Post by oksaradt on Dec 19, 2008 11:55:28 GMT -5
There comes a time when the handler needs to decide if the dog "gets it". Does the dog really need me there to make the finds? Does the dog know the routine without me there to make sure it runs smoothly? Does the dog know the paycheck comes from me and that I'm a total scent moron?
Over the years, at seminars, gatherings of other handlers, and trainings a typical exercise like what I did recently needs to be performed periodically to "check the dog". Let's be honest, this is really to "check the handler". Does the handler over control the dog? Has the handler created a dog that's dependent on the handler being there to make the find? Are there cues being communicated between dog and handler that the handler isn't aware of?
How to determine this on one's own? Let's face it, for many of us to see if we're "screwing up our dog" in front of other handlers can be a stressful situation. It should be seen as an opportunity, but too many hang their ego on their dog's performance.
The first time I got to be subjected to this kind of check was at a seminar in a parking lot in Michigan. The source wasn't hard, decomp placed about 50 feet away from a van. The van's stereo was blaring such that the handler could not vocalize to the dog. The handler was instructed to to release the dog on the opposite side of the van of where the source was located. The handler was then instructed to DANCE around the van in their best disco fashion. I believe they took pity on me and played "Wild Thing". "Free Bird" would have been ok. I got into the music and started dancing in my best macho male bonding type way. Soon I realized that the other handlers were laughing. I assumed my dancing was that bad, but it turns out that Dax was nearly frothing at the mouth as she'd been barking over the source nearly since I'd started dancing and I'd done two laps around the van. The other handlers were yelling at me, "REWARD YOUR DOG!".....so I did.
So, how to check this with young Murphy. I placed an odiferous decomp source in a pile of rocks in a south field on my land two days prior. I'd intended on working this earlier, but M.E. work took precedence. On the day of the check, I decided I needed to take the trash to the curb. Realize that taking the trash to the curb at my place is rolling a dumpster 600 feet downhill. The dumpter is plastic and rolling it over the gravel drive makes a lot of noise. I let Murphy out, show'd him the ball, said nothing, and started rolling the garbage downhill. A densely wooded gully stands between the drive and the field with the source, so I'd not be able to see what he was doing. He could find it and leave. He could go hunting squirrels or self-reward on cat poo. He might just decide to walk with me and the dumpster. Murphy ran south. Oh, we had a north wind of about 15mph, so the scent was downwind of us. He'd have to locate it on his own.
As I'm rolling past the gully I hear a bark from Murphy. Now, this was a bellow, so I figured maybe he was answering another dog. I ignored it. Another bark came. Hmmmm. I stopped the dumpster and calmly walked in the barks direction. At the south edge of the gully I can barely see through the woods and Murphy is over the rocks containing the source and looking wildly at the gully in my direction. Another bark! I respond, "I'm comin'" and made lots of noise crashing through the gully....Another Bellowing bark! I come to the edge of the gully and Murphy is alternating between tapping the rocks and looking at the gully, then another bark.
As I come out of the woods, I query innocently, "got somethin'?"
An incredulous bark.....
I walk slowly over to the rocks and hmmmmm
Murphy gets the look of "YOU MUST BE AN IDIOT! Can't you smell that!" and barks again.
I reward.
Time from release to initial find: 42 seconds
Time to reward after initial find: 1 minute 45 seconds
Area covered: ~ 1 acre...pretty easy for a stinky source
yea.....I think for the March Seminar in Texas this next year...I'm going to have to locate a boom box.......
If your dog requires you to be there to make the find, it's not fully trained........
just something to ponder.
Jim
Over the years, at seminars, gatherings of other handlers, and trainings a typical exercise like what I did recently needs to be performed periodically to "check the dog". Let's be honest, this is really to "check the handler". Does the handler over control the dog? Has the handler created a dog that's dependent on the handler being there to make the find? Are there cues being communicated between dog and handler that the handler isn't aware of?
How to determine this on one's own? Let's face it, for many of us to see if we're "screwing up our dog" in front of other handlers can be a stressful situation. It should be seen as an opportunity, but too many hang their ego on their dog's performance.
The first time I got to be subjected to this kind of check was at a seminar in a parking lot in Michigan. The source wasn't hard, decomp placed about 50 feet away from a van. The van's stereo was blaring such that the handler could not vocalize to the dog. The handler was instructed to to release the dog on the opposite side of the van of where the source was located. The handler was then instructed to DANCE around the van in their best disco fashion. I believe they took pity on me and played "Wild Thing". "Free Bird" would have been ok. I got into the music and started dancing in my best macho male bonding type way. Soon I realized that the other handlers were laughing. I assumed my dancing was that bad, but it turns out that Dax was nearly frothing at the mouth as she'd been barking over the source nearly since I'd started dancing and I'd done two laps around the van. The other handlers were yelling at me, "REWARD YOUR DOG!".....so I did.
So, how to check this with young Murphy. I placed an odiferous decomp source in a pile of rocks in a south field on my land two days prior. I'd intended on working this earlier, but M.E. work took precedence. On the day of the check, I decided I needed to take the trash to the curb. Realize that taking the trash to the curb at my place is rolling a dumpster 600 feet downhill. The dumpter is plastic and rolling it over the gravel drive makes a lot of noise. I let Murphy out, show'd him the ball, said nothing, and started rolling the garbage downhill. A densely wooded gully stands between the drive and the field with the source, so I'd not be able to see what he was doing. He could find it and leave. He could go hunting squirrels or self-reward on cat poo. He might just decide to walk with me and the dumpster. Murphy ran south. Oh, we had a north wind of about 15mph, so the scent was downwind of us. He'd have to locate it on his own.
As I'm rolling past the gully I hear a bark from Murphy. Now, this was a bellow, so I figured maybe he was answering another dog. I ignored it. Another bark came. Hmmmm. I stopped the dumpster and calmly walked in the barks direction. At the south edge of the gully I can barely see through the woods and Murphy is over the rocks containing the source and looking wildly at the gully in my direction. Another bark! I respond, "I'm comin'" and made lots of noise crashing through the gully....Another Bellowing bark! I come to the edge of the gully and Murphy is alternating between tapping the rocks and looking at the gully, then another bark.
As I come out of the woods, I query innocently, "got somethin'?"
An incredulous bark.....
I walk slowly over to the rocks and hmmmmm
Murphy gets the look of "YOU MUST BE AN IDIOT! Can't you smell that!" and barks again.
I reward.
Time from release to initial find: 42 seconds
Time to reward after initial find: 1 minute 45 seconds
Area covered: ~ 1 acre...pretty easy for a stinky source
yea.....I think for the March Seminar in Texas this next year...I'm going to have to locate a boom box.......
If your dog requires you to be there to make the find, it's not fully trained........
just something to ponder.
Jim