Rock Solid Indications

Class Description

4 Week Course

Every Nose Work trainer knows that they have to have some indication from their dog that they have found source.  The beautiful thing is that the dog gets to decide what that indication is, and the trainer gets to reinforce it.  So, why do dogs walk right by hides?  Or stop minimally at a hide, just enough time to make the handler think it might be a hide and then move on? How can a handler help their dog understand that insisting on a hide is what they would like in a trial?  Guess who has all the say so in this case, yes, you the handler!  Rock solid indications are what we are working on this class.

Week 1: So you think your dog stops at source?

Let’s take a look at a few training scenarios and how your dog handles them.  If we see problems in any of the areas, we will come up with a training plan to address them.  How can you be inadvertently interfering with your dogs stop at source behavior?  Common handling errors that can really cost you at a trial.

Week 2: Might, might not

Have you seen a good NW dog identify odor, but not continue to investgate because they would like to “parameter search”.  A huge question that every handler should be asking all the time is “Why would my trained dog walk right by a hide?”.  Guess who knows the answer?  Your dog!  This is the week we ask the dog if they truly understand the value of the hide.  This is a game week for sure, as this training goes fast and it is fun.

Week 3: My handler is crazy!

Yeah, maybe you are, but this week we get a little more crazy!  This week we teach the dog that we are useless to them in the search process.  In fact, we have all the wrong directions and the wrong map of where the hides are.  Get ready to see your dog ignore you while searching, and zero in on odor, the only true source of good information about where rewards are.

Week 4: I do want to open this bag!

So, now your dog is rock solid on indications, giving you that super strong stop…………..on a food distractor.  How to handle false alerts on distractors.  Good news is, if you have this problem, you are one simple step away from your dog understanding the real signal of reinforcement, odor.  We love dogs that false alert, because they are working and we can help them understand where to direct their energies to best get reward.  Confusion about food distractions is common, and this week we really tease this apart for the dog and handler.