Titles Achieved to date...

Monumental A to Z High On Liberty
NW1, RATI, RATN, RATO, NW2, L1I, RATS, L1E, L1C, L1V, L2C, L2I, L2E, RATM, R-FE/N, PKD-TL, PKD-N, ADPL1, ADPL2, TD, UWP, ADPL3, NTD, TKN, L2V, ADPL4, SDS-N, ADPL5, ADPCH, ADP1(2), ADPL1(GC), ADPL2(2), ADPL2(GC), VPN, AP, UWPCH, ADPL3(2), ADPL3(GC), NC, NI, NE, SCN, SIN, SEN, CZ8B, NV, NN, ADPL4(2), ADPL4(GC), ADPGCH, ADPL5(2), RATCH, CZ8S, AI, TKI, AV, AE, AC, AN, R-FE/X NW3-V, NW3-E, SI, RN, R-FE/NS, CZ8G, SC, SV, SE, SN, SEA, SBN, SWN, SIA, SCA, ADP-1(Th), ADP-2(Th), ADP-3(Th), ADP-4(Th), ADP-5(Th), and ADP-CH(Th)... 81 and counting...

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Nosework (1/3)

Class tonight was too too fun.  We started off with two rounds on containers.  There were 25 boxes laid out in three parallel rows.  There would be one hide, then we'd go back outside and wait for it to be reset.  Gimme did well on this and was having a blast.  She likes to "ski" on nosework boxes just like she does with her melon cube.  There's definitely no doubt when she has the scent.

Her slowest find was the box that was near the threshold - since, as usual, she blasted past it.  Joyce works a lot of threshold hides, so I know at some point Gimme will realize that she ought to look there too.  Joyce doesn't want us guiding them, rather we let them think it through.

Our third round was a interior area search.  The boxes were all taken up and piled in the corner.  The first hide was right inside the door and we were to wait just outside the door with the door open until we knew they had the scent.  I knew when Gimme had the scent, since she dragged me through the opening and already had her head cranked toward the hide before I was even ready.  While she was getting her treats there, Joyce set another hide high on the wall across the room.  I think Gimme was the fastest to find that.

Naturally I have to brag that Gimme is very likely to have her picture (maybe more than one) in the April/May issue of Animal Wellness. The article will be about nosework and I've been working with the author over the last few weeks.  She's been reading our blog and loved the video's and pictures.  So, I did a special field trip to get more pictures and sent them to her.  The editor decides which pictures to use, so there is no guarantee.  We'll know when it comes out.

I'm including some pictures here.  The first one is a picture of the tin.  That little silver disk inside it is the magnet that I've mentioned.


This first grouping is Gimme doing a search in the Nails and Ladder aisle.





"Hey Mom, its right here..."







This second grouping is from the end of a search in the Lumber aisle.  I've since talked to Joyce, our instructor, and decided we'll be avoiding that aisle for awhile.  As most of you have no doubt noticed, the smell of cut lumber is pretty strong for us humans, so its really going to be a challenge for the dogs.  Plus, if you think about it - what are we searching for?  Birch oil.  What is Birch?  A tree.  What is lumber made of?  Uhhhh trees...  Naturally that is a pretty difficult distinction for any of the dogs to make, much less one as young and inexperienced as Gimme.  To her credit - she does find it.  Whatta girl...








"Got it!"

4 comments:

Ch. Highgate's Storm Tracker CGN said...

I was going to ask what scent you are useing so it is birch oil then ? I dont think anyone does nose work in our area but I sure thing that would Jazz my boy right up! He would love it!

Helen said...

I can't believe HD lets you take Gimme right into the store! I'm sure they'd have a fit if I tried it with my boy.

I'm looking for confirmation that the DCA National will be held in January next year in St Louis, MO. I'm pretty sure of the venue, but not of the month as Nationals are usually held in the spring. Do you have any info on this you could pass on, please?

A to Z Dals said...

All I could find about future Nationals is the one for 2012, Tulsa, May 3-9. I don't see anything about 2013.

I can't imagine having a National in January in Missouri. The weather would be a catastrophe. Also am surprised they are having them so close together two years in a row. I know 2014 is in Oregon.

A to Z Dals said...

BTW the folks at Home Depot love Gimme. She's been going in there since she was 9 weeks old and had her first ride in an orange chariot. She likes to hold weekly fan club meetings there.