Proud Moment - Page 1

At tracking class today, thunderstorms were brewing,and now and then we'd get a spatter of rain. My male, Ranger was the last dog to track, and by this time we knew we were in trouble, because a storm was headed right at us.

He got part way down the third leg of a track and got distracted, probably by a deer crosstrail. I finally got him back on track, and he was doing well, nose down to the ground, when there was a loud crack of thunder.

HE NEVER EVEN LIFTED HIS HEAD!!

I wouldn't call him gunshy, but when there are fireworks going off, he makes it plain to me that he'd much rather be inside, and he sticks a little closer to me, hoping I'll take him in where the booms aren't quite so loud.

We all scooted into our cars as soon as possible after the tracks were done, and the rain started just as I was pulling out onto the road! 

That's great sunsilver, sounds like he is doing wonderfully.   I've never heard of tracking classes.  Glad you are able to have support in that aspect even if there  isn't a schutzhund club near by.

That is amazing, what a good dog. I would be running for the car too.
Always,
Cee

Now see?!  You were right about your dogs all along.  In my opinion, for a green dog to handle wild critter cross tracks, thunder  all on the same track, as well as that weird heaviness and scent in the air of impending rain,  it takes a really good dog and excellent handling skills.  Nice work, you two are a team, you have every right to be proud. 

Gun shots and fireworks are a lot different from thunder.
Either way he made ya proud and thats a great feeling.
Congratulations.

    

OKAY, WHERE IS THE SUECC I USED TO CROSS SWORDS WITH ON THE SHILOH SHEPHERD THREADS, AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER???

Green dog? Hmmm...not sure I'd call him green. He's a bit long in the tooth for that, at 7 years old. I did do some tracking with him when I first got him at 3 years old. He's also my service dog, so he's been exposed to a lot of different things, and learned to ignore them. Gotta work on those deer cross tracks, though!

The scent was really fresh, because we actually flushed the deer out of a grove of trees when we were tracklaying!

It's simple,  I admire what you are doing with both your dogs,  and I admire the fact that you not only rescued Ranger from a life of misery  chained to a doghouse (I remember the pictures), you turned him into your service dog.  I would have to say in his eyes he went from a life of hell to a grand life.  BUT I will still disagree with you until the cows come home about Shilohs!!!!

If we all thought the same, it would be a boring world, no? 



You were right about your dogs all along

Okay, gotta ask: what was I right about? 

(Savours the moment: Sue says I was RIGHT about something!) 

That they were better than they showed at the Tracking Trial you went to recently.

Ah, yeah, I found out the tracks were both about an hour and twenty minutes old! Neither dog had done anything nearly that old before. No wonder they failed!

Thanks for the kind words!