Day 4

Today we started with tracking.  I wasn't sure what to expect and it was really cold so I ended up with Levi staying in the van with Chris while Venus (the 4 Paws person who the dogs have been trained so far to track) took Kasen and hid.  I had started off telling Kasen it was "hide and seek" but then we were told during class that saying that to the kids could backfire and cause them to "play" the game on their own when we don't know.  So, we now tell him we're going tracking and that he goes for a walk.  Panga found Kasen (or Venus technically) fairly quickly.  She made some quick snaps because the wind was blowing, but found them within minutes.

We shed skin cells constantly.  They are microscopic.  That is what the dogs, who are trained in tracking, go off of.  They play "hot and cold" weaving back and forth until they get a consistent scent trail.  Panga did awesome today. We also practiced walking beside a shopping cart.

Her and I are having trouble mastering "heel".  She is so nosey, everything distracts her at the hotel.  I don't blame her.  There are other dogs and other people around. All new smells, etc.  We spent about 30 minutes out in the cold rain tonight practicing and her and I finally got into a groove.  I say her and I because we are a team. She is trained.  I'm not and her and I are training how to work together.