Nosework (6/16) & Rally practice

I got my card set out and practiced five behaviors today.  They were mostly parts of heeling, so nothing earth-shattering.  Don't know if I mentioned on here that I made a set of 3x5 cards with each of the Rally and RallyFrEe signs on them.  Then I just shuffle them and pick out five.

Anyway, Gimme was so excited to be training again and she especially loves heeling anyway, so she was forging quite a bit.  Given that I only this summer discovered I had trained her to heel a bit too far forward and have only worked on it a few times since then - I'm not yet concerned about it.  In any case, I'd rather forging than lagging. 

After that we practiced our nosework indicator.  I confess I haven't practiced it since I first changed the way of doing it - about 3 weeks ago.  Been meaning to work on it since I got home from CA.  It just hasn't happened and tonight was our first night - just an hour before leaving for class. 

It took all of 30 seconds for her to remember the new drill.  I probably used about 100 treats.  I started with the tin in my hand and treating for a combination of paw-hold and nose touch.  I do notice she is more inclined to do pawing the closer it is to the ground.  So for now I'll work about a foot or higher and just gradually move it down.  I ended with placing the tin in the top of a box of clothes, without my fist there.  She did it beautifully - placed her paw on the edge of the box and just never moved it.... with repeat nose touches. 

She's one smart cookie...

Then we went to class and she was W O N D E R F U L.  We were the fourth dog and had plenty of time to do a quick warm-up of the concept (odor in fist, paw-hold and multiple nose touch).  I can always do that warm-up at a trial too.  Gimme was so good in fact that Joyce just started talking to me about it and asking questions and I had to remind HER to wait to talk until Gimme was done searching.  He He He....

Joyce even said after our second set of hides that if I can keep what I have right now and apply it to all the different kinds of searches and variations and if it doesn't break down in a trial - its a very nice and very accurate indication.  She admitted she never thought I'd get it even close to this good.  Nice to finally hear... keeping in mind that I don't consider it at all finished.  Several of the other students commented about how good it is and were asking questions about what I'd changed.

I have to admit it was a conversation with the owner of Gimme's sister, Candy Powell, who helped me see the next piece of the puzzle.  Who knows... there just might be something special in Grace's Christmas stocking.

I know there are going to be several special things in Gimme's Christmas stocking.