Rachel & Vidoc FE520

[Alana McGee]

Thanks for posting the care guide again. Till last Sunday I only worked with frozen truffle pieces and now with a new great source I appreciate using fresh ones.

We had a very nice session this afternoon and I was very very happy with the boys 🙂

Environment: grassy spot with some bushes and young trees belonging to ABB (company in my neighborhood).
Time: around 4:15 – 4:45
Conditions: sunny and dry but due to all the fog and heavy rain on Wednesday the earth was very wet. Hardly any wind.
4 pieces of fresh truffle (found 1 week ago), wrapped in paper towel, holes about 2 inch deep, covered and marked.

I also worked on Vidoc’s alert as he offered me a lie down with nice nose targeting.

[Alana McGee]

The sequence at 0:39 is really nice, working on those at source alerts.

The sequence around 1:30- you can see the truffle fly out behind him and he does a great job of realizing it?s no longer there and it just then becomes another search around the area which is tough, but you do a good job. This is super realistic and so you know that if he?s not staying at source like that (after that very very clear initial alert), that it likely has been tossed from the hole and so you can help him look a bit for it. Once you direct him a little he has a much easier time of locating it and offers that really nice lie down.

Well done working it out.

Over all, good. That went really well I think.

[Alana McGee]

Thank you Alana and Kristin!

Tomorrow will be the last day to submit a video for your feedback for the long break till December 1st. I got 2 fresh training truffles and will use one or both if you advise. What kind of environment shall I aim for?

[Alana McGee]

Due to the time difference and today being the last day to submit videos I went ahead and took the dogs truffle hunting.

For Vidoc I used one of the truffles I bought from my herding instructor this Sunday. I primed him at home and as you can tell in the video Vidoc did a great job. The holes were about 2 – 3″ deep. They were cooking for about 20 – 30 minutes as I took the dogs for a walk in between. Hardly any wind, earth on the wet side due to the heavy fog (each day till March to April now) and it was raining yesterday.

I marked the holes but before Vidoc entered the scene I removed the ribbons so I had a clue where they are approximately located.

Vidoc was also careful with his digging; he didn’t kick any of the truffles far away so he to relocate it. He loves this kind of environment where he has so much space to move into a down and nose targeting the truffles.

I guess I will try to locate more environments like this one – forest edge – and hide 3 or more truffles. Any other suggestions?

[Alana McGee]

Hi Rachel.

Your final video and questions will be addressed. We apologize for the delay but please know that a response is coming. If the classroom closes and we are unable to post here, you will get it in an email from us.

[Alana McGee]

Hi Rachel

So sorry for the delay in response.

Yes, more locations like this would be good. Very soon in the next class we are going to ask you to find forested settings. We go into specifics there, but start keeping your eye out for wooded settings that don?t have a ton of undergrowth in them. For you, because your truffle season is also right now it will also be important to try to find some with the WRONG kinds of trees so we can be sure the boys are practicing in truffle free environments. And you?ll just have to be sensitive to alerts elsewhere as they may be alerting on real truffles too.

Again your video is really good. He?s very calm and precise. really nice. Nice lie down at source and delivery of rewards.

On the second hide he does such a good job. It kind of gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Because he?s confident and just so relaxed about it, after digging walking around to the other side and alerting. Just love it.

This was very easy for him, which is great and I?m glad you?re using the fresh new pieces with him. Keep doing that of different truffles if you can. I would start building the space out a little farther too occasionally as well if you?re not right now. We are going to start doing more endurance soon, so this helps with that- as do more pieces out in the scenario if you have them.

The sequence at 1:55 is really too. Overall it is just really nice and exemplary

Also love him with that toy. What a cutie!

[Alana McGee]

No worries about the delay!

Just got back from a search in the rain. Vidoc got 5 truffle pieces from two different truffles, all about 2-3″ deep, in a new location. Hides were buried in dirt just on the edge of some trees. A path divided them to the forrest.

Vidoc showed the same confident and calm search pattern like in the last two videos. One truffle flew quite a bit, I didn’t see it, and I was very impressed how he tracked. Compared to Esprit Vidoc sticks with his alerts and tracks it till he finds them.

I am looking forward to December 1 and will continue working in these kind of environments.

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