Leapin’ Labs

Today we got up bright and early and headed over to the Sheriff’s substation, by Millennium Park – only 2.8 miles from our house. Eric decided to come along with Mason and I for our first meeting with K-9 One. We skipped the MISAR every-3-week training to come to this one. I had heard great things about this group, they have strong ties to the Kent County SAR group and they were fine with me using a harness on Mason. Bonus that it was so close to home .

We got there early to see what we could help set up. Eric and I set up two EZ-Up canopies and I helped apply the official stickers to the group’s new boat (they have a boat!).

Then we got a talk about boater safety and unique aspects of this particular boat:

Then some plans were made using a map of the lake:

I was in the first group to go out because I would be laying a trail across the lake and around it for the bloodhounds to track later.

The path I was supposed to take ended up being split by a small river that was not on the map so there was a slight change in plans and I was picked up at a different point. Eric and I were split up at this point, he was the victim and I started to follow behind some of the air scent handlers so that I could get a feel for how they worked. It was fun.

After we did that a couple of times there was a meeting inside the building and then Mason got a chance to ride in the boat (his first time being in a boat) and I got a short driving lesson.

At the end of the day, Mason got to do some training. It was awesome! We were on a dirt road and my “victim” let Mason watch her run away and hide in some grass. He now knows what this game is about so he was straining, lunging and choking on the lead.

I revved him up a little more and released him with his search command and he rocketed down the path straight to her.

I made some noise until he was paying attention to me and then ran backward a couple of steps, encouraging him to follow me – which he did! He came bolting back toward me and I started asking for the indication “Speak”. He slid to a stop, sat, and it took a couple of tries but he finally barked and when I said “Show me!” he actually ran right back down the path – he was slower and he kept glancing back to make sure I was following but he did it right! I ran after him so that I would be there to praise him while he got some treats from our victim.

We had a discussion about the bark indication slowing down Mason’s momentum and that perhaps a Bump cue would be better.

It was resolved that I would try that this time. While the victim went to hide a second time, Mason was hid behind a giant tractor tire so he couldn’t see where she went. He still set out at full speed when I released him with his command though.

When he came careening back, I started to ask for the Bump and patting my chest – he wasn’t sure what I was asking so the jumps were a little…all over the place lol.

He did it though and when I gave the “Show Me!” command he ran full-tilt back to our victim, much more sure of himself this time around.

I raced after him and there were more treats and praises:

This was his last search of the day so he got his toy (the ball, now in a sock so that there could be more interaction) and got to carry it back to the van where he then received his very special treats. It was awesome!!! He’s catching on so fast!

Eric took some photos while he was hiding as well, so the whole set is HERE.

It was a long but awesome day!

Tonight we rushed around like crazy to head out to the Cannonsburg Game Preserve to meet Kent County Search and Rescue and see how things are run a little closer to home. We were a little lost and confused and weren’t sure we were in the right spot because of all of the bikers (as in bicycle not motorcycle) but then we saw this:

We discussed the various SAR training techniques, the different classes that KCSAR had to offer and the application process then we headed out to see how Mason would do.

We discussed where his training had been left off for the last week and a half and then how we would pick up where it had been left off – teaching the alert and the refind. I decided to try out a new toy because Mason doesn’t really enjoy tugging with anyone he doesn’t know but he enjoys fetching for anyone at any time. I bought a ball that he has never had and will never have at home – a larger, squeaky blue ball.

We did a couple of exercises where he was just finding the victims and then receiving his toy, like we’ve done in the past.

Getting ready to Search:

Then we started to try to work in the refind. He would find the victims, but not receive his toy like he was used to, then I would immediately call him back where he would be asked to Speak. As soon as he did, the victims would make enticing noises and scamper around until he came racing back towards them (with me rushing after him) and as soon as he reached them he would get his toy.  We did this several times but he didn’t quite get the tie-together, although once treats were added he was much more enthusiastic .

So we decided to work on making it more fun for him to run back to me and then back to them specifically. I got a lot of instructions because I didn’t want to screw up on some vital timing.

Mason was taken with the “Victims” and then I had him come back to me, Speak and then race back to them (where he then got treats).

After he had been successful a couple of times, we decided to quit while ahead and Mason was allowed to keep his toy as his reward:

Everyone stood around and chatted some more, about upcoming meetings etc

Mason was pretty tired:

Although I felt clumsy and as though Mason wasn’t progressing as quickly as he should’ve; everyone else said that he did wonderfully and had great potential!

Later I even heard from other members that had not been out with us that they had been told that Mason did wonderfully and is looking good .

