SEARCH AND RESCUE WITH A LITTLE NAVIGATION

Well today at Search and Rescue we did some of our probationary testing...I wasn't sure I was ready for it...thought it would be next week , but glad I didn't have time to stress over it. We passed the first two tests, now just to finish up the rest next week. Today we did the obedience and article search tests...we did good...during the article search it was pouring raining, really windy and the grass we were searching was over a foot high...Quila still got the items...so all is good. We do need to continue to improve on her article search and make it more exciting for her....in order to get that high drive.
Next week we will do the vechile test...numerous dogs and handlers in the vechile with us...then we change postitions so that I am not beside her...and they will lift and carry her. We will also do an agility test...as it is important that the dogs can go thur, under and over trees, tunnels etc. when doing searches. I feel confident that we will pass all the tests and then be off of probation....

 Although I didn't take to many pictures at training due to the raining...I did get a couple ....here is a dog finding me ....I was tucked away in a piece of equipment

                 Reward time for one of the dogs finding me....I threw his ball numerous times for him.... 

Here we have a few members and and one of their dogs.They are working on HR,human remains, training in water....they have put a item ( no not a body part!!) in the water in the ditch. It was very interesting watching the dogs .

After the morning training a number of us went with Steve for navigation training with compasses and GPS's...it was fun and really good for me as I have no sense of direction

           Here we are gettting ready to walk around in the woods....we are having fun...even in the rain!

 Steve is explaining the different types of maps to us...never knew there were so many different ones

 Here Steve is blowing up the world....always wanted to say that. Steve loves his learning tools....they were fun!

                 Not sure but I think I am getting a little attitude here! Maybe she is just lost!

                                                 Doing an exercie in the woods.

 Now we are using our GPS ....not as easy as you would think....especially when Steve tells us the markers we are finding aren't in the bush....really Steve ....then why did we find them in the bush?

                                                   Here Steve is giving us instructions

We had fun even in the rain....and learnt lots ....thanks Steve for you knowledge, expertise, patience and time,