Tracking and carting

We have spent a lovely weekend learning about two canine activities, and puppy Skyler has had a lovely time.

First was a trip to see Heather Donnelly who told us all about the UK Tracking Dog Association. Tracking is one part of Working Trials but some breeds and types of dogs are unable to do some of the other aspects of the sport, so the UK Tracking Dog Association are splitting off into their own organisation, running training, courses and competitions for just the tracking aspect.

Puppy Skyler had a go at her first tracking lesson and apparently is a natural!

Then we went on to see Pete Garrard and the Midland Bernese Carters. Bernese Mountain dogs are gorgeous creatures and it was lovely to spend time with them, seeing them do what comes so naturally to them and what they obviously enjoy - pulling carts. While carting used to have a very practical purpose, it was outlawed many years ago and the dogs these days just pull very light carts for demonstrations.