Today Eric, Mason and I left bright and early to head to Pontiac Airport for the every-three-weeks MISAR training. It took us about 2 hours to get there and we got a little confused on the directions but we finally made it.

This was Mason’s first time doing the obedience at the beginning of the training and he did well. We walked in a big circle at a heel with several about turns and stops thrown in along with a couple of speed-ups and slow-downs.

Then we all left our dogs in a stay at the outside of the circle while the handlers went to the inside. Then they were called in, Mason’s recall is fantastic so that was no problem. I was surprised he didn’t break his down/stay because the distance was decent.

Next we left them in the middle of the circle, beside each other while the handlers went to the outside, and recalled again.

The final bit of obedience was to weave in and out of the other dogs and handlers in a circle.

Everyone split into separate groups after obedience. The tracking people started to decide who was going to follow track first, the air scent people split into those less experienced (and those training them) and those with more experience. We drove away from the airport to a large field bordered by two roads, a fence and a forest.

(that’s us under the tree to the left)

Several other handler/dog teams went first to find the two victims hidden along the fence (including Eric). Here’s Eric’s view from his hiding spot:

This is my mentor holding her Malinois and the one of the leaders’ dogs:

After watching the other dogs struggle to deal with the shifting wind, we changed tactics and Mason and I started up the middle of the field instead of the outer boundary to give him the best opportunity to catch the scent. He was excited and eagerly waiting his turn, nose in the air. I got him revved up to go and then released him with the “Go Search!” command. He ranged out comfortably and started sniffing around. I could tell when he hit Victim #1’s scent cone and he started bolting towards the source, weaving off both sides of the cone. One of the leaders commented that this was very good, the way that he veered right back into the cone when he realized he had gone out of it. When he found his victim he was very excited but not really interested in tugging so instead his tug was tossed for him and the he was allowed to parade around proudly.

After his reward, I took the toy from him, repositioned and gave the command again. He took off about 5′ then whipped around to look for the toy that he’d already gotten. I told him to go back out to where he was supposed to be and to “Search More” and he headed right out. He was running flat-out at this time and I could tell when he caught Eric’s scent. Eric was lying out on the ground and it took Mason a couple of passes before he pinpointed where he was. He was much more interested in tugging with Eric and again showed everyone how proud he was of his toy before we went back to the van to cool off and get some water.

After all the dogs got a chance to find the victims, everyone spread out to find a radio that had been lost during the various searches.

Then we had a little pow wow under the tree to discuss our thoughts on the search training we had just completed.

Next we headed back to the airport and the hangar to get some experience working inside a building. This hangar photo is similar to what Mason and I worked (this is where Eric was hiding and we didn’t work in the same one he was in):

The hangar we were in had the door open on the side as well, but only one plane in the middle and someone was moving in and out of, but the rest of the floor was fairly clear with a storage room and some stuff stored around the outside against the walls. When I released Mason with the command and he attempted to take off, his feet slipped a little on the slick floor and he was a little unsure of what exactly I was asking him to do but he was still sniffing around. He checked out the shoes of the guy in the plane but wasn’t too interested (no toy reward after all ) and continued to move on to investigate. He hit the scent along the outside wall and really started moving, I could tell by the tense and excited line of his head, tail and body. He zeroed right in on the victim and had a short game of tug before showing everyone his hard-won prize. He did well for his first time in a building . We relaxed for a few outside and then we headed home.

Today was the every-three-weeks training for MISAR. It was based at the Michigan State University Experimental Station in Clarksville. It wasn’t too much of a hike for us to get there. When we arrived, my mentor and another guy were already there, so we drove up to the buildings and prepared to wait for everyone else to arrive. I worked Mason on his heel, sit, down and stays while we waited. He did extremely well after the initial 2-3 minutes of excitement. A little while later and everyone else had arrived. I was quizzed (as was Eric kind of) on my field support information and passed almost half of it, reviewing the rest to prepare for the next time.

I got a lot of practice field support time following not only one of the leaders of the group but several other people as well. It was interesting to see the dogs work through the same problems in different ways.

Eric didn’t get any photos of Mason working but here are some of the dogs we followed:

Heading out on the trail:

Getting really close to the Human Remains that were planted:

Even closer, going in to get some help from the handler:

Showing to the wrong thing – ooops:

Just checking:

Rusted truck that was in the gully where the scent was being dragged:

A treat for finding, alerting and refinding correctly:

A more experienced and certified dog next:

Plowing past the truck:

The next handler/dog team is ready:

Barking to show she wants to get to work:

Getting some tips and some directions:

Alerting on…something:

Hydrating:

After the more experienced dogs got to go out and find the HR source, Mason got to have his very first real training search for live victims.

