Udx

[Ptolomy]

It sure is a dumb exercise!!!! Well done for getting nearly all the way to the end ...must have been a heartbreaker

Yes and No - I was so happy/thrilled with his previous 2 exercises that in training we would have already run for his jackpot. The first leather # 1 he took a direct line to it and you would have sworn he actually knew what he was doing. The second one - he took a line between article 1 and 2 and he always heads left - so headed back to article 1 and then eventually found his way to #2. So more work needed - but again, we can always see them in WA.

I used my black leathers this time.

[bedazzledx2]

192 quallie in UDX tonight I think he's finally understanding this class :D The leathers were visible but he didn't lock on to the first one (my crappy turn), but he surprised me by going out the distance and looking for it...fantastic :D The second one was much better

[Ptolomy]

Woo Hoo well done Bedazzled and Brookie - I got up in the middle of the night because I heard my phone neeping to tell me I had a message - thanks for letting me know. I will raise a glass to the result tonight

[bedazzledx2]

OK...I'll join you in absentia :D ...any excuse..

[Canine Coach]

I need advice on Cloths or some valium

I started training my youngest dog in UDX Scent Discrimination a few weeks ago, just after she got her UD/O.CH.

I began by using decoy articles she was unable to pick up except for the judges scented cloth,

When she did that confidently for several days/sessions I switched to a couple of Steward scented cloths & 1 scented judges cloth

I islowly, ncreased the # of decoy cloths, till I was using a full set

I thought she had the understanding of the exercise as she had a 90% success rate over a 3 week period

Then we began to have some unfortunate sessions

1-On 2 occasions, Steward very heavily scented decoy cloths, (NOT with my instructions) & she became confused but next session different Steward, lightly scented decoys, she was fine

2- We had two very windy days in a row, where the correct cloth blew on top of the decoy & she brought back the wrong cloth or/or became very confused

Next couple of sessions she was confused

Then we had a few good sessions

Then a smoker acted as judge & she could not get the right cloth, acted hectic, picking up every wrong cloth & dropping them, going to correct one picking it up, dropping it 1/2 way back to me & going back for wrong cloth

NOW, 2 months after we began, she seems to not have a clue. She is failing the exercise. She will often go to indicate the correct cloth, drop it sniff the others pick up others drop them & bring back the wrong cloth

She NOW seems like she has no idea what to look for

The past 2 days, I tried using UNSCENTED decoy cloths & she got the correct scented one 1st time 5 out of 6 times

SO, yesterday, I tried having a Steward LIGHTLY scent decoy cloths & she went to the right cloth, indicated, picked it up dropped it mouthed all the others & brought back the wrong one

HELP PLEASE DOES ANYONE HAVE ADVICE EXPERIENCES TO SHARE?

This is my first UDX dog so it is like the blind leading the blind

The dog is enthusiastic by nature with high retrieve & food & play drives but can get over the top with excitment

Tries very hard to get things right, just seems confused now

She is definitely not near Trial ready However, she is very enthusiastic &

Is progressing VERY steadily & well with all the other UDX exercises

I am not quite sure what happened. However, I would perhaps venture a guess that when different "stewards" heavily scented the stewards cloths on 2 - 3 occasions, she became confused & lost confidence

That is just an educated guess

[Ptolomy]

Have you tried scent matching and taking the cloths out of the equation altogether? So get people to scent 2 pegs, 2 soaps, 2 boxes, 2 tic tac containers?

alternatively go back to the clothes and put one out in amongst something totally different - so 5 cans with a scented by somebody else wash cloth in amongst them?

[Canine Coach]

Today a couple that own 2 dogs I bred, (competition horse people not dog people,) came over for lunch.

They were friendly to the dogs patting them etc, After lunch, I asked them for a small favor & brought out the cloths I had just laundered

I asked 1 person to LIGHTLY scent the Stewards articles & put them down & the other person to heavily scent THREE judges cloths

I put them out in a BIG horse shoe shape so there was plenty of space between articles & no wind at all

For the 1st time I FORCED myself to hold the scented cloth, in a LONG tongs & NOT push the article in Roxy's face

It was SO difficult to control my urge to shove her nose into the towel, to insure she hAD the SCENT, but I restrained myself

She barely smelled the scented cloths

I did the cloths exercise 3 times always using a NEW scented judges cloth NOT the one she had brought back (cause it had her saliva on it)

She EASILY & CONFIDENTLY, had a 100% success rate

Then just to experiment ............

