K9 Nosework Anyone?

[running_dog]

As this thread has been dredged up... how is the nosework going Jackie?

I know Zac and Gus like using their noses (what dog doesn't!?!) I'm just not very good at explaining what I want to them. I get them to search for kibble a lot of the time when we are walking but that is just from the grass not finding it from in among a choice of objects so... if I collected up boxes and started sessions where I hid food in one and let them search (one dog at a time obviously) then please what would be the next step?

Would you like to do online coaching ?

 

[kassidybc]

I also really want to do nosework with Chloe, so any info you give R_Dog I'll be soaking it up! I have a nosework class going like 45 minutes from me but unfortunately I don't have any way to get there.

 

[running_dog]

Potential online nosework coaching class of two

 

[running_dog]

LOL I tried this with Zac. I put down a lot of different containers on the floor (I used shoes, plastic cartons, a glass jar, tins, cardboard boxes, a bag and a cap). At first I put one treat in quite a few containers. Once he got the idea I started putting lots of treats in one container and none n the rest. Then I turned the containers upside down so it was a bit harder and moved them a little further apart.

At first because he is used to searching for treats all over the room Zac kept looking elsewhere (not to mention quite a bit of free shaping with the containers) but gradually he settled to checking out all the containers fairly systematically although he had a few favourites that he would keep checking. I put him out the room in between so I could hide the treats and he was always really keen to come back in and search. He looked quite disappointed when I put them away.

So if Zac keeps checking out a particular item when there is nothing there I guess I avoid hiding anything in that one until it just becomes "normal"?

I think the next thing I will do is put the containers out in a new location and play the game again. Maybe after the first couple of tries I'll spread them out much more. He already knows how to search for a tennis ball so I might reduce the containers to two or three and hide a tennis ball in one and ask him to find it, then next time add a couple more containers.

I'll try to video next time

 

[running_dog]

Sorry didn't video the container search this time either as it was a bit random - a way of distracting the dogs from Nov 5th fireworks. Along with a few other things (starting with click then treat every time there was a bang and finishing with bag over the head wrestling ) it worked brilliantly. Now Gus is sleeping out in the open as long as he is touching one of us and his ears are more relaxed, 2 hours ago he was a frozen wreck welded to the floor behind the sofa when there were much more distant bangs than the ones we are having right now.

I suspect that when dogs are using their noses they are less focussed on listening for loud bangs so he has got used to having other thoughts than fear when they are happening. Searching the containers got Gus moving and thinking with his nose. Zac was just rather jealous that Gus was searching through his boxes! Gus is much more blundering than Zac and also ran off with the containers to eat the treats by himself a few times .