NW1 Observations

 

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at an NW1 trial. Volunteering at trials is such a fun, informative experience. I try to volunteer at as many trials as I can.

I was assigned the job of timer for containers and interiors. I really like being a timer because I get to watch every run. 

Here are a few of my observations from this trial:

Instead of trying to find a hide, work on covering your search area and remembering what your dog has searched. In training, develop a systematic search plan. Watch your walk-through videos and make a plan. If you do AKC trials, take your phone and video your in-person walk-through.

Give the dog time to acclimate to the search area if they need it. More pressure to start work will not help. Just take the time and have patience. You have plenty of time!

Go back to your threshold! I saw many dogs walk by the chair with the hide soon after entering the room, but they were still acclimating to the room so they weren't in "search mode." Take your dog back over places they've already been past. They may have missed the hide due to being distracted. The same goes for the container search - have patience, give the dog room to work, take as much pressure OFF the dog as possible. Keep it happy for the beginners.

Pet-Friendly Places to Train

 Want to get out of the house and train your dog someplace new and different? Here's a list of some of the retail stores in and around Colorado Springs that are dog friendly (always ask to make sure the retailer's policies haven't changed).

Add your favorite place in the comments!

Jo-Ann's Crafts

 Tractor Supply

 Big R

 Lowe's

 Home Depot

 Bass Pro Shop

 Scheels

 Ace Hardware

Carpet Warehouse (on Academy)

Nordstom

Harbor Freight

Ross

Michael's

Check out BringFido's suggestions:

https://www.bringfido.com/attraction/shops/city/colorado_springs_co_us/

Enjoy your dog!

Is Your Training Helping or Hurting Your Scentwork Goals?

When you train outside of class, do you just throw out some hides and go get your dog? Here are some suggestions to plan your training to help you reach your goals.

1) Have an objective for each search. Can't think of an objective? Check out the NACSW debrief videos at https://walkthrough.nacsw.net/. Each search is debriefed by the CO (Certifying Official) who set those hides. The CO will almost always outline the planned challenges for that  search. Set up some challenges! Some challenged mentioned recently in debrief videos including working through converging odor, identifying a large blank space, and working an elevated hide in an alcove. Did your dog struggle with a particular issue at the last trial? Set some hides to work on that issue.  

2) Age your hides in training. In trialing, you probably will never run a search with hides aged less than 30 minutes. I try to age my training hides several hours. For class, I try to age them at least 30 minutes. the longer the hide sits out, the more complex the odor plume becomes. If your dog is accustomed to working hides that are 5 minutes old, they may struggle with a hide that is 6 hours old.

3) Don't always set challenging/difficult hides. First, it's demotivating to your dog. I try to set one or two challenges every week, the rest of my training hides are building foundation skills, building confidence, and brushing up on common scenarios.

4) Video your training! Watch the video at least three times - once focusing on the dog, once focusing on the handler, and once focusing on the overall teamwork.

5) Document your training. Use an online journal, keep a notebook, or use Fred Helfers' Nosework Performance Journal (available at Dogwise). When you run into challenges, looking back over your training journal could really help identify weaknesses.

6) Document your trials. After each search, I take a few minutes and write down what seemed to go well, and what didn't go so well. I write down challenges to train. Buy videos if they are offered. 

Enjoy your dog!

Rules for Better Detection

 Cover your search area

Missing a hide? Check your threshold. Twice.

Don't think. Observe your dog's behavior.

It's not your job to convince the dog there's odor. It's the dog's job to convince you that there's odor.

The dog should never feel wrong for finding odor.

Training should be harder than trialing.

There's no failure, there's only good feedback. If you bomb a search, you've found a hole in your training.

Stay out of the dog's way.
Give the dog space to work the odor.
Step away from the dog.

Unknown number of hides? Check your threshold before calling finish.

Trust your dog, trust your training.

It's better to walk away from a challenging hide than to "help" the dog.

When the dog stops trusting you, you can trust your dog. - Cameron Ford

Top 10 Things Your Nosework Instructor Says

 

10. Pay your dog!

9. Give your dog room to work.

8. You're too close to your dog.

7. Step away from your dog when he starts to detail.

6. Let your dog work out that scent picture - you can't help, so step back.

5. Get out of your dog's way, you are too close.

4. You can observe your dog's behavior much better if you are a little farther away from her.

3. Let your dog lead into a search area. Don't be right on her tail.

2. She just needs space and time to sort out that scent picture - stand back and watch her work. 

1. Good job!

Enjoy your dog!