I’m excited to tell everyone that I earned my NW2 Title on the first try on November 3rd! Mom wasn’t sure if it would go well as it was only a few days after we lost my sister Emma, but she was with us. We felt her during our searches helping us achieve our goal! We have a lot of sports news to catch up to, but we will get to it all eventually.
This title means more than so many of our other titles. Emma, Bailie, and I all earned this title in the same weekend of the year. Emma and I both earned our NW1 titles within three days of each other, and then just a few months later our NW2 Titles. Bailie, well, she needed six tries, but she got her NW2 Title last year. Can you believe I did it, and am only two! Emma was nine, and Bailie four years old. It’s pretty cool being the first three GBGV’s to earn NW2 Titles with the NACSW, our favorite nose work organization.
The trial was held at the Dakota County Heritage Village which has all sorts of cool old buildings. I was dog number six for the day and started my day searching interiors. My first search was in the town hall, one hide, two minutes to find it.
From the Town Hall, I went to the old Post Office to search for three hides in three minutes. Mom always has wanted to search the Post Office, so it was extra special for us. The photo is the back part of the Post Office. I had to search the front entry way as well.
My exterior search was an area with lots of picnic tables in the grass with plenty of smelly leaves. This search had one hide and a three minute time limit. I had some trouble staying focused on nose work, but found the hide with just eleven seconds to spare. Below are a few photos from my exterior search. Thank you to Caprise Adams for our search photos, you are always amazing.
I checked the tables, but just couldn’t find the hide.
Eventually, we found our way to the trash can, the only odd thing in the search area.
Guess what? Yep, the hide was there, whew!
Next up was containers in the old Ice Cream Parlor. It’s a neat old place, but there are a lot of strange air currents that can really confuse a girl. The search was two and a half minutes, looking for two hides. In this level there are also one or two distractors (food and/or toys) in some of the containers.
Containers can be rather boring, but I’m pretty good about sniffing each one as I pass by.
The plastic ones were a bit more interesting to me.
Eventually, I told my mom where one of the hides was. Can you tell I was anticipating my reward?
I found the second one, and we were done. Remember I said containers are boring…well, I think they make a dog crazy! Just look at my wild eyes as we left the building!
Our last search of the day for the title was vehicles. There were three vehicles, one hide, and three minutes to find the hide. My mom is scared of vehicle searches, but I was able to get the problem solved and earn the title.
I did some sniffing around on that car in the very back to get warmed up.
From there, I took Mom to the burgundy car, and like magic, I found the hide on the license plate. That was the eighth hide of the day, and my NW2 Title!
If you would like to see some or all of my searches on video, I put them all together in one trial video. You can fast forward through if you want, too. Mom and I decided it was easier to make one video than post five single ones.
And that, my friends is the happy ending to my NW2 Trial, with lots of tears and snuggles. Thank you to Emma for being an angel on our shoulders. I dedicate this title to you, my sister.
Don’t forget to enter to win the $50 gift certificate from Cades & Birch. We featured our pet memory box for Katie, but you can use it for any of their products on Etsy.
Coming on Black Friday
Hooray! That is really so wonderful and big congrats from all of us sweet Madison!
Thank you. Mom is really happy about it, especially since it took Bailie six tries, but she doesn’t have the same work ethic that I do.
Huge congrats!!! What great photos!
Thank you. The photographer is awesome.
Well done Madison! My mom said to tell you that you are one cute puppy! It’s clear that you love doing the nosework with your mom. Also, do the judges tell your mom when you have to be on the leash and when you can be off leash or does your mom decide? What a cool day and Congratulations little Madison! As my brother liked to say on your comments: Awesome post! your friend Lilly
Thank you, Lilly. For NACSW nose work, searches are almost always on leash except for interiors where the certifying official decides on or off leash as an option. Mom thinks I do well off leash, but now after conferring with my instructor about my passing a hide and going back later, we may do on leash for a while. Your brother and my sister were with us on that day. It was so important for my mom to have me earn that title.
congrats!!!! and what a fabulous location… have you seen our wishlists as you were in that post office? we hope satan will get them in time…
I couldn’t get the mailbox open! It seemed to be out of business anyway, no customers to be seen.
It’s a good thing I knew she had found the hide in the exterior search before I watched the video – that was close! Way to go, Mads! Your furs are so pretty. You are not much bigger than me. I weigh around 30 pounds. XOXO, Sparkle
Mom was pretty concerned in that exterior search, but she kept her cool as best as she could and trusted me. I’m too short for the grand standard, so I only weigh about 33 lbs. I’m super skinny too since I’m not a big fan of eating.
We loved watching you search, Madison! Congratulations!
Thank you. It is a lot of fun, and it makes humans so happy when you find what they are looking for.
That’s awesome, congrats. And what a fun place to do that. I love old buildings, full of old stuff.
It’s a super cool place. Emma went there a couple times to do photo shoots outside the buildings.
Oh well done finding all those hides and getting your award, you are a very clever girlie
Loves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
Thank you. I did some good work, and most importantly, was rewarded with a new title.
Awesome working!!!!
Thank you. I am a hard working dog, but when I’m not working I love to play and have fun.
Congratulations Madison!! I would have spent my time looking at all of those amazing antiques!!
It was fun to sniff and Mom always wanted to sniff in the post office so it was perfect.
How wonderful for you. Congratulations to you and your peep. Job well done, Madison.
Have a woof woof day and week. My best to your peeps. ♥
Thank you. I’m very proud of myself.
Congratulations Madison!!!
Thank you.
Congratulations – good job! The pictures are really nice.
Thank you. We have great trial photographers.
WOW! SUPER! Hurrah! Congrats! WAY TO GO MADISON!!! Love the videos!! Emma was indeed with you!
My mom says Emma comes out in me a lot, not in Bailie, just me. Her half brother is my dad, and I got a lot of those genes according to my mom.
Oh MADISON!!! Well done sweet girl! The photo of your Mom kissing you made me cry!! xoxo
She always kisses and hugs us when we pass searches, but this trial was so huge for her, she was crying like a puppy. I don’t mind, because I did things to make her happy, and Emma was with us.
What a big achievement Madison, Congrats!!
xoxo,
Rosy, Jakey & Arty
I’m a smaller hound doing big things according to my mom. She wanted a sports dog, and I seem to be the perfect fit.
Wow, Madison!!!! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you. I’m pleased with myself.
Congratulations Madison!! And to your Mom, too! You’re a really good team! I know Emma was there with you, just as our angel girl, Callie, is always with us. ??
Mom said she got the courage to really trust me and to read me better from Emma’s spirit.
Well done Madison! ❤
Thank you.
Congratulations, Madison!! We know how much your Mom needed this, so good job! There was no way you were going to miss this with your angel Emma on your shoulder. ♥
Thank you. It was not easy in every search, but we were a team and out coach was on out shoulders.
Congratulations ??
Thank you.