Gosh, we've been so busy lately that I've really been remiss on keeping up with blogging. I never did blog about our last class and that was two weeks ago.
At our last class (2/22), Joyce had set up all the room dividers criss-crossing every which way, along with a bunch of stuff we each brought in from our cars. Obviously that had to be an off lead search. Gimme did great at it and all the others. She enjoyed having an evening searching off lead. She is so fast. That presents problems when she overshoots scent, but she is still usually the fastest in class to find the hides.
The following Wednesday we didn't have class, so I made it a point to do a search that day. Poor Gimme goes through withdrawal if she doesn't get to use her nose and find Birch oil often enough. I set up two hides in the parking lot behind my Shopko account. One was in a crack on Bonnie's car and for the other I used the tin to stick it up under the edge of an eighteen wheeler trailer. I started Gimme from a position where the breeze was blowing away from her. She still found the hide on the vehicle almost immediately. The tin on the trailer was harder because it was underneath, on the backside of a flange and about 8 inches over where the tip of her nose was when standing up on her back legs. Still she did find it - actually finding both of them within 3 minutes (which is what's allotted for one vehicle find). She was very pleased with herself - as was I.
Last night (3/7) since we had daylight when class started, we started out with a vehicle search. Gimme found the first spot right away. Then as we went around the side to look for the next one, Gimme squirted off to the side to check out something next to the building. I let her check it briefly then reeled her back in. Even with the distraction she was still among the two fastest dogs in our class to find both hides on the vehicle.
I find I have to remind Joyce of my decision to let Gimme check out the distractions and then gently bring her back to work. Joyce voiced the concern that Gimme should understand its all about the vehicle and not search elsewhere. I believe she clearly does understand that, but I don't think that means she won't be distracted. Besides I don't see how its any different than when she is presented with an obvious container search and still gets distracted - which Joyce didn't seem to think was a problem.
I just think Joyce has forgotten our discussion before - not that surprising given how many students she is teaching nosework to. I'm going to continue doing what I think is best for Gimme. She has plenty of drive for nosework; however, she is still a very young girl. I believe it is more important to let her satisfy her need to check something out and then gently encourage her to come back to work. Of the times I've needed to do this since making the decision, we are talking a few seconds (3-5). I find that far preferable to having her frustrated and with divided attention. I think she will grow out of the distractibility with time and experience - that's my theory and I'm sticking with it.
While the light lasted last night, we also did an exterior search. The first hide was on the ground behind a piece of broken concrete. The second was stuffed in the end of a pipe over her head. By the time our turn rolled around, we were searching in the dark. It took Gimme about 45 seconds to find both hides and that included about ten seconds to gobble up treats at the first hide. She is really very good at finding things over her head - a skill that many dogs have trouble with.
After that we moved inside for two more searches. Gimme got to do those off lead and was very fast and persistent. One thing we did that was different was to set up three hides and then leave them down after the dog finds them and is still looking for the others. We are at the point where the dog learns that they only get paid once for each. Gimme did great with this.
The other thing she did well was for the threshold hide that was set up. As always, she tends to zoom into the room, passing by the hide on the fly. This time I saw her note it as she went by, with just a subtle little tilt of her nose in that direction. She did a quick swing around the room, found another and then after getting rewarded for it made a beeline to the hide at the threshold. It was very clear that she knew where it was. Gimme was very efficient last night.
There is a local nosework match later this month that we've entered. Gimme is scheduled for her ORT on April 1st and I am so sure she'll do well. Then I plan to enter her in the trial in June. So far there are no Dalmatians listed with nosework titles - perhaps we can be the first. Cross your fingers.
BTW after the suggestion that I read Jeff Schettler's book on trailing, I ordered it and his other book through the library. "The Straightest Path" still hasn't come yet, but "Red Dog Rising" did. I've just finished it. Its a very compelling read - the story of Jeff and his K-9 police partner, Bloodhound Ronin. Anyone who is interested in any facet of canine scent work should enjoy it and will find a lot of useful information in it as well.
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