It was with great joy and pleasure that we got to go work in the rain on Saturday. Raezor got two new subjects and got to work a beautiful scent cone that 5 people got to watch.
She worked the scent cone perfectly into the first subject, and spirited off when asked to go find a second. She found him and raced right back to Kristi... well, not before licking both sides of the subject's face.
Both subjects were covered in 'odd' coverings....from camo netting to plastic bags... and no issues for her with that. With both subjects we got to see what has become her signature when moving into the subject... a whole body melting wiggle from ears to tail. It is very readable.
Much appreciation to the people who went out with us; for being subjects, for taking pictures and for intelligent questions.
Moving right along!!
She learned to find scent. On the ground. In the air.
Then she began looking for scent. On the ground. In the air.
Then, she followed scent. On the ground. In the air.
The latest? She is learning to use the wind! She will have scent, lose it, and circle herself around to try to find it again. She loses scent, she will stop, check the wind (I can practically see her pull out a puff bottle!), re position herself, and find the scent again.
The latest twist we added to her training.... a subject dressed in camo, covered in camo....
Amazing how a dog uses their nose, and their eyes become so secondary. She followed a beautiful scent cone to the subject.... but couldn't seem to connect what she was seeing with what she was smelling. She circled the subject twice, then moved on from the subject. After a few feet, she realized she didn't have scent anymore, and went back to the subject. Tentatively, she moved closer and finally believed her nose and her eyes and tossed herself INTO the camo cover with the person, dig dig digging her way in to her.
At this point, she had to be called back to get her to leave the subject, something Kristi hasn't had to do for a while. Happily, her alert came without cue and the return to the subject was flawless.
A long, well deserved, happy puppy party ensued.
She looked just like a Pro.... Almost. She's getting there!
Oh.... remember the vacuum battle? With a LOT of work on our part, including leaving the vacuum in the oddest places in the house, and both of us nearly OCD-like having to touch it and make it move every time we came near it, Raezor now regards the stationary vacuum with little more than a cursory glance. When it is running, it is a different story. At that point, it becomes a sworn enemy that must be attacked at least once. Then she lays down and watches all of her toys carefully to make sure the vacuum isn't going to take any of those away.
Her latest nemesis in the world?
Cows.
Cows are EVIL. Pure and simple. The puppy, who is half herding dog, believes all cows are evil.
Not sure how to fix this because I think we'd have a hard time keeping a cow in our living room just to get her used to it. And I don't think I am going to be going up to any cow any time soon to pet them and show her that they aren't evil.
Interestingly enough.... her predecessor, the purebred herding dog, felt the same way.
Things that make you go hmmmmmm............
