Everything that I've ever asked Turbo to look for was something he could retrieve, chew, or just play with in general.(toys, antlers, food). He was already interested in these things so I never really had to do any *real* training to get him to find them.
The items he has looked for ARE the reward.
So, how does one go about communicating to the dog that they want them to look for a new smell? How do you show them that this new smell, while not fun itself, will get them the fun reward?
In the past I would start out with progressively longer retrieves. They kept progressing until eventually they were blind retrieves and he had to use his nose to find it. Then I'd just do everything I could to hide stuff better and make him work longer.
Reg: 07-27-2009
Posts: 1421
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Well, I haven't done it (I'm hoping someone here can help), but I would try introducing him the scent and marking/rewarding his interest in it. Kind of like how that article says in The Scent Articles Game. I would just start using the termite scent from the get go.
I have used two methods and both worked well. The first method I used I got off of the Sigma website in their pseudo area. Just google it.The second method I got from Leerburgs narcotics training tape. Randy Hare also has excellent DVD's on training scent detection with his own method. My dog can find drugs and articles of clothing in buildings, vehicles and outside.
Where did you get the bedbug or termite scent? I can't seem to locate any.
When I reward the reward comes from me, not found with the item the dog is searching for. This way I don't have to wean the dog off the scent of the reward (toy or ball)
Michael depending on what you scent you are teaching determines how you have to handle the scent for the dogs safety.
Don't mix scents together and make sure you were some type of gloves so the dog doesn't get use to looking for your scent all the time of course unless that is what you wants.
Make a retrieve game out of the scent item and then hide it. That is the short of it, of course it's a little more in depth than that but that is jist of it.
The reward should come from you. Cotton towels are good and not expensive to replace.
Lisa, I haven't found any. I was just thinking out loud of examples.
Reggie, don't really have anything in mind to teach him. I've thought about teaching termites or bed bugs, but I am a ROUGH beginner and actual work is still well out of my league. Plus I'm sure there is a ton of reliability that a noob to something like this doesn't need to own.
I'm not talking anything dangerous like drugs or explosives.
Just something that isn't the reward and how to show the dog that find it will earn the reward.
I was going to use marker training, like Katie suggested, when I was training him to find shed antlers. Never got to because he liked them well enough that they became a reward. Sounds logical to me, but I thought I'd ask to see how it's done first.
So far, everything he has been asked to look for was something he wanted to play with or eat when he found it.
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