A Bit Puzzled (Scentwork)

[leih merigian]

Geyser (my 11 month old) has me a little stumped.

We do a lot of different scentwork things. There is our formal K9 Nosework, in which she excells. This training is going great.

All sorts of "find it" games...she rocks. There is nothing wrong with her nose .

So, I decided to start training the AKC scent articles. We are at baby levels here, and in fact, are just working on the hot/cold game. In that, I place scent on one dumbbell, then present two dumbbells to her, and reward her for indicating/sniffing the correct one. Her success vaires from the 70% range to the 90%+ range here. We won't move on to the next step until she's in the 90% range consistently.

When we're out hiking, I'll do a very similar kind of exercise. I'll pick up a little stick, deposit some scent on it, place it among a bunch of other sticks that are just lying around, and tell her to "find it." In this game, she scores !00%. Every time. And, in a similar vein, I'll do the same thing with little rocks. Same results.

It is clear to me that whatever is going on with the AKC scent articles has to do with how I am expalining this game to her, rather than her abilities .

Figuring it out so that I can correct whatever I am doing wrong is the challenge, of course.

[Christie M]

I wonder if it just the context? When out hiking, you guys are just having fun and there is nothing formal about it. With the articles, it is a training session. Do you think your demeanor changes when you are "training?" Maybe she is over thinking it because its training.

[Sugars Mom]

Do you say "find it" with the dumbbells as well or do you use a different command?

[Marjolein]

Maybe bring the dumbells out on a hike, throw them both away like the sticks, end try "find it" command?

[leih merigian]

I wonder if it just the context? When out hiking, you guys are just having fun and there is nothing formal about it. With the articles, it is a training session. Do you think your demeanor changes when you are "training?" Maybe she is over thinking it because its training.

I don't know, Christie. My training sessions are pretty much fun-based, too .

I really think she just doesn't understand, yet, what I'm asking her to do.

[leih merigian]

Do you say "find it" with the dumbbells as well or do you use a different command?

No cues yet. Just presenting the objects. I won't add a cue until she understands what she's doing here, and then, I will use "find it." That's the cue I use for the sticks and rocks, which she does understand .

[leih merigian]

Maybe bring the dumbells out on a hike, throw them both away like the sticks, end try "find it" command?

That's one idea to try, for sure.

Color me stubborn, but I'm interested in trying to train this according to this book I'm using . It's something like Clicker Training the Scent Articles. I'm using a verbal marker, which makes no difference at all, but I want to try their methods.

It may be the difference in materials (these dumbbells are metal, and I have a leather set as well, tho haven't tried them yet), as opposed to rocks and sticks. She has zero issues with metal, tho, so perhaps the scent doesn't stick as well to them or something like that.

[Marjolein]

You could even start of with sticks, than rocks, than dumbells? Maybe she get's the similarity?
I used clicker or target training on scentwork to, especially pointing out the found item, worked perfectly, and made it real easy for this dog (Ivil) to learn it in different terrain and settings

[leih merigian]

Good Idea!

[Iron Mike]

Would you mind to elaborate on the scent work. Are you talking about placing your odor on the articles or are we talking about a tangent odor from a dropper. Also are u switching which of the dumbbells that are used. I know that dogs will normally alert on the strongest of like odors but if your are switching dumbbells and using the same odor there could be a cross contamination or residual odor issue. That would explain that a Fresh stick on a hike being a cake walk and your dumbbells being an issue.

[Marjolein]

pretty good point Mike

[leih merigian]

Would you mind to elaborate on the scent work. Are you talking about placing your odor on the articles or are we talking about a tangent odor from a dropper. Also are u switching which of the dumbbells that are used. I know that dogs will normally alert on the strongest of like odors but if your are switching dumbbells and using the same odor there could be a cross contamination or residual odor issue. That would explain that a Fresh stick on a hike being a cake walk and your dumbbells being an issue.

Hi Mike,

I place my odor, plus the odor of something I've rubbed on my hands, on the article (at this point, metal dumbbells). Then I wash my hands and only handle the article from the ends. In between sessions, both articles sit out and air out, and I will switch articles at the next session, often. So, there may be some residual odor on the articles, but there is also very clearly very fresh odor on one of them.

With the sticks out walking, I sometimes pick up a fresh one, but sometimes use one that's in my pocket. With those, I've gradually reduced the amount of scent I deposit on the target stick. Still, the ones that are lying on the ground are pristine, in terms of my scent, versus a newly picked up stick or one from my pocket.

I'll get out two fresh dumbbells and see what happens...