Two Best Dogs! Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Situation: Clumsy 8 month old springer who is SO EXCITED to find the scent that once he catches the scent he just flies through any objects in his way rather than walk around. Hilarious but also disqualifying. Boxes are particularly prone to being sent flying. As am I, if he suddenly switches direction and trips me with his lead. His indication is to drop with his chin resting on the scent. He is certainly very very good at finding that scent. I have been usung using cement bricks as his "boxes" to try and reduce his knocking about but doesn't seem to translate over to moveable objects. At this moment he's better at room searches without boxes than the box exercises... I will NOT correct his enthusiasm for finding the scent. I do want him to control his momentum. But I want to keep his passion and energy channeled in a more rule-meeting-way Does anyone have ideas on ways to get him suceeding at not knocking things over? we have started some body awareness exercises. Just your basic 2 feet on 2 feet off. Im thinking about taking some boxes from work. Maybe if I tip them on their sides for now? Smaller boxes? Bigger boxes? Pots? Happy to get creative, he usually generalises pretty well. will endeavour to get a video tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Scottie used to do a little power handstand. Way too cute. Thankfully not a dq. I'd be inclined to give him a mix of some very simple non-obstructed hides & a few harder to access hides - still not obstructed but on the other side of solid things (picnic table, gates, tableon its side) so he needs to puzzle over finding it too. Does that make sense? Good luck with him. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papillon Kisses Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 46 minutes ago, Scottsmum said: Scottie used to do a little power handstand. Way too cute. Thankfully not a dq. OH. MY. DOG. Do you have a photo or video of this? Please please please!!!! Wish I could help you Thistle but yes, definitely DO NOT "correct" it. The first thing we were taught by our instructor is that nose work should be an obedience-free zone. You don't want to spoil the game. Our instructor has dealt with this with her Irish Springer. He can completely trash the place, trash boxes. Not sure what she's done but she has worked on it. You might find some advice on this blog? http://scentsabilitiesnw.com/blog/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 No PK. Just memories - but it made the whole room laugh 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogsAndTheMob Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 (edited) I've trained and competed in other dog sports, including the scent work obedience exercises, but never Noseworks (although it's on my to-do list) so I'm not sure how useful this is, but for what it's worth: If I have a problem with parts of an exercise, I like to separate out those parts to work on. You don't want to not reward a good find because he bumped the boxes. Initially, I would work with obstacles very different to boxes - say cones/witches' hats, and train in a different place from that where I train nosework. Start with two cones and get him moving between the cones. This would be easier with a training buddy, but could be done by moving around the space yourself. Click and treat when he moves between the cones without touching either one. Gradually adjust your position so that he's moving obliquely through the cones; you want him to start weaving wide around the cones. Jackpot! Once he's doing that, add more cones. When he's reliably moving amongst a set of cones without touching any, add a box with the scent. If he continues to avoid touching the cones, start adding unscented boxes. Needless to say, you don't want to reinforce the habit of knocking over boxes, so do your scent work with the cement boxes while you're training on the cones. Edited August 23, 2017 by DogsAndTheMob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-j Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 No help at all but thank goodness he isn't looking for explosives Do you know any explosive detection handlers? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Best Dogs! Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 (edited) I am very glad he is not looking for explosives!!! I only know people who detect disease/invasive plants/drugs/quarantine/competitive... We've had some success using pots as our "boxes" - i think the shape throws him off a lit. That said, first few goes he went over each "box" as he sniffed. So I'm lining it up against the wall now, and okay he went overland again but wed night nearly all searches managed to be NEXT to the "boxes" and not sending them flying about...much... Thistle probably wouldn't set off a bomb ;) I just bought the leerburg noseworks dvds off someone on this site, i'm hoping that might have some troubleshooting exercises. leerburg tends to have good creative ideas for tricking the dog into getting it right! Edited August 26, 2017 by Thistle the dog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 (edited) I'm sure you've done this - but there are a mountain of videos on line - have you watched a few searches? Otherwise, it might pay to see if there is a newly accredited NW Instructor in your area. Edited August 26, 2017 by Scottsmum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-j Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 Very enthusiastic Randy Hare is another trainer whose dvds, website may be worth looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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