A video I shot this morning of my dogs training for scent work Class B (Bommi) and Class C (Helga).


This is a work in progress and I am training for the May 2013 show.

Class C (judge's scent ) being the more difficult one for me to teach , is shown in detail so that I can get some feedback.


Class B (my scent) is so easy for Bommi that she is almost bored when I ask her to do it.


Anyway ...here it is

SCENT DISCRIMINATION CLASS C and B

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I love watching your dogs work Ram. I especially like to see the way they run past the scented hankie and then their head whips around when they catch the scent.

I especially intested because I'll be starting Sport Detection with Sasha hopefully in April.

I'm having computer troubles and I'm temporarily unable to watch videos. But I just wanted to say good luck in your competition coming up in May!

Thank you all for your kind words.

What I have learnt so far is that...

Scent discrimination is the most difficult work for the human to teach and the easiest for the dog to learn.

This is because the human has no idea about what the dog is perceiving and the human has to teach it BLIND ..so to speak.

The only exercise where the dog teaches the human how it needs to be taught.

The biggest issue for me is to learn to trust the dog and not get flustered when "I think" she has got the wrong cloth.



I would love to hear from people who compete in this sort of (british based) obedience about how they teach scent matching to a stranger's scent with other decoys in the line up.

I STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO TEACH THIS.

Ram

Okay, I think I may have my computer video problem fixed (keeping my fingers crossed). So I was able to watch your whole video, Ram.

I have couple of questions, if you don't mind. I noted that when your dogs returned to you with the kerchief, they dropped it several feet from you and then continued to come to you, where you then rewarded them with a treat. Now, I know nothing at all about British-style scent exercises, but I was wondering if that's acceptable (for them to drop it so far away from you.) In AKC, the dog must bring the scent article all the way back to the handler, sit in front position, and wait for the handler to take the article from the dog.

At one point, I noticed that Helga picked up the article and then kind of flung it just a short distance, then proceeded back to you, and you rewarded her. So I'm just a little confused. But maybe in your type of competition, all they have to do is indicate the correct kerchief by picking it up and they aren't required to bring it back to you? Just wondering.

I really like your whole demeanor with your dogs. You're always so calm and, they seem so happy to be working with you!

Yes, In our trails , the dogs are required to bring in the article and sit in front of the handler and hold it till asked to out .

My dogs have a very good retrieve and sit and hold. So I do not want to reward that behaviour.

Since I am in the training phase for Class C scent, I want helga to learn that , picking up the right scent in her mouth is what got her the reward , and not the retrieve.

Since this is the learning phase, I mark reward (with a YES) for picking up the scented cloth. Once I mark, she just throws it away and comes running in for the treat.

I do this so that her full concentration is on learning the scenting part, as the act of getting the scented kerchief and her receiving the (Mark = "YES") reward happen very close to each other.

If I wait for her to come upto me and present me the kerchief ...then I will loose the ability to emphasize the important part of this training exercise.


You can see that I do the same with bommi too.

My dogs have a good retrieve and helga especially.

here is her retrieve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLwpoYp8ZL0