What to train AFTER a trial

You just got home from a sport detection trial and now are planning your training for the week. 

You DO plan your training, right? 

You're not just throwing hides out and running them, right? 

So what should you train after a trial?

Go through your trial notes and analyze your TEAM performance, dog AND handler. What went well and what needs improvement. 

You DO keep a trial journal, right? 

You take notes after every search, right?

Did you have a great weekend and qualified in every search? Congratulations! Plan some higher level challenges for this week.

Did you have some non-qualifying searches? Was it a dog error? Was it a handler error? Watch your video (you DO video your searches, right?), watch the debrief video, watch the walk-through video*, re-read your trial journal notes. Take some data and make a plan for setting up those challenges this week. Set easier versions if you think your dog needs to work through the steps of learning the challenge. Set some harder versions or figure out some proofing exercises if that's what's needed.

Train for your weaknesses. Train to fill the holes in your team's performance. In order to train for those weaknesses, you need to identify them!

For example, Dash struggled with some very high suspended hides in a recent trial. I've been setting up various versions of those hides several times per week, starting with some pretty low suspended hides. I'm gradually working up to placing VERY high suspended hides with converging odor, more challenging than we will likely encounter in a trial.

*If you are competing in AKC scentwork, make your own walk-through video.