We had two different types of search tonight in class. As is often the case, there was a puzzle for the dog to solve, plus a handler challenge.
The searches in the foyer involved letting the dog work at a distance from the handler (handler had to stay behind tape on the floor except when rewarding) and for the dog to work through close converging odor. In both searches the two odor sources were only 6 feet apart. The hides were just under the front outer edge of the chair seat. Gimme really was kind of over-thinking this search. At one point early in the search her nose passed within inches of the hide on the left chair, but she was moving so fast she didn't get it. Once she got one hide, the other quickly followed. First search in foyer, video
The searches in the big room contained two hides. The room was divided into thirds based on the cracks across the concrete, and numbered areas 1, 2 and 3. For each search, Dorothy and the other instructor moved the hides, so each was a blind search and as students we could watch all the searches. We were told which areas the hides were in and were to treat them as two separate searches. As handlers we were to try to verbalize what we are seeing and what we think it means. All these years I've been chastised for talking too much when my dog is working and now when I have permission, I couldn't get a word out until Dorothy asked me a question. The puzzle for the dogs was to find source and not get fooled by lingering odor, which was plentiful.
Area 2, search 2 video I let Gimme select her own way of searching and just tried to support her and made sure my body language wasn't selling her on lingering odor. She spent a lot of time on the one side of the room and wasn't finding anything, so when she went toward the other side, I moved with her to encourage her choice. From the time she moved over there to when she located odor was only 10 seconds. I wasted 6 seconds before calling alert. Gimme liked having a little boy there and it took me a bit to get her to leave him to do another search - she thought he should be part of her prize.
Area 3, search 3 video This hide was inaccessible and Gimme actually located it right off the startline. She left it and checked a couple of lingering odor options and then took herself back to it. Dorothy wanted me to reward earlier than I chose. I wanted to wait until Gimme made a decision and you will note she never looked at me, but then did her paw indication. It was a nice quick search.
Foyer search 4 video For the second foyer search, the chairs were folded and leaning against the wall, with the hides less than 4 feet apart. As close as they were, it only took her ten seconds longer to sort out the puzzle. I didn't register at the time the comment "she isn't wrong to look up", which was in response to my comment about how much Gimme loves high hides. The instructor was thinking she might be following the plane of odor coming from the hides, which could be true. But honestly she checked the same window sills when the chairs were out and the hides were about 16" lower.
Area 2, search 5 video Gimme had this one soooooo fast, but they wanted me to wait for more from her. It was still a very fast search. Don't blink!
Area 3, search 6 This was kind of a hard puzzle because the hide was very close to a lot of lingering odor. There is a stack of skateboards next to the chair where the hide was. There had been a hide in those skateboards about five minutes earlier. Gimme did an awesome job sorting this out quickly.
She's sound asleep as we speak...
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