i'm startin out slow and stupid here. how do you train a dog to alert on a specfic target,using the multiple box method?i've heard it mentioned,but i am clueless as to how to start the process. please forgive my ignorance,and offer some basic assistance. just jt.

John, I'm assuming that since this question is in the bomb detection section that your dog will alert with a sit. You must first have his obedience good enough that he will do as you say because the sit is one obedience command. If his obedience is where it should be then you introduce him to the boxes you intend to use by allowing him to become accustomed to their presence. With that done you can then put him in a sit stay about 15-20 feet away and let him watch as you place his favorite toy or reward into one of the boxes. Give him the search or find command that you have previously determined that you will use. The dog will go directly to where he saw you place his toy and he will smell the box to confirm that it is there. Once he has smelled the reward you give him the sit command (Things would go much quicker if he is already sitting for his toy prior to doing this.). When the dog sits you can reach into the box and pay him with his toy or, if the box has no bottom you can just tilt the box and let him get the toy himself. Do this exercise utilizing all of the boxes until it is obvious he knows the game. Next you will put the toy into one of the boxes while he canot see you hide it. Bring the dog out and give him the search command. The dog should check each and every box until he smells the toy wherein he should then sit. Pay the dog with his toy and make a huge deal out of it (which you should have been doing all along). After enough of this type of exercise where the dog knows the game, you can start placing the desired odor with the toy so the dog will associate it with the toy. After quite a few searches with the two together, remove the toy and leave just the desired odor. The dog should sit but may show some slight confusion because his toy is no longer present. If the dog is unsure or gives a partial sit, tell him to sit. When he does, pay him with the toy. Give lots of praise. Continue this exercise until he knows the game with the new odor w/o the toy. You can then start to move the odor around to different boxes. Any additional odors should be introduced in the same manner. Do not get into a hurry to move the dog along to quickly. some do better than others. Good luck

Howard

howard, sorry to have posted this in the "bomb detection" section,i just didn't know where to post it. i have no interest in bomb or drug detection,just figured it would be easier to teach the" search" command,if he knew that something "tangible" would to be found every time he obeyed, and that he would be rewarded for his find. thank you very much,for laying this out for me. just jt.

John, If you want him to search for something, then you must make it clear to him what it is you want him to find. If its just his toy, then use the toy in training. Most working dogs are taught to find something that is either organic, or chemical based. If you want your dog to find recently lost articles such as a wallet, keys, lighter etc. then you are talking about a