to the right, she picked up the track in the grass and I let her have it. She may have skipped a section of non-veg, but at least she didn't go directly to the article!

Devon made the grass turn #3 about 15 yards too early (probably to get to the article), so we were to the right of the track for about 20-30 yards. Just as Steve said, "Deb you're to the right of the track," Devon heard him and made a sharp left turn through the shrubs and got herself back on the track. However, she angled off of it to the left, and just as I stopped knowing she was off, I saw that metal article in the grass next to my right shoe. Devon turned on a dime and RAN back so fast I barely had time to back out of the way so she could pounce on the article!

After a drink and a rescent, we were off. She made the turn and transition at #4 very well, but did double check herself by searching the flowerbeds. The #5 turn was also very nice, as was her curb work after turn #6. The track followed the curb and didn't go straight. I will note I didn't get myself caught up in the line as I'd done last week. However, Devon didn't make it easy by wrapping it around several trees.

Devon rounded the corner at #7 and stopped in her tracks. WHAT was that THING? She had never seen a motorcycle before, and there was a bright shiny red one sitting in a parking spot right in front of her ... and her track. Devon spent a good deal of time considering this monster. Would it attack if she turned her back? Did it move? She circled it with caution checking her track. She slowly got braver and checked the curb in front and beside this beast. Once she turned her back on it to check the grass in an island, and something made her jump, turn and glare at the two-wheeled monster. 

I finally had enough of this dance and told her to move on and track. After a minute, she trotted down the sidewalk since she had known for sometime that's where the track was. However, we weren't done with our tracking challenges for the day. There were tasty treats left by geese and ducks on the sidewalk, which was exactly where her track was. How firm do you say, "NO" and "Leave IT!" when she's actually on the track! She was obedient to these commands about 75% of the time. I'm also pleased to say she had been snacking before she found her third article. When I leaned down to praise her for her find, she promptly licked me across the mouth -- YUCK!!

We made it the rest of the way down this mine field of a sidewalk, and even though she cut the last turn, I followed. Anything to get us tracking and away from the goose poop! Devon was absolutely lovely and confident on this last leg. As she cleared the entry and after the first island, she pushed out into the parking lot to the right. It was clear the wind was blowing the scent that direction and the landscaping kept the scent contained on the sidewalk. She adjusted quickly back to the track.

Devon scented the last article about 10 ft. before she saw it tucked under the shrubs. She came back towards me and started looking under the bushes, which told me she was searching out an article. When she found it, I told her how brilliant she was and told her to show the gallery. She didn't need the release. Devon went up to each and every member of the gallery and talked to them one by one as she showed them her glove. She is so funny! This is her very best reward!

Even though the working dogs were very nervous about their "long" tracks on non-veg, all the dogs tracked incredibly well. The last working dog ran a 5 hour old track, and I doubt she's ever run a track that old. This Sheltie did it in style!

As our working dogs today proved, never doubt your dog in tracking. These dogs are very smart and they transition to non-veg very well. It's the HUMANS behind them that get all worried! So, get tracking!