SuzWinn21

After earning her Excellent level title in AKC Scent work in Sept. 2019, we took a hiatus in 2020. We focused on NACSW sanctioned Nosework Trials where Winnie leveled up from NW3 to Elite-1. By Oct. 2020 we were ready for some more AKC Scent Work Trials and the time away didn’t seem to hurt Winnie’s ability. As always I’m so proud of this little Puggle and always grateful to God for giving her to me.

After a valid attempt to get to Laramie for an Elite Trial, this surprise sneak attack Winter-like storm finally won. Much snow and numerous road closures on I80 between Salt Lake and Laramie was Mother Nature’s signature for the past 24hrs. It was a thrilling roller coaster ride that included many switches and mind changes before we gave up the fight. Without 4-wheel drive or chains, we carry Auto-socks (don’t judge 😆), we were simply out gunned and were forced to surrender. We will live to sniff again. With Riverside Elite Trial on the horizon, in two weeks we ride!

WinnieBelle sits relaxing in the warming sunshine after a busy weekend of trials. She poses patiently as I show off her ribbons. Winnie is proof that small dogs can do big jobs.

Winnie works diligently to exterminate the infestation of squeaky squirrels in this plush log.

First quarter of our adventurous trip from Sebastopol CA to Laramie WY. We already have weather to drive through and we haven’t even left CA. Just wait til we get to the Rockies!

Winnie is such an honest sniffer, she worked this area diligently and though she wasn’t catching any hint of odor, she thoroughly covered deep into corners and up on elevated surfaces. Funny how clear areas used to seem so mystical to me but Winnie’s strength in skill has given me such confidence.

October 5th, 2019. The last Ripon Emergency Vehicle Show since COVID 19. Fingers crossed for the show to go again in 2021!

Feels like the top of the world with Aloha Lake the closest in view. On a clear day you can see forever.

Sploofing on the deck in the warm sunshine is Winnie’s favorite thing. It’s as if they created this stuff toy in Winnie’s exact image.

Panoramic view from back of the house.

View from our front yard, panoramic.

This was an L shaped area with 5 hides, the breeze was blowing towards the face of the building creating some swirling odor.

Three rows of six containers, the challenge was to not false on residual or fringing odor. With two hides in the first row on the left of start, The white cardboard seems to have a lot more odor available to source. The plastic tool box next to the white box has source but there weren’t even venting holes in the container. This exercise was to show the dog calibrating odor, and handler not jumping out to call “alert” too soon. It’s a fine line for Winnie because if I don’t call alert soon enough, she will shred the containers but if I call too soon I give her no time to work the problem out. Fun search.

This a search was an NACSW Elite style exterior, a large area with 8 hides. The was a steady breeze swirling off the sides of buildings and obstacles giving us a very dynamic picture as our dogs worked to source. There were ground hides, inaccessible hides, and elevated hides. A long video worth watching to the end to see Winnie decide the last hide and insist. Read her body language and pay. Loved this search, love this dog of mine.

Somewhere under this pile of blankets and pillows sleeps a snuggly Puggle. It’s cold outside but nestled deep in her cozy cocoon Winnie waits for the warmth of the day. She may have to wait til Spring 😉

This exterior search has 6 hides, the steady breeze is blowing from the right as we enter, all the odor is to our left. Winnie catches odor off the corner of the house and quickly works to source. She then continues into the area, seems to catch odor along the bottom of the deck then gets drawn off perhaps by the garage hide. The area between deck and garage must be a swirling mass of odor from all the hides upwind. I think Winnie knows there are at least four more hides as she works because she switches direction completely many times as she sources the tank, garage, drain pipe and chair. The last hide she sources under the deck is a hide I think she caught odor of several times before ruling the others out to be able to source it.

This time of year the orchards are flush with luscious green grass that soon give way to beautiful patches of wild flowers. Winnie lives to “tip-toe through the tulips.”

Winnie finds three sources quickly and tells me we are finished. There was a fourth hide on the dark SUV, front passenger wheel we missed. Still I would have been very pleased with the results of this search.

“She’s doing it again,” Winnie says. “Is she videoing me snoring again? I asked her not to do that anymore.”

Winnie loves to walk the neighborhood loop, she systematically categorizes all the sights and smells. Nothing gets past her. A four minute segment of Winnie’s walk includes an exuberant expression of delight, a king of the hill trick climb, a blade of grass snack among the daisies, and even an exciting barking routine from beagle in a passing car. If you watch the whole video, it’s a funny treat.

NACSW style Elite Exterior-unknown: Winnie searches the corridors at RP community center, finding 5 of 7 hides and even has time to visit with a passerby. Winnie tells me when she is done and I honor her decision by finishing the search and leaving the area.

As Winnie and I continue to learn how to read each other and communicate, I can see her saying a couple times there is no more odor here however, we have left searches with hides unfound. For this reason, I give Winnie encouragement to continue and she gives me patience by going back to work because I ask her to. Love this Puggle so much

The peaceful and quiet were a welcomed treat on our afternoon walk about the ‘hood. Thank you to all who didn’t not watch it. 😉

In an effort to keep 16yr old Riley young, we gave her this puzzle. Under each white bone is a kibble and Riley quickly smells the treat. She wastes no time getting to the reward and even mixes it up sometimes using her nose to push the bone away other times trying her paw. Engaging her drive to hunt and seek, stimulating her olfactory, providing opportunity to puzzle it out, Riley seems to like this game.

If there were drugs hidden in those containers, a human could find them but could a human find all four in 1:49min? The handler doesn't know which containers have target odor or if there is target odor out there at all. But Winnie knows. This video demonstrates the skills detection dogs have to find and "tell" the handler where to find the target odor. Winnie covers her area with independence and confidence using two methods of searching. 1) Methodical, detailed using sight and scent and 2) Random, following odor trails using only her nose. She starts methodically sniffing moving from container to container. She follows the line and finds the container she wants. The handler must wait for conformation before delivering the reward. After she gets rewarded, Winnie stays with methodical sniffing then veers to the left drawn off the line by odor. Winnie takes charge and decides where she is going next which is following her nose to source/conformation/reward. I always like to see her enthusiasm. Winnie switches in and out of methodical and random as I (handler) try to keep up, stay out of the way, and remember hides she's found and areas she may not have covered. When the handler is satisfied the dog has covered the area and found all sources of odor (if any), it's time to call finish and go to the best part of the search, the "after-party".