Mason had been waiting semi-patiently in the van this entire time so I got him out to potty him first. He was very excited to get on with the game though so he only took a short break and then we arranged his victims. Three people with three different tugs were going to go hide in the orchard. We waited for them to get into place and then I walked Mason on leash to the entrance of the field. He was very over-excited so his heel left quite a lot to be desired.

When we reached the entrance I unhooked his leash and sank down to whisper to Mason to get him even more excited and then I released him with the Go Search command and he shot out into the field at full speed. He circled through the soy beans but at a very quick pace and we were almost at the end of the field when he whipped around and disappeared up into one of the rows, finding what should’ve been Victim #3. The victim tried to engage him into a game of tug but he was using a different dog’s tugs and Mason wasn’t sure of it or him so he wouldn’t latch on too hard. Finally it was tossed for him and Mason proudly brought it back to me and then paraded around to everyone else as well. He released the toy easily when asked.

I re-hooked the leash and walked him on a heel a short distance before whispering to him and then releasing him again. We were pointed back in the direction we had come from and he very much wanted to run on and explore, plus he knew that Victim #3 still had the toy so he was lingering behind me a tad. I redirected with “Mason this way!” and he rocketed ahead. He darted almost immediately down one row and I saw him shoot past Victim #2 before his nose caught and he whipped around and ecstatically found him. Victim #2 had a lot better luck with getting him to latch on (with one of his own tugs) and after he had really got a good hold on it and had a lively game of tug, I asked for him to be released and he brought the toy to me, I then turned and pushed him toward everyone else to “Go show them”, which he happily did.

After he had paraded for another minute, I leashed him once again and he released the toy to my mentor and we prepared for his third and final find. He circled the group again, checking out all of the people, specifically those that he knew had toys, but when directed he once again ranged ahead. He found what should’ve been Victim #1 right away and was very enthusiastic about tugging (with his oldest and most favorite tug), he played a short game and then was released to retrieve to me and then to show everyone else. I let him walk aways back with it then leashed him, allowing him to carry it the rest of the way to the van. He was very thirsty so I gave him some water and then we were set. We reviewed the next step of Mason’s training – adding in the bark alert and the Show Me immediately and then we all headed home.

Due to some disorganization, sudden changes of plans and long distance meetings, I missed the weekly training this week. Instead, my mentor said she would meet Mason, Eric and I to do some basic training stuff and some field support stuff.

We met at the Ionia County Fairgrounds. I let Mason out to have a look around and a potty and then we got started. One willing victim took Mason’s tug toy and while I kept him by the van, he went and hid behind some tall grass and a phone pole. I released Mason with his new command “Mason Go Search!” and he took off. I honestly don’t think he even noticed a person was missing, much less that said person stole his toy. So he was just running around sniffing when he happened to hit the scent and veer over. He still got rewarded with some tugging action and then proudly pranced back to me, holding his toy – praised all around.

The next time, he knew the victim had taken his toy and was straining to see where he was going when I distracted him. The victim moved to the new grass clump and I released Mason with his Search command and he took off, this time with purpose. His nose was alternately to the ground and in the air. My mentor said that he was very “ground-y” but commented that it was good when he used the air as well. He found the victim and since this was his last turn for now, he got to carry his toy back to the van. He knows from dock jumping that when we return (to the vehicle or to his crate) that we are done. He didn’t release it until I told him to and then he went in the van for a few.

This time Eric got to play victim and instead of the wide-open field, he went into some brushy undergrowth and trees. Rover, the labradoodle, was released and went plowing in. We followed at a run but couldn’t keep up. We paused to see if we could hear him (we couldn’t) and decided to turn one way right when he emerged from the opposite direction. There were doubts on whether he was on the right track but he led us straight to Eric. Eric said that he had appeared really, really fast so he definitely knew what he was doing.

Next it was Mason’s turn again. This time the victim hid in the edges of the trees off the side of the field and was further away. But, Mason now had the hang of what I was asking him to do, so there was no rambling and smelling, he took off like a shot, nose in the air and hit the scent cone at a run – spun the opposite way until he found the other side and zeroed right in on the victim.

In this photo, he’s hitting the far side of the cone. If you click on the photo, there’s a note showing where the victim was hidden.

We did that once more, he found the victim even faster this time and then he got to carry his prize back to the van. We went over some field support stuff and then we headed home.

It was a fun day – and our boots were AWESOME! They totally lived up to our expecations!!!