Udx

[Canine Coach]

I would be most grateful for any comments &/or advice regarding the possible cause(s) & possible solution to the following UDX problem(s)

I have 9 passes with Roxy, since beginning of April when we started trialling in UDX , but most are just below 185 due to deductions, mostly on Scent Work. (Note;I train without physical corrections, using lots of tug games & food, verbal & physical praise).

Problem #1 Scent Work wash cloths

Roxy sometimes picks up the right cloth drops it back in the pile or 1/2 way back to me & stops/freezes (NQ) OR picks it up again returning with it (substantial deduction)

Problem #2

Roxy's best most confident exercise was always Seek Back With decoy Until a 1 1/2 months ago she NEVER EVER got a deduction in this exercise. For the past few trials she goes back & forth between the 2 articles, sometimes several times, checking the 2 articles, picks the right one, but either will not return with it, or picks it up, drops it & picks it up again & either returns with it or stops part way

SOME POSSIBLE REASONS..............(just guessing)

A)When Roxy is playing Ball with me in the park, I have seen my Malinois puppy, grab Roxy's ear, to make Roxy squeal & drop the ball as Roxy is returning to me with the ball. I did not worry about it but now I am wondering..........

I am going to stop that from happening by holding on to the pup when Roxy is playing with the ball, from now on....just in case

B)We had an incident in which my car was broken into at a trial The cage they were in, damaged & which caused my dogs to be VERY stressed & my puppy to be bruised

C)At another trial a (non aggressive),dog, came in from the next ring & stood over Roxys article, . Nothing "bad" happened to Roxy ...but when she finally returned with the right articles she leaped up on me, putting her paws on my shoulders & shoving the article in my face

D)I have been using metal articles for seek back with decoy Metal has not seemed to be an issue for her However,....maybe her teeth have become more sensitive??

I am going to try to switch to leather seek back articles to see if that makes any difference

QUESTIONS

Do you know if the articles in Seek Back With decoy HAVE to be the same type of articles used in UD Scent Discrimination OR can one use the type of article generally used in UD for UD Seek Back?

I would be most grateful for any advice similar experiences, comments would you offer?

[The Spotted Devil]

CC - I can't help you with your specific issues but I will say that with softer retrieving dogs we never allow them to be in competition with another dog for a retrieve as it can really put them off.

[dragonwoman]

You can use anything as long as it is same proportions as a SD article or no bigger than. After years of leather SB articles I have resorted to a wood which seems to be preferred by the precious one. Some handlers use a piece of garden hose, which should divorce memories of past experiences with usual articles. In the early days of UDX handlers chose metal because it was not as likely to be grabbed without checking scent by an enthusiastic dog used to a leather SB in UD. Once decoy thing was understood by dog, some handlers went back to whatever, others stuck with metal

I had issues with dog committing to correct SD article so I resorted to rubbing with bit of soft microwaved liver, and rewarding with liver for retrieving to me. Weaned off rubbing but still rewarded with liver for a while, with livery smelling hands!! Amazing what you do when nothing seems to be happening......it worked....very positive now. Dogs need to have the courage of their convictions and trust their judgement but sometimes even the best of dogs have wheels fall off and sometimes we never work out why!!

[Ptolomy]

CC - the seekback problem is very common in UDX - the dogs become unsure - and keep checking the two articles - going from the correct to the incorrect to the correct one. Its like they lose their confidence. My boy will often stand over the correct article - almost waiting for a second signal to tell him he is right - of course the second signal is never forthcoming.

Its a constant work in progress trying to rebuild their confidence. Bedazzled and I have gone back to putting the articles close together so it is easier for the dog to work out the right and wrong ones and occasionally we go back to only putting one article down and the moment they pick it up and start heading back to us - we have a party - but I feel your pain - welcome to the world of UDX!

As a side note - we continued doing UD while doing UDX and the seekback problem flowed over to the scent articles as well

[Canine Coach]

CC - I can't help you with your specific issues but I will say that with softer retrieving dogs we never allow them to be in competition with another dog for a retrieve as it can really put them off.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience I am going to take your comment seriously! I have always been careful in formal training but when they are all out together, it has a been a free for all with the ball

I will be more careful/conscious, in future, even in playing retrieve with a ball

[Canine Coach]

CC - I can't help you with your specific issues but I will say that with softer retrieving dogs we never allow them to be in competition with another dog for a retrieve as it can really put them off.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience I am going to take your comment seriously! I have always been careful in formal training but when they are all out together, it has a been a free for all with the ball

I will be more careful/conscious, in future, even in playing retrieve with a ball

[Canine Coach]

Thanks very much for your advice & comments, Ptolomy & Dragon Woman

I really appreciate you offering it

!

FWIW, there are so very few people training &/or trialling in UDX in Victoria. Only a handful that have achieved the title over the past 5 years. Often just 2- 3 at most, entered in UDX class

Those people generously share & help but most of the time, are not available

It is not easy to work on your own most of the time

I am going to take your advice!