The SAR gods smiled today

[k9sarneko]

We all can relate to rough days where everything goes wrong....often. Today I have to say that the gods were smiling down of our training session and I was thrilled at the outcome. Air scent problem with Lexi, 2 subjects but only one scent article. Started our search and Lexi alerted on subjects jacket laying over a bush (keep in mind that we have not really worked with article identification and/or alerting on articles) Lex took me to article and I praised her and told her to get back to work, which she did immediately. Short time later located subject 30 feet up in a tree. Praise and reward then told her to find more. She immediately got back to work without article and headed out into the woods again, leading us all the way down a trail and into the woods she again disappeared and returned with a beautiful alert. Had located and alerted on the second subject hidden all without a scent article.
I know to non sar people this may seem like a simple thing but it was so satisfying to see it all come together. It is such a high to finally have Lexi seasoned out enough that she can take all of these changes in stride and just keep working through. I was so proud of her. Then I worked Neko and she made her first 2 finds (one bone, one tissue) with ease. We were walking to our second work area and Neko was ahead of me. I entered the area ( which is a big dried clay pit) to see that Neko had already put herself back to work, and had already located the source which was half way up the wall of the clay pit and was jumping up and down trying to scratch the wall down. Asking her what she had there I was immediately greeted with her loud barking and scratch alert. I told our unit commander........I think she's nailed that one too. What a high!!! All the long years of work and frustration can be smoothed away for a while with a day like today. Next week may be different but today the gods definately smiled and I wanted to share it with you all.

[jocoyn]

It is good when you have those kind of days. Give her some extra supper, have a glass of wine and soak in a warm tub!

We just had a long day on a search, old HRD. Nothing but driving, working, dirty pants and sore feet. We did do some good short training though beforehand.

[Ardatha]

I'm a non SAR person but I can tell just from my own experiences training dogs and the way your post was written with so much pride in your dogs evident that it was not a simple thing. Congratulations. I do know exactly how you feel when it all comes together. You definitely have every right to be proud of today. Thanks for sharing! High fives to you and your dogs!