HeeHee - we just did our first blind search, where neither of us knew where the catnip toy was hidden. Fab. We were much better. It's not so much we found the ball, Charlie would find a ball in a garden on his 'find it' cue anyway , it was that we found the ball together. HeeHee. So much fun! Can't wait to do more complicated stuff now. Will get OH to hide the catnip Teddy Bears on the Common for us later. first blind by Julie T, on Flickr
HeeHee - we'll pick defined areas! I don't think we are quite up for finding catnip hidden in 1000 acres. Not yet, anyway.
You seriously need so many toys! You are supposed to change the toy for each search, and then wash them at 60 degrees and they have to be dry before you put them back in the catnip jar. They will just have to go in the dryer, nothing for it.
I don't understand why you need to wash them, dogs can distinguish different scents. I have worked my dogs in wild garlic which almost knocked me back with the smell and yet dogs could find a dummy in there. When you hide the article, do you just tip it out of the jar or hold it to hide? Sniffer dogs in 'real life' would find the 'article' which would have been handled. Just interested.
It's all about contamination I think. You only want the dog to learn to find one scent. Once it's been out and handled it will smell of all sorts. It's not quite the same as hunting for a dummy
That's it - as I understand it, it's just so the dog clearly knows he is looking for catnip, and not another scent. So when you are training them, you just want as 'clean' a smell as possible, so they associate that scent with the reward (the game), not something that smells of dog slobber plus catnip, or you plus catnip, or your OH plus catnip etc. So the dog will end up finding anything that smells of catnip.
would one of those fleece tuggy style toys be worth trying? They look like they would dry quickly. We have one, though have never washed it, its quite new. Like this one, you get them all kinds of places, we won ours in a doggy charity raffle (as you do ) http://www.tug-tastic.co.uk/Fleece Products.htm
Yes, for sure! I thought of using a rabbit skin tug, but they (the DVD) says the toy has to be small because you want to be able to hide it in really difficult places (eventually). The company sells tiny little mice to use. Which would be hopeless, Charlie would chomp them up in no time! I struggle with the dual requirements of a tiny toy that you can play a game with! I bet they are all using insy wincy little spaniels and beagles that can get under train seats and can play tug with tiny mice toys! Not strapping great 30kg Chocolate Labradors!
Yes, that would work - he is somewhat inclined to keep the found article, no bloomin' surprise there! But will bring it if he gets a tug game. So I'll ask about that at the workshop. I don't know if you get points knocked off if your dog does a victory lap with the drug stash!
Seriously, though, I understand sniffer dogs do not retrieve what they are searching for! They give an 'alert' but do not pick up the article. This is more difficult to train, so 'fun' sniffer exercises for pets involve them retrieving the find for a game!
Do you have to handle everything with tongs? Otherwise it'll have your scent on it. In obedience scent work you are getting them to find the object with your scent on it out of a group of other objects without your scent on it, so you need to maintain a stash of objects (wood, leather, metal) that have none of your scent on them until right before the selected object is hidden/dropped (when you touch it to mark it). You need to mark only the object the judge chooses for you. Tongs definitely required for all of that palaver...... In our obedience classes we've used toys - the dog has to retrieve the toy that smells like you from amongst a bunch of toys that don't have your scent. Both my Labradors have found this very easy and I only had to train the formal retrieve bit - they knew what they were meant to find without any real training. They are ideally supposed to check all the objects before selecting the right one, so they are sure they have the one that smells most like you. Lucky for me both my dogs have done this naturally too. Labradors love scent work
I got a book that trained the human scent thing, so I've read about it, but the workshop I'm doing has the dogs searching for cheese or catnip. I think it's very much just a fun thing, although lots and lots of people seem to do it, and they hire steam trains and things to search! There were no instructions about using tongs etc. on the DVD, although I have wondered about that.....I suppose I'll find out more when I do the workshop, although it really does seem like a bit of fun, and the exercises sort of 'treasure hunt' type things....
I'm sure he's already worked out that it's catnip he's looking for. One advantage of getting the dog to find the object scented like you is that you can hide your things with lots of other people's things and yours will still be unique (unlike if everyone has used catnip). Would be fun to do a big group search on a train
Yes, I think he has! I was wondering if it were possible to put different scents on different cues. It must be, I suppose.
We put out a few boxes and bags today, planning to search them. It didn't go to plan. On the first attempt, Charlie just took one look at the box I was pointing at, then ran up the garden to investigate the bag with the ball in it. I'm not sure what to make of that. On the one hand, we are supposed to be searching together, on the other hand if he can so clearly smell where the catnip is, isn't it ok for him to go straight to it? I mean, that's the point of the dog really....perhaps I shouldn't start by directing him. Hmmm.....maybe I should also wait for the workshop before I get it all wrong! We had more success when the ball was in a box that he couldn't open on his own. He gave up quickly until I turned up to help him open the box, then got all enthusiastic again. So, there is hope for us yet, I think.... [Click pic for vid] search things one by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr
