What a clever girl, Tally!! Ouch! I've done that type of fall before - multiple times - and it always hurts for days. Every time I see Tally's photos, I see my Bat-dog. I can pick out the little beagle tells in her stance and shape. It makes me bittersweet. Of all my dogs, I think she was my soulmate.
Trailing again on Tuesday. Tally loves it and is getting so strong on the line. I think I might start wearing gloves. First pic is her setting off. Second pic is racing towards her missing person - not someone known to her but Tally is well aware that she will have a special reward to come. I'm going to have to improve my fitness level to keep up! We have our first pet and mantrail assessment next month, so fingers and toes will be crossed for that.
Well done!! Would a better handle on the line work? There are nice padded wrist straps for cameras that would make for a great lead handle - easier to grip* and with the padding, they would be easier on arthritic fingers. *not putting it around your wrist of course.
Lines are actually safer without a handle - though most do come with one. Whether tracking or trailing you need to keep adjusting the amount line you play out in order to try and keep a relaxed tension between yourself and the dog. (An oxymoron I know, but if you've ridden horses you will know what I mean). If the line falls slack it inevitably gets trodden on by the handler or snarls the dogs legs as he makes a turn. As the lines are usually between 15 and 30 feet long it just wouldn't be practical to hold by the handle.
Trailing Assessment Day today. Tally passed her Man and Pet trails - taking just over 3 minutes for each one. This was only the Beginner level, I'm hoping that she will be able to take the next level later this year. Love my little Beag. xx
An urban trail this week. Tally's man trail was really good, our instructor said that she was practically stepping on the line that her lost person took. Her pet trail was less successful. She was given a licked treat pot to take scent. The pot had contained sardines in oil and Tally licked a couple of flakes of sardine from the pot. I told my instructor that I thought that the sardine oil would over-ride the dog's scent but she disagreed, saying that there would be enough scent and Tally would tune in as she started to work. Guess who was right! Tally went for a walk, and though she spotted her target dog down a side road, she just gave it a casual, 'Hi there', as she continued on. Tally's log book is now marked, No scent fron food pots! Now that we are Intermediates in training, our trails are between 500 and 600 yards. In addition to our two trails, we laid one trail as a missing pet, and one, (me), as a missing person. That's about 1.5 miles, and Tally's trails are all at the jog, I was shattered the day after. I might have to have a quiet word. The man trail. I hoped to include a photo showing Tally's different body language when she has failed to make a scent connection. I have tried 5 times and the photo just won't load.
Hmmm - go look for sardines or go look for another dog. Tornado-dog says "DUH!!!! Of course you go after the sardines! They might have been lost and they could die if not found quick enough and put back in the tin!" Tally is a smart girl!
