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All Rights Reserved
As Published in the Field Spaniel News
As we rounded the corner of a building, he stormed across a sidewalk and onto a grassy area stopping at a white cotton glove. His tail wagging, he looked back to me as if to say, "Come on! She went this a way!"
It was early Saturday morning. The weather was unseasonably cool for the area and the light drizzle that had fallen in the early morning hours enhanced the scenting conditions.
We had already traveled almost a thousand yards. Starting at the steps of a nursing home, we had wound our way across streets, down alleys, through the front and back yards of homes and in and out of commercial areas. Now, feeling his energy, I knew we were close. He'd never faltered. From the start, he had searched with the intensity of a seasoned veteran.
Yet, in the back of my mind, I knew. He was a novice at this game. All that I had done and the years of experience I had tried to use to guide him through his learning process, may not be enough. This was the big league. Less than twenty percent complete their training and only five percent of those make it to the end.
Another hundred or so yards passed in what seemed like the blink of an eye. He was driven. He was not going to allow this opportunity to pass him by. Turning down a dirt path between two houses, he became confused. I reached out for him and tried to help, but this was something only he could do. We worked farther down the path without success and then quickly retreated back the way we had come. As we reached an open gate to a yard, he turned and confidently entered.
Through the yard, across a small park with a children's playground; weaving through the jungle gym and across the sandbox, he entered a parking lot. Fringing the edge of the lot, he worked his way to the side of a commercial building. Down the sidewalk he flew, with me following behind, shouting words of encouragement and mumbling a silent prayer. As he passed around a corner, I lost sight of him. As I rounded the turn, I looked ahead and saw his tail happily wagging as he stood in a doorway, next to his "find".Suddenly mobbed by crowd, he was holding court. A cookie from this one, a pet here, a belly rub there. A quick drink of cool water from a supporter, and, "Look Dad, this one has liver!!!" He worked the crowd like a pro. I stood in the background and allowed him to receive the admiration he so richly deserved.
This was his third and final exercise. Three tries on three successive weekends resulting in three successful "finds". Now he would be on call with our local SAR response team as an Urban Search Dog. We'll wait for the phone call to say we are needed, and rush to the scene to utilize his special talents.
My sincere appreciation goes out to Becki Jo Wolkenheim for allowing me the opportunity to share my life with Am/Can CH Calico's Hot Pursuit Del Prado TD. Now Race and I will continue training and working on those titles to go on the end of his name. This is one brown dawg that can make a difference!
© 2003-1996 - Ed Presnall - All Rights Reserved