My first NW3 trial was on March 30th. Because I’m only two, Mom said she was extra proud of me for being at this level already! Emma was nine when she tried her first one, and Bailie was four. Neither of us knew what to expect from our team since we don’t have years of experience, but we promised to do our best and have fun. In the end, we did not title, but we had a great time and did pretty well.
I spent a lot of the day sitting in the car, waiting, sometimes wondering where Mom went to. It was pretty cold because of a nasty wind, but sometimes she would still leave the car to hang out in the parking lot, talking to friends.
My first search was a bust. I was all excited, the floor at the school was shiny and slippery, ceiling lights were bright, and I knew a lot of the people working around the search area. My mind wasn’t really in the game, and I told my mom about the wrong container, so we got a big old “no” right off the bat. She was a bit sad about that, but we decided to just keep going and have fun trying to do better on our next searches. There were two containers with hides, so we actually missed two by getting that dreaded, “no”. Once you get a “no”, you are done with that search.
Next up we did our exterior search. It took place in a courtyard in the middle of the school. The area was full of leaves, dirt, all kinds of great smelling stuff. Mom was a bit worried I would not work on nose work, and we would be in a pickle. Right off the start line, I insisted on going left to a pile of shovels. I sniffed them a lot, but didn’t give any alert, so we moved on.
There was a grill I enjoyed sniffing for a time, but Mom said time is ticking, we needed to move on. The search was three minutes, and as always at the NW3 Trial level, there could be one to three hides. I wandered about, but then came around a corner, and noticed something in the air.
After turning the corner, I walked past the hide, but then snapped my head back. This was a sign to Mom that I had found something important.
Yes, there was a hide in that little watering can and I found it correctly, pets and food for me!
Because Mom knows I don’t always tell her about hides I find, she remembers possibilities. As we wound down to the final thirty seconds, she buzzed me back to those shovels, where this time I did my job correctly, and told her that there was indeed a hide
She was pretty happy about that whole thing as you can tell. I got the stuffing squeezed out of me! At the end of the day, we found out there were two hides and we found them both.
If you would like to see the entire exterior search, you can have a look at the video.
Our third element of the day was interiors, three rooms total. I found all the hides and was super proud of myself. Unfortunately, Mom found a hide that didn’t exist, and she had to call alert on it too. Our second “no” of the day, but that was all on her, not me.
Vehicles were the last element of the day. We had three to search in two and a half minutes. Off the start, I went right up to the front of the first vehicle. I sniffed around the license plate for a while, and Mom was not sure if it was something important or recreational sniffing.
Once I decided I had sniffed enough of the odor, I decided to tell her. It was the only hide out there, but we still had to check the other two vehicles before calling “finish”.
Mom and I love this shot of us, tandem smiling. You can see how much fun we were having together, working as a team. For my first try, and being only two years old, team pink is super happy! I found eight of the ten hides which is great! We place twenty three out of thirty five dogs, and there were only three titles that day. Both of us are excited to try it again the end of the month!
I’m thankful for the sport of nose work because I was born to sniff so, we’re joining Brian’s Home Blog in the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop! Visit some other blogs to see what they are thankful for.
I’m so glad you had fun and I know those title things will come when you’re good and ready. I loved the Duo O Smiles too. Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
I’m still super young, so I have plenty of time. Getting experience is key right now.
Oh my goodness, you did so good for your first try and being only 2! I love that photo of you two together too!
Mom and I are really proud of our work that day. Experience is key to both of us learning, and having fun is super important too.
Pawsome, even if you did not title! Girls just wanna have fun! Gotta go…I am off to my groomer. xOXO, Sparkle
Happy spa day. I’m covered in snowballs from over 9 inches of heavy wet snow. I hear we are going to the spa next week…ugh!
that was super that you found 8 of the 10 hides… and that at a place with so many different smells. it’s amazing how a school house looks without a gazillion of kids …. it couldn’t be much more different LOL
It doesn’t even seem like a school really, but Mom is happy when it is empty as the kids would be irritating.
I know you and your mom had a great time and that’s what it’s all about.
Have a woof woof day and weekend. MY best to your mom. ♥
It is what it is all about. Titles and pretty ribbons are great too, but we didn’t expect that anyway on our first time out together at this level.
Well what an awesome day with your mom! Great work! You will keep learning!! Love that last picture too! your friend Lilly
Mom says it might have been her most fun nose work trial ever. We both had so much fun and were super happy. Lots of other people also commented on what a happy pup I am, which is true.
You did a fantastic job and you had fun!
It was a super fun day. Mom and I were really happy.
You are so smart and beautiful too – glad you had fun!
My mom says I got cuteness and brains.
Go Team Pink!! We always enjoy seeing you(and Bailie) working!
xoxo,
Arty, Rosy & Jakey
Thank you. We love to do our searching.
We’d say 8 out of 10 is a very good day for a young girl like you, Madison! We’re sure you and Mom both learn a little bit more every time you try, and it’s best of all that you had fun!
One of our biggest problems is that I forget to tell Mom when I find something, so she sometimes has to guess if I’m just sniffin’ for fun or really onto something.
You did great if you ask me, and now i am curious, exactly what do they hide that you are looking for?
There is scent on a Q-Tip that is placed in a small plastic tube, or metal container and these are then hid somewhere in the search area. At this level, there can be one to three hides per search, and in interior searches one are can have nothing. Humans don’t have the nose to find it, but we know almost right away where the odor is coming from. Mom says every search fascinates her and she has been doing this for over five years. She is always amazed at what dog noses can do.
tEAM PINK YOUO STILL DID pAWSITIVELY AWESOME – REMEMBER IT IS ALL ABOUT FUN!!!
We were on the edge of having too much fun, but it was a great day!
Good job! Sounds like you had fun too!
It was a fantastic day!
It sounds like it was great experience, and you two are melding into a level 3 team! Way to go – both of you! I love that last photo of you two also!
If I remember to tell Mom about the hides, things will be even better, but I still forget to do that sometimes which confuses the human in the team.
Fascinating post, and glad you two are still friends even though you ‘work’ together! Joining you from Thankful Thursday.
We will always be friends even on a bad day!