Toby and I have started VST tracking, or variable surface urban tracking. Tracking that goes across many surfaces, in an urban setting, with no mercy as to how much foot traffic crosses our path. It's very hard, but he is learning fast! The AKC test is about 600 yards long and is aged between 3-5 hours. Only half a handful of dogs in the entire country pass it each year.
I've been awestruck by how much science goes into understanding those silly scent molecules and how they disperse and stick to things. Yesterday we tracked on asphalt against a curb which ran along a grassy island...it was really quite impressive to see him adjust for the gusts of wind and end up on the grass which was where the scent was blowing to and sticking. Two days ago I laid a track in downtown Anaconda and watched as a fleet of post office trucks repeatedly crossed it. I thought we were done for, the trail would be lost, but he carried on just fine. This is definitely a challenging activity for smart, bold dogs with a great nose and a lot of tenacity.
