Nosework (6/30)

These were interesting searches.

Vehicle search video - We were allotted 2:30 for this search. Gimme finds the first hide in 14 seconds. The back tire on the green machine must've run over something interesting. All the dogs were fascinated by it. I was just really pleased to read her right and know she wasn't alerting on it. Basically because she never sourced and didn't act like she was trying to source an inaccessible hide. She was giving me "the look", but it wasn't convincing to me - too much dancing around - and then she left it on her own when I didn't call it. Based on where the second hide was, it's possible some of it was blowing against the stinky tire and maybe accounts for "the look". In any case, her alert on the basket looks very different. Her third hide was solid too.

Interior 1 search video - This was all the same search area, rows of chairs, with one hide. We were supposed to refrain from going down the same aisle as our dog, so they would have the freedom to change direction without having us right behind them. I knew this intellectually, having noticed it at the UKC trial when watching advanced classes, but I still did it. There was only one hide and Gimme found it quickly.

Interior 2 search video - This time there were two hides, the first right in the squeeze spot up front. On the second hide, she actually showed me where it was and for some reason I paid her low. Paul told me it was high, so I paid there too. Gimme did great.

Interior 3 search video - There were three hides this time. Gimme was quick to find the first hide and then managed to bump her sore toe against my foot - I didn't even know about it at this time. Poor baby. I can't believe she worked so well despite it (she gets it adjusted on Thursday). She finds the second hide readily enough, but then has difficulty with the third hide because the two of them are converging. You'll note she goes back and checks the second hide, and then is able to commit to the last hide in just eleven seconds. Nice work!

Interior 4 search video - This time they stacked all the chairs with hides to make one big odor bomb and Gimme got to do it without the inconvenience of having her handler holding her back. She seemed to get stuck in a loop around two aisles, so I stood in her way to shape a turn into the aisle behind where the hides were. It worked beautifully and she had the hide in 5 seconds.

Odor bombs present their own special challenges - sometimes more odor is not better. It creates such a big plume and the dogs tend to skirt the edges, instead of diving in. I'm sure this is why she was looping around the two aisles. Too too interesting.

BTW, since there was only the one instructor and she doesn't do a good job as videographer, I asked Paul to do it (he is dad to August). He always does a good job and this time was no exception.