Page's tracking - WOW!

I am just amazed at how mature Page is in her tracking. On Tuesday she did a 135 yard VST-type track at a local church. I really wish I had it on tape because of her focus. The track had 65 yards of veg with a metal article at 50 yards, then a double lane drive onto grass on an island where she had a plastic article. Off the island she went across the double lane drive again, then back into grass for her final glove.

I only aged this track 10 minutes, and I had hand prints and one piece of kibble at the second hand print on both non-veg. As I was waiting for the track to age, a teen-aged boy drove up in a golf cart and started sweeping up mulch around the islands that were about 20 ft. away from Page's track. I thought, "Oh great, there goes our track. What 15-week old puppy is going to track past a person who might want to play with her?"

I got Page out and went through our start routine. Imagine my shock when Page didn't even head check the kid that was sweeping by her! She got right to work. In fact, when he got into the golf cart and drove past her to the next island and started working again, I was in awe that she didn't pay any attention to him - in spite of the fact he was watching her!

I was so shocked at her tracking that when she started to paw something in the grass I thought, "What is she doing?" I had totally forgotten she had a metal article to find, and she was indicating it! She wagged her tail and pawed at it, then laid down and waited for the treats! Amazing!

After her track, I let her go play with the guy and explained what we were doing. She played with him like a typical puppy once she wasn't working.

Today I wanted to really push her and see what I had. I gave her a 405 yard track in medium to high cover with four turns and aged 30 minutes. I put one article on the second leg, and I knew there was at least one deer trail as a cross track on the first leg. There was no food on the track or in the articles (mainly because I forgot it!). 

The first leg was 80 yards to a left turn, then 65 yards with an article at 20 yards to an open right turn, leg 3 was 70 yards to a right turn, then 40 yards to another right turn and finally 150 yards to her glove. I'll spoil the ending by saying Page handled this track like a certified tracking dog! 

Below is the first half of the track from about 20 yards through the cross track deer trail, first turn and to the first article.

I had to shut the camera off to pick up the article, so here's the second half of the track.

I'm really just amazed at her tracking abilities and her work ethic at such a young age. Gayle told me she loves to work (just like her mom), and she doesn't like "down time" and I'm finding that to be true. 

We do have things to work on. Clearly Page's article indication is gone now that there's no food in the article, so I have to work on that. Now I'm glad I forgot the food, because I learned something. Also, she has only tracked me. I think our next track needs to be tracking someone new.