1-I placed an UNSCENTED cloth among the Stewards cloths & did not lay a Judges cloth down

2- I gave her the scent of the JUDGES scented cloth which was NOT down

Interestingly, she went to the UNSCENTED cloth 3 times showing lots of interest but did she NOT pick it up

3- I then THREW a judges scented cloth down when she was looking the other way Roxy immediately, caught the scent the Judges cloth sniffed & brought it back

She was looking for DIFFERENCE

That is why she was attracted to the only unscented cloth but did not commit

SIGH

I am a determined person & have been blessed with a wonderfully intelligent, enthusiastic dog, but to be honest I think Australian UDX Class leaves alot to be desired in terms of design

QUESTION

How do YOU think it is best to react when a dog brings back the wrong article

My STRONG belief is that dogs ONLY do on purpose that which is rewarding so the wrong article is always confusion of some sort

However, one MUST let the dog know that it is not what one is asking for

[Ptolomy]

A UDX pass today so only 1 more needed

[ness]

Nice work Mr OC (and Ptolomy). Fingers crossed it will soon be Mr Grand OC for one of my favorite red kids .

[dragonwoman]

A Gr OC attained in Victoria yesterday, Ian Woollard's GSD Jake scored 194 to give him his title at GSD Restricted OT

[xena98]

congratulations Ptolomy and the little champ and also Ian on his Grand Champion.

I can only dream about getting it

We just had a three trial this weekend the only good news was that we done three seekbacks yipee :thumbsup: and in one of the trials we even done the towels lol but we have now decided what the heck is a sit command for the heelwork in motion. The one where we did the towels we couldnt find the cones arghhhh so more grey hair

[Ptolomy]

congratulations Ptolomy and the little champ and also Ian on his Grand Champion.

I can only dream about getting it

We just had a three trial this weekend the only good news was that we done three seekbacks yipee :thumbsup: and in one of the trials we even done the towels lol but we have now decided what the heck is a sit command for the heelwork in motion. The one where we did the towels we couldnt find the cones arghhhh so more grey hair

Ian is a legend in that he has so many OC quallies with his GSD girl a few years back. I also saw his boy working last year at the Victorian State titles. Pass on our congrats to him.

Xena98 - it was a case of rooster one day and feather duster the next. On Sunday, the occasionally clever one didn't quite make it to the cones and then when I called him he just sat there .........SIGH He did have a BIG day the day before winning both UDX and UD and he also did 2 rounds of rally.

So we still need one more pass.....who knows how long that will take.......

[xena98]

Hey at least you only have 1 to go so the end is near. I have another 4 to go. She let me get my hopes up the other week by passing but than she decided to add a few subs so ended up in the 170's and now she decided that she cant sit arghhhhhhh

[Ptolomy]

Like you - its been a long time between drinks for us too

At least you have age on your side - my boy is getting close to retirement age but shhhhhhh don't tell him that

[xena98]

that is true but probably need it at this rate.

he still has plenty of time left lol

[xena98]

Bloody UDX Scent work is all sorted out well for the moment now we cant do heelwork in motion at all. Doesnt matter that we have been doing that brilliantly for the last 2 years with scores around 37 up now its like never done it before. Doh. We had three trials a couple of weeks ago. First one couldnt do a sit second trial oh we did remember but that couldnt find the cones (they obviously didnt stand out very much at all ) third trial nope couldnt do the sit again. We had two trials this week and yep couldnt do the Hip again but this time we couldnt do the stand at all. It;s not like they even sound the same as sit=exit stand=stand

This is sooooo frustrating but we did pass in ud with 192 first and 193 open in second place.

[Tassie]

for the UD and Open ..... about UDX. I know how frustrating UD can be, and seems like UDX is even worse. Think I'll just take my time and stay in Open forever. :laugh:

[Canine Coach]

UDX is a real challenge for us. Roxy & I have participated in 4 UDX trials so far....She is very eager & animated & fast but we missed passing due to 1 exercise, .... a different 1 each time

I thought Agility needed intense concentration LOL! UDX, needs MORE very intense focus, of BOTH handler & dog for a much longer period of time Agility, by it's nature, is intrinsically re-in forcing to the dog In UDX the dog has to go for what seems like a very a long time without any primary, (food or toys),reinforcement.

I am a very determined person & ROXY is a very determined dog so eventually........sooner or more likely LOL, later, (some day), we will get there

[xena98]

the worst thing I find that you go through all the hard work get to the last exercise and you did the muti and you think yep got it and the dog goes into the complete opposite direction for the last one. but when you fail yep dog can do it. No wonder why my hair is going grey

[Ptolomy]

I feel everybody's pain - having had to break each of the exercises down and build them back up again multiple times. Our bogey exercise is distance control - which has been consistent since we started.

I only need one more but the question is when/if it will happen