Nosework class (4/43)

We are continuing to work through the NACSW skills tests.

Container 1 video - Eight boxes with 2 hides: The idea was to demonstrate how "methodical" the dog is - i.e. does she find the hides in the order presented. I was certain Gimme would bypass the closest one, especially since this was her first search of the day. I was right. Fortunately she searches very fast, so she ends up with a good time even without being methodical.

Container 2 video - Eight boxes with 3 hides: Right away you can see her time is better on this second search. It just seems to take her a search (sometimes two) to completely get her head in the game. In our early trials I used to stop somewhere close to a trial and set up a container search in a parking lot - otherwise she did poorly on the first search. You'll note it only took her 5 seconds to find the first hide (as opposed to 30 seconds in the first search). She was much better about quickly getting back to a hide she passed. Then she went back and got the first one she'd passed. As Dorothy comments, this was a "methodical Gimme search".  Gimme has her own style and tendencies.  Dorothy encourages us to improve, but doesn't push us to fit some mold - I sure appreciate it.

Container 3 video - Twelve boxes with 4 hides: You can see right away she is getting a little rougher with the boxes, which is normal for her on multiple container searches. At least she was only kicking them around and not pouncing on them. She gets to the first hide in 13 seconds. She bypassed the first box, a threshold. I knew it was there, which is why I paused at the startline - it sometimes draws her back to the threshold. However in the last few weeks we did searches where I wasn't supposed to leave the startline until she found a hide (independent searching skill), so perhaps she didn't respond to my pause because of those searches. Then again, I didn't pause very long. She almost picked the wrong box for the second hide, but corrected herself nicely. She kept lifting her head on the fourth box, it seemed she just hit it wrong on a stride. There were distractions this time, so perhaps they were a factor.

Inaccessible Interior 1 video - This was the easiest one. It's considered easy because she can get all the way around it. Gimme really scans the area and then when she gets close to the chair, she gets serious about it. It was a nice job, especially since we haven't done inaccessible in about 6 months.

Inaccessible Interior 2 video - This was a little harder - she couldn't get all the way around it, but it also wasn't very deep. Even though this was a little harder, Gimme was still a little faster. She loves a good puzzle.

Inaccessible Interior 3 video - This was the hardest of the three searches - she couldn't get all the way around it and it was under the seat of the chair toward the back. She was a little faster again, on her first indication, which I didn't respond to. She was a good girl, persisted and indicated a second time. I don't count the extra 2 seconds since it's not her fault I'm obtuse, eh...

Gimme sure is happy to get back to class and so am I.

Nosework (4/38)

Our focus this week was on inaccessible hides. Conventional wisdom is to always end a series of inaccessible hides with one very accessible hide. If you don't, the dogs can learn to stop trying to source the hides. Gimme did this once when our prior instructor worked inaccessible several weeks in a row and didn't end with accessible hides. It took me a month to undo the damage.

Interior 1 video - This search was just one inaccessible hide in the middle and toward the back of all those chairs. As usual Gimme immediately found the toy. The instructors always volunteer to pick it up, but I want her to learn to work through it (AKC uses accessible toys as a distracter in searches, which I saw in both exterior searches at the last trial). Gimme caught the drift of the hide in the chairs, but kept scanning the rest of the room, looking for something easier, "low hanging fruit". I could have rewarded her a lot earlier, but she is experienced and confident enough to persist. So, I tend to wait until she commits and indeed, she was very committed at the end. Good girl!

Exterior 1 video - I was instructed to walk her by on the sidewalk and she if she caught it. The first obvious interest was in the red-capped pipe. She swung up toward it on our way down the sidewalk, but her interest was much stronger as we came back, into the breeze. Her body language is very clear when she is definitely in odor. Again, I was waiting for a commitment. I want her to tell me, "Mom this is the best I can do", which she did.

Exterior 2 video - The hide was originally about 2 feet higher on the wall, but one of the less experienced dogs worked first and the instructor moved it down for him and never moved it back up. For the other dogs moving over the log and walking on the pipes next to the wall was a big deal - little Miss Parkour Grand Champion thought it was easy peasy. She finds the hide within seconds of getting near the wall.

Exterior 3 video - This was the accessible hide and Gimme ran her nose right over it as she started, but was going too fast and then wanted to check the whole area. She made this a much bigger deal than the search warranted.

For all the new information I have about her sore toes, there is no sign they hampered her during these searches.