How to work with this nose!

[Selina27]

What better time to review my training with Cassie than the start of this brand new forum!

I've been following Tom and Lauren's Gamechanger video's and finding them great, as so often the case just one or two things jump out at me to point the way forward. The thing this time is to play without pressure, just be fun. I do believe that in I may have put her under pressure with the retrieving, quite unwittingly. I have already discovered that she is more likely to engage in a game if I drag the object behind me, this morning we had a great game in the great outdoors, where I struggle to get her to play, by disappearing out of sight while dragging her favourite foxyonarope -- she was on to it in no time and thoroughly enjoyed herself!

The thing is she constantly astounds us with the power of her nose, I've had other gundog breeds, collies and lurchers but never known a nose like this before! I'm sure it's no surprise to those of you who've had Labradors for a while. She found that cygnet in dense cover, not visible at all, if my son or daughter arrive home while we are out for a walk she knows from at least 500m away, she can distinguish the scent of the lad next door who walks her sometimes from that of his mate when they've walked down the drive, she repeatedly picks up the card sent by my son for my birthday, she can pinpoint the exact site of our garden hedgehog each morning …. the list goes on.

The thing is I would like to give her the chance to use this in a way that we can work together. Scentwork and tracking do appeal, but I'm not sure I want to do much more formal training. I think really what I'd like to do is teach her how to hunt myself. Which means I probably should be in the gundog section

 

[snowbunny]

Willow's nose is exceptional. Luna does well, especially when it comes to something disgusting. Shadow's is nowhere near as good - or maybe he lacks the confidence, I don't know. But Willow, wow, she amazes me.

How about having a look at the Talking Dogs Scentwork stuff? There is a book and videos you can watch online.
Willow really enjoys it, there's no pressure and you can take it at your own pace. It's really straightforward and fun, so it's hard to put pressure on your dog like it can be so easy to do in other situations.
Welcome to Talking Dogs Scentwork®

 

[Selina27]

Willow's nose is exceptional. Luna does well, especially when it comes to something disgusting. Shadow's is nowhere near as good - or maybe he lacks the confidence, I don't know. But Willow, wow, she amazes me.

How about having a look at the Talking Dogs Scentwork stuff? There is a book and videos you can watch online.
Willow really enjoys it, there's no pressure and you can take it at your own pace. It's really straightforward and fun, so it's hard to put pressure on your dog like it can be so easy to do in other situations.
Welcome to Talking Dogs Scentwork®

Thank you, Fiona. I will look into this. Is it something that you do at home then? You are right about putting pressure on in other situations, so often in a group situation she has a head burst moment and I just wonder why I'm there! I just wish I could find a 1.2.1 trainer to work with who is willing to help me put into practice all that I've learnt from the Forum and up to date methods. I thought it would be good to get out and do stuff together but really the best moments seem to come when it'd me and her working together on out daily walks.

Last week at agility she reached her limit, and I stupidly just kept asking her to go through the tunnel when it was clear she felt she'd done enough, I know her well enough to just say it's ok, you don't need to !

 

[snowbunny]

Is it something that you do at home then?

Yup! They run workshops from time to time, but the books and DVDs teach you how to do it at home. If you wanted to get into something a bit more formal, you could look at Welcome to Scentwork UK — scentworkUK.com

It's so hard not to say "just one more rep". It takes a lot of self control on our part to do that, especially when we're so close to what we're trying to get to. I still struggle with it from time to time, but I'm getting better at pulling the plug before she does.

 

[Shortie]

@snowbunny I have the talking scent work books, DVDs and mice. Plus some birch oil that’s put onto filter tips and then in a small tin with holes in. What I can’t decide is wether to train a nose touch (ok with the tin) or pick up and retrieve the mice. So not got very far with this ? yet. Did you teach a touch or something or just party when they pick mice/scent object up? Am I over thinking, lol. Only want a fun game. We are already great golf ball rescuers ?

I’d use the catnip if retrieving not the birch oil.

 

[snowbunny]

I don’t ask for the dogs to signal the scent, they just find the toy and we party! It’s entirely for fun and we’re not going to go anything with it. If you had thoughts of ever competing, you’d probably do well to look up the requirements, but for us it’s just a bit of enrichment

 

[Shortie]

Definitely no competing just pure fun & enjoyment ????

 

[Oberon]

Do you have another human to help you? If so you can do some basic tracking, with the other person laying a scent trail (ie walking.....natural surfaces at first, not hard surfaces, grass is best) then hiding behind a tree. They can drop treats and tread on them too. Start with very short tracks. Encourage your dog to put their nose to the ground. It’s ok if they pull you along while sniffing the ground - in fact that’s what you want

 

[Shortie]

Do you have another human to help you? If so you can do some basic tracking, with the other person laying a scent trail (ie walking.....natural surfaces at first, not hard surfaces, grass is best) then hiding behind a tree. They can drop treats and tread on them too. Start with very short tracks. Encourage your dog to put their nose to the ground. It’s ok if they pull you along while sniffing the ground - in fact that’s what you want

I did say to OH about doing that, will give it a go. Will have no problems getting Dex’s nose down as it’s rarely up ? I can see a face plant coming on, lol ? should be a laugh.

 

[Charlie]

I am currently reading Welcome to Scentwork @Selina27 to use with Charlie who has a nose to end all noses I really enjoy doing this work with Charlie because he focuses on me which is always a bonus with him. He can find a treat this size of my little finger nail in our large garden using direction and my attempt at a 'hunt' whistle You can buy the book on EBay for about £8. When I have read the book I will get cracking! x

 

[Naya]

We have done scentwork levels 1 & 2 near Bath. Harley loved it. I do some sort of scent work most days as she really enjoys it. I will sit her in the living room and go and hide tiny bits of treats under rugs, on toys, under toys, inside boxes, on upvc door frames then release her to go and find it. It can take up to 15 mins for her to find it all.
When it’s nice weather I hide treats around the garden and again under her toys etc.

 

[Selina27]

Thanks all for your replies, I already do lots of "find it" with her when out and about, which she loves. I will look into Scentwork training at some stage but I think I will try teaching her a hunting cue, really it's gundog work that still appeals. I just get muddled myself without a clear plan to work to, so I think I need to set one out!

If so you can do some basic tracking, with the other person laying a scent trail (ie walking.....natural surfaces at first, not hard surfaces, grass is best) then hiding behind a tree. They can drop treats and tread on them too. Start with very short tracks. Encourage your dog to put their nose to the ground.

This sounds fun!

 

[Selina27]

Charlie who has a nose to end all noses

Cassie may well rival him

 

[Shortie]

Cassie may well rival him

Yeah, Dexter is a master sniffer ? we find golf balls buried in the ground and long grass that have landed from the local golf course driving rang. Dexter loves it!