Tracking fun!

I really need to find my camera. It snowed a while ago, and I'd been running some short snowtracks with Reiker. I just attach a leash to his favourite-zomg-must-have-Bad-Cuz toy and drag it along the ground behind me. I love snowtracking because I can see where I've been, so it's much easier to help him, not that he needs it!
Anyway, on Friday, I wanted to really challenge him. I'd been putting out fairly short tracks, and he was finishing them in no time and looking for more. So I took his toy, hooked it to the leash, and walked from the door of the motorhome, all the way down near the neighbours place (with a few curves) then across the property to the bank, up behind the brush pile, through a couple cars, towards the house, across the driveway where the cars have recently driven, and hid the toy behind an engine a previous roommate left here. I have no concept of how many feet/meters this was, though I could pace it out I guess. Maybe next time, I'll count.

Got Reiker out, on GL, and he came out of the motorhome looking for his toy.. it wasn't there (obviously). He had a bit of trouble finding which way to start looking (The door is a very high traffic area), so I waited him out a bit, then just led him a few steps away to a lower traffic part of the track. He put his nose down and went. He didn't lift his nose up until after 3 or 4 turns, when he stopped to have a poo. He continued about another 1/4 of the track, then started to (finally!) look like he might be getting TIRED. He slowed down and started really working the track. Stopped for another poo. Onto find the toy. He found it, picked it up, then rushed over to a bush to pee. Sigh. Silly dog won't take a minute to empty before he starts working. Something to add to the "to work on" list for sure.

Overall, I was terribly impressed with him. He's very very good at tracking, and now that he's starting to understand the game, he's doing as well as Archie. I think he has more sheer talent, where Arch has more practice.