Voodoo Magic is only five months old and running some very good complex trails already. This one was unmarked with a surface change and a fair amount of distance. She absolutely rocked it.
She is earmarked for dual purpose Police K9 or SAR so if you know anyone who might want an exceptional GSD for trailing and/ or narcotics, this one might be one of the best to come along in some time. We selected her at 7 weeks for work after flawless testing. She will be certified at our Level 2 trailing cert by ten months and should be ready for work on moderate real world trails. She will also be trained in the five basic narcotics odors if going to LE.
On a side note: Take a look at that video again and you will see a classic GSD proximity alert from about 100 yards out. As Voodoo runs the fence line, she suddenly speeds up, hops a little and puts her nose in the air. She looks straight ahead, then turns to the right and gazes towards the metal building the subject was hiding behind. She then goes to the trail and continues to follow but faster. You can tell the speed increase by the noise I am making trying to keep up. The precursor body language I just mentioned coupled with the new speed is an FBI clue that the handler is getting close. Time to start thinking and slow down or stop. I am convinced that she had a very good idea where the subject was but followed the trail just to make sure and get there.
That big oak near the depression prior to the building would be a great spot to take cover and regroup. The building in itsown right should get the shorts hairs up but when tracking, most cops will run in oblivious.The second proximity alert is
the one most handlers would pick up on. That is where she is at the first corner of the building and starts to sprint. Unfortunately, most handlers will follow that one, too. Imagine a gun waiting right around the corner? The dog would be nailed first and the handler second if the subject anticipated the dog coming. If it were night time and it was typical cops with flashlights blazing and jingling key rings on bat belts, the subject would have known the team was coming, guaranteed
Jeff@GAK9.com
