Nosework (2/11)

Class tonight had some really interesting new stuff.

First we learned how to enter rooms with a closed door - which I'll see possibly at NW2 and for certain at NW3.  Basically the idea is to make sure the dog is set up on the side of you that is away from the hand you'll use to open the door (so that you aren't reaching across your body to open the door).  Also, don't burst the door open, which will cause a big air current and scatter odor.  Instead you want to open the door slowly and just as much as you need to.  Before even starting you want to watch the dog and see how they react to the door.

Of course, I have a tendency to start Gimme from my left (heel) side.  So since this time I needed to start with her on the other side, I was fumbling at it.  Gimme got impatient and basically assaulted the door, shoving it open and bursting into the room.  We had to do it a couple times before I could manage it smoothly (who knew it would be so awkward).  That, of course, was frustrating for the Empress, so when she found the first odor, she assaulted it with her paws, scratching at it in destructo mode like she does for boxes.  That's a first.  For the other hide, she was her usual self.  For the second room, a small bathroom, I was ready and smooth, so she did fine.  She found the first hide and then zipped under the stall wall and was right on the hide before I got in there.

I did learn that when there are multiple rooms for an interior, we are expected to reconnect to the dog and have them under physical control, though its not required to leash them up again.  I have a short leather leash somewhere that would make a good tab leash, with a few extra knots in it.  So I'm going to find it and put it in the car - since it would be perfect for that circumstance.

Our second set was a hide in that bathroom again and we approached the room from the hallway with the door already open, so we could watch how they approached and their behavior.  Gimme was eager and pulling me down the hall.  She was on that hide, just around the edge of the support for the stall, practically standing on her head.

Our third set was just a single hide on the back of a wheelchair.  Our instructions were to hold off rewarding them and see what they would do.  Most of the dogs gobbled the pairing treat and then went off snooping around.  In that case, the handler was to wait until they went back to it and then could move toward the dog as long as they were at the hide, stopping if the dog left it.  Two dogs had to be restarted to get them to go to it again.

Gimme was the only dog that found source and stayed with it.  She never left it at all.  At one point she sort of hopped away toward me, but then bounced back toward it.  It looked like she was almost doing a play invitation, using her movement to try to entice me to come over and see it.  Afterward Joyce confirmed that was the way she interpreted it too.  Anyway, then Gimme went to paw whacking, gently over and over - three times by the time I had moved in to reward her.

This shows that Gimme really understands her part in this game; that is, to make me pay attention when she KNOWS she is on odor.  As opposed to the other dogs that were inclined to believe they were wrong when the handler didn't dive in to agree with them.  I was SO PROUD!  There is nothing bashful about this girl; she has no hesitation about demanding that I get my heiney over there and do my part.