Sunday, January 2nd, Kelsy searched for Sammie on a trail about three hours old, about 1 mile long. The temp was 38 degrees, light winds, humidity 57%. We started at the Burien Library, north past the old library, then back to the new library. Apparently Kelsy didn't do so well, and I didn't catch her mistake. At 148th, Kelsy went straight instead of turning right. I thought that maybe Sammie's handler was unfamiliar with the street numbers, so I trusted Kelsy. When I asked later, it appears we were on the wrong track for at least a block. Although Kelsy wasn't, "in the groove" like she gets some times, she seemed pretty positive, and I didn't catch any sign that she had jumped off track.
One thing that might have made this training session difficult for her was that all of the sidewalks were salted for de-icing. This isn't an excuse for why Kelsy and I missed the trail, but just a note for future reference, so we can learn from these experiences. Scent is highly dependent on moisture, and the low humidity coupled with the salt on the sidewalks may have taken away all moisture in the critical zone.
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