Post by oksaradt on Mar 8, 2008 18:56:54 GMT -5
Once again I've tested my welcome such that they told me what to do with the photos myself. So, here's my attempt at using Photoshack.
Photos and original article taken on 2/21/08.
I start the buried series with 2 teeth at one inch depth per spot. Murphy has to get ten in a row before we go deeper. Two days ago I set up five locations using the tools in this photo:
Included are gloves, 100 foot tape measure, yard stick, plumber probe with one inch marked on it with duct tape, clean pulp-free teeth, and flags. After today's work, I used a plastic hand spade to retrieve the teeth.
I first started Murphy on these yesterday and they seemed difficult for him. I ran Dax over them and she got all five, but still had to work at it. So, I took a soil and air temperature. I worked this first thing in the morning the first time to avoid this, but we had odd weather yesterday. The air temperature was 46'F and the soil temperature was 40.2.F This means the air is pushing scent down into the soil. That Dax still got all of them is credit to her experience. That Murphy didn't was now easily understood. I had some bones hidden for him (just in case) so we worked those instead.
The above photo shows Murphy at a cage full of bones. He worked them up from the gully in front of the tree and then located the bones. This is his first elevated even though it's below head high.
Today the air temperature was 32'F and the soil temperature was a nice 42F, so now scent could be pushed up with the greater pressure being in the soil. Murphy now had a much easier time even starting with the first one that turned out to end up in a gopher run. My probe opened up the tunnel, so I simply dropped the teeth down into it. When Dax worked it yesterday the hole was still open. Today the gopher had done some back fill, yet Murphy was able to locate the teeth 2 inches north of the backfill where the teeth turned out to be. Murphy was hitting where I anticipated on all but one spot. He appeared to be about six inches off, so I asked for closer. He wouldn't budge and started digging in that spot. I decided to let him dig as there "wasn't anything there anyway...." Turns out Murphy was right and I was wrong. I rewarded him when he exposed some white enamel and barked again. You hafta love a dog that's stupid handler proof.
Locations were decided via 100-foot tape placing a 2 teeth at 10, 30, 50,70, and 90 feet. Eventually Murphy should be able to pick up as tight as 2 foot apart overlaps, but right now I just want him to find the sources by themselves. On either side of each placement was a flag six paces perpendicular to the tape giving me an approximate crosshair placement. For up to six inches I'll use the plumber's probe for teeth placement. After that I prefer post-hole diggers with the cut sod to the side so I can place it back over the "grave" to minimize visual cues. Setting up the problems to work almost always takes me longer than it does either dog to work, but it's worth it to maintain accuracy and to get my sources back.
Using the probe, you might imagine how difficult it's going to be for me to find the teeth again without the dogs' help.
Weather today:
Barometric Pressure: 29.95 in; Wind: N 13-17 mph; RH:92%; Overcast. Air Temperature (at station): 28’F On house Thermometer: 31.8F; Soil Temperature: 40.2’F
Allowing him to dig up that source had repercussions of course. We played tug as his reward and moved towards the gully where I’d hidden bones yesterday. Dax had not yet worked them yet, so I left them out. Murphy ran off into the gully. I walked down looking for him and he comes up behind me and drops a suet cage of bones. So, we’ll be doing more indication stations to reinforce that. Each time Murphy got food trade for his ball he’d go run to find another source. Fortunately after this one cage, the rest were fixed in place, so we did get to do some bark and touch instead of bring source repetitions.
Dax got the fun job of pinpointing for me to get my teeth back, sitting next to me squeaking her toy while I dug and sifted. One inch down should not be that big a deal, but you’d be surprised.
Murphy and Dax keeping tabs on me while I set scent problems up. Dax is 27 inches at her withers, so this gives a comparison.
Jim
Photos and original article taken on 2/21/08.
I start the buried series with 2 teeth at one inch depth per spot. Murphy has to get ten in a row before we go deeper. Two days ago I set up five locations using the tools in this photo:
Included are gloves, 100 foot tape measure, yard stick, plumber probe with one inch marked on it with duct tape, clean pulp-free teeth, and flags. After today's work, I used a plastic hand spade to retrieve the teeth.
I first started Murphy on these yesterday and they seemed difficult for him. I ran Dax over them and she got all five, but still had to work at it. So, I took a soil and air temperature. I worked this first thing in the morning the first time to avoid this, but we had odd weather yesterday. The air temperature was 46'F and the soil temperature was 40.2.F This means the air is pushing scent down into the soil. That Dax still got all of them is credit to her experience. That Murphy didn't was now easily understood. I had some bones hidden for him (just in case) so we worked those instead.
The above photo shows Murphy at a cage full of bones. He worked them up from the gully in front of the tree and then located the bones. This is his first elevated even though it's below head high.
Today the air temperature was 32'F and the soil temperature was a nice 42F, so now scent could be pushed up with the greater pressure being in the soil. Murphy now had a much easier time even starting with the first one that turned out to end up in a gopher run. My probe opened up the tunnel, so I simply dropped the teeth down into it. When Dax worked it yesterday the hole was still open. Today the gopher had done some back fill, yet Murphy was able to locate the teeth 2 inches north of the backfill where the teeth turned out to be. Murphy was hitting where I anticipated on all but one spot. He appeared to be about six inches off, so I asked for closer. He wouldn't budge and started digging in that spot. I decided to let him dig as there "wasn't anything there anyway...." Turns out Murphy was right and I was wrong. I rewarded him when he exposed some white enamel and barked again. You hafta love a dog that's stupid handler proof.
Locations were decided via 100-foot tape placing a 2 teeth at 10, 30, 50,70, and 90 feet. Eventually Murphy should be able to pick up as tight as 2 foot apart overlaps, but right now I just want him to find the sources by themselves. On either side of each placement was a flag six paces perpendicular to the tape giving me an approximate crosshair placement. For up to six inches I'll use the plumber's probe for teeth placement. After that I prefer post-hole diggers with the cut sod to the side so I can place it back over the "grave" to minimize visual cues. Setting up the problems to work almost always takes me longer than it does either dog to work, but it's worth it to maintain accuracy and to get my sources back.
Using the probe, you might imagine how difficult it's going to be for me to find the teeth again without the dogs' help.
Weather today:
Barometric Pressure: 29.95 in; Wind: N 13-17 mph; RH:92%; Overcast. Air Temperature (at station): 28’F On house Thermometer: 31.8F; Soil Temperature: 40.2’F
Allowing him to dig up that source had repercussions of course. We played tug as his reward and moved towards the gully where I’d hidden bones yesterday. Dax had not yet worked them yet, so I left them out. Murphy ran off into the gully. I walked down looking for him and he comes up behind me and drops a suet cage of bones. So, we’ll be doing more indication stations to reinforce that. Each time Murphy got food trade for his ball he’d go run to find another source. Fortunately after this one cage, the rest were fixed in place, so we did get to do some bark and touch instead of bring source repetitions.
Dax got the fun job of pinpointing for me to get my teeth back, sitting next to me squeaking her toy while I dug and sifted. One inch down should not be that big a deal, but you’d be surprised.
Murphy and Dax keeping tabs on me while I set scent problems up. Dax is 27 inches at her withers, so this gives a comparison.
Jim