Doug Goodman

There is a challenge to working two dogs of very different ability levels.  I am just glad that so far the team has worked the beginner HRDs, breaked for trailing dogs, then worked the more experienced HRDs. 

Rider is at a very basic level.  She has two goals for her training:  1.  Making her use her nose (meaning, hiding objects so she is not sighting on them, which is a common tactic of young pups doing HRD work) and make her think about where the scent lies, and 2.  Forcing her into new situations.  As a pup, she is cautious about new footings, new areas, new people, etc.  Outside of SAR, her focus has been socialization.  I take her to PetSmart, on walks, and I am building her towards dog parks.  As an HRD, she will need the confidence to take hold of any situation, ignore the bad (for example, a random dog or stranger entering a work zone), and focus on the task.  Right now, she wants to perk her ears up and watch anybody or any dog that may enter the site.

On the other hand, Mojo continues to show the kind of confidence a working HRD needs.  On Saturday, he was leaping into a precarious footing.  (By precarious, I mean narrow ledge about 4 to 5 feet off the ground.)  He did this willingly and without command because he was following a scent trail.  It was good for me, though, because as a handler I have to recognize that the dog is so focused, he would ignore common sense.  At that point, I should have put Mojo in a "sit" until I figured out the best way for him to get off the ledge.  He has always been a fearless dog.  I need to remember this when working him.  The key is that I trained the dog to work; it is my responsibility that he has a safe working environment.