Working In Stages

She loves what she does.  This job suits her.  Her mind needs challenges.  She needs puzzles, day in, day out, or she invents her own.

Today, she was faced with a challenge.  Not a search challenge, but a challenge none the less.  Kaeden was in the water.  She wanted to know what Kaeden was doing.  But that meant going into the water.  It wasn't deep enough for her to have to swim, but she didn't trust that.  You could see her trying to figure out how to get to Kaeden without getting wet.  She gave up on that, only to readjust her parameters so that she would only get 'just so wet'.  Her chest touching water was her limit.  She circled the water.  First clock wise, then counter clock wise.  Then back again.  Then she tried running across the water really fast, and discovered she still got wet.  So, more circling.  Kaeden, I think, felt he had found paradise.  She was leaving him alone, and he was doing his thing undisturbed.  He looked rather smug.  

Then she gave up and plunged in.  She reminded me of a agoraphobic trying to step out into sunshine.  In she was and then she was fighting with herself to stay in with Kaeden, or run like heck to get out.

In the end, run like heck won out.  Then she tried another entrance into the water only to get herself caught in the bushes and scare herself.  She was able to get herself free and then flew across the water to get back to 'high' ground.

It was funny to watch as she then tried to entice Kaeden to come out of the water by trying to tear up a bush near the water - she'd rip a stick off and then turn and look at him.  Then she'd pounce on the bush and look at him.  All the while he ignored her.  She expressed great relief when we finally called him out of the water and back to the truck so we could get to work.

She is a natural, this one.  A natural trailer, and natural air scenter, a natural search dog.  Today was no exception, as I purposely walked THROUGH a newly constructed building and she followed my trail through the building - going from hard pan dirt to cement and back to dirt again.  I have said it before, and I have no doubt I will say it again. She has done this before.   

And of late, she has been finding her voice.   From trying to get our attention to help her get her toy back from Kaeden, to tonights newest antic, barking for dinner.  THAT was a Please trick.... 

We shall see....