Nosework (1/26)

Dorothy was instructing solo and as usual she had a great plan for searches.

Interior 1 video - This search had four tables set up with chairs around them. We were to treat them like a vehicle, so search on leash. Each table/chair grouping was a "vehicle" and we had to make sure we got around all four sides before moving on. Gimme did a good job, despite her initial detour to a nearby tennis ball. She left it on her own when she got the drift of odor. The second table had no odor and you can see she's not very uninterested. She tries to go to the next table and when I prevent her, she heads for nearby shelving. She quickly caught the drift of odor on the third table and turned back toward it. She was very efficient with the fourth table and stood her ground despite me continuing to move.

Exterior 1 video - This search was three groups of chairs along the back wall of the building. We've seen before how the air can swirl around back there, so we thought it might be a little difficult for the dogs. Honestly I thought Gimme had little challenge, so either the wind wasn't doing its thing, or the chairs were too close to the building and thus not caught in the vortexes. We were told to take up to two passes along the chairs and then declare whether there was or wasn't odor. Gimme was completely uninterested in the first group of chairs, so I knew it was a blank area. You'll note the difference as she stops at the second chair of the second group and sticks with it, even though I move on at least ten feet. Gimme did a fabulous job working out the odor blowing from chair 2 onto chair 3. For the third grouping she stops at chair 4, but then moves to and indicates on the last chair. Ya gotta love her talent and attitude.

Interior 2 video - This time we did the same interior search of the table/chair combos, but off leash. You'll see without my "interference" Gimme shaves 40 seconds off her search time. This, even though she spends a lot of time racing around like a "Girl's just gotta have fa-unh". Then suddenly gets down to business and indicates all three in rapid succession. It's a fun search to watch, especially as contrasted to the first time on leash.

We won't have class nosework class for the next two weeks. I'm sure Gimme will miss it, as will I. Maybe I'll make more progress on my own home project.