Forceps are handy to pull out cholla clumps. A fork or a hair pick can also be used for this purpose. Expect some resistance when you pull these hooked barbs out of the dog. Leather gloves are very useful for dealing with cactus spines caught in clothing, lines, and you and your dog. Leather gloves also protect you from sharp rocks and heavy brush.
Short gaiters are helpful in keeping scree and brush out of boots.
The behavior of scent in the desert can be predicted from studies done by researchers in other environments. Pearsall and Verbraggen, in their book Scent, Training to Track, Search and Rescue, suggest that temperature increases will dissipate scent faster. They noted that skin grafts containing scent will drop six feet in six to ten seconds. Field experience supports these experimental conclusions. Trails are often better as the temperature drops.