VST Ready!

I am getting ready to leave tomorrow morning for the Variable Surface Tracking (VST) Test at the Springer Nationals outside of St. Louis.  The test is on Sunday.  Just finished my last practice track with Magnum and he was awesome.  We tracked at Antioch College and the campus was busy with the new students and people in the community who walk on the campus.  There were lots of cross tracks. 

I was a little frustrated with Magnum on the first leg because he kept trying to follow cross tracks.  I just had to be patient.  He was running about 4 feet off the track and almost missed an article, but came back for it.  I was impressed.  I let him smell the start article several times to remind him what he was tracking. 

He made most of his turns decisively.  A big difference I see in VST is that he wants to check out bits of trash along the way to see if they are articles.  I have to let him do it or he won’t give up on it.  He went about 30 feet past his first turn, but then came back and found the turn.   The track was a little over 3 hours old. 

It was a good way to end it before the test.  He tracked well and reminded me that I need to be patient and follow my dog. 

We are taking so much with us on the trip because after the nationals we are going to Rice, Texas to pick up a Casita Travel Trailer.  We’ll spend about 10 days camping making a circle back to Ohio.  So, we are packing camping gear – towels, sheets, dishes and all the stuff we will need.  I actually started packing about 5 days ago, which is rare for me.  I think I have it all together. 

I so want Magnum to pass the VST test.  Preparing for it has taken so much of my time and Alan’s time.  I am ready to move on to some other stuff.   I won’t stop tracking, but will only do it a couple of times a week.  Wish us luck!

Moment of Truth (MOT)

Moment of Truth

A moment of truth may be defined as a critical or decisive time on which much depends; a crucial moment.  A moment of truth (MOT) in tracking with my dog, Magnum is basically the same.  AKC defines it as a turn that should be plotted with 30 yards into the turn on non-vegetated surface followed by an additional 30 yards after the turn before another change in surface.

What it really means is that it is an extremely difficult turn and demonstrates your dog’s ability to track on a non-vegetated surface.  But, let’s face it; every turn in tracking is a MOT.  Your dog either figures out the direction to go or you are no longer on the track. 

Yesterday late afternoon I tracked with Magnum on a 3 hour old track laid at John Bryan State Park.  The track started in the grass, had a turn that transitioned to a parking lot, and then had a turn on the asphalt.  The turn on the asphalt was a MOT.  Magnum, for the first time ever, needed no assistance from me.  He got to the turn, stopped several feet after, and explored all directions.  He then took off in the correct direction. 

Wow – was I excited.  Magnum, as I have shared in the past, is an incredible tracker in that he is hard working, doesn’t give up, and is always enthusiastic.  He really gets it and understands his job. 

When I say it was the first time I hadn’t assisted him, I don’t mean that I usually lead him.  I don’t.  But I know where the turn occurs and I don’t let him go in the wrong direction.  I always let him explore and check out bits of trash all over, but I don’t follow him in an incorrect direction.  I wait until he is going in the correct direction and then follow him.

This particular turn was like his turns in the grass, very decisive and he pulled strongly.  We are one week away from our variable surface test (VST) and I am getting anxious.  I have thought about pulling him because I am uncertain if we are ready (we does include me).  Yesterday gave me tremendous hope.  And, isn’t life and joy about hope.  More to come later!