Scout Followed the Paw Prints in the Snow. They Were His Own.

Behind the black and white Border Collie puppy, a neat trail of round paw prints stretches across the snow, each one pressed deep and clear. He walks forward with his head low and his eyes fixed on the ground ahead, the picture of concentration. A white blaze runs down his nose, and a bare shrub and a sagging porch edge frame the quiet scene at the corner of the yard.

Border Collies are famous for intense focus, a trait that helped them herd sheep. That same look often appears in puppies when they follow a scent or a trail. These dogs are brilliant and need things to do, so a snowy tracking game can be great fun. Hide a treat under the snow, let him sniff it out, and praise him when he finds it. Scent games are a gentle way to tire out a sharp mind.

Fresh snow also keeps a pup's attention on the ground, where each smell is new and exciting. If he's off leash, keep him inside a fenced area, because it's easy for a collie puppy to follow his nose farther than you expect. Always dry his paws after the walk and check between the toes for ice balls.

Let's call him Scout. He's tracking something very important, though right now the only mystery is whose paw prints are making all that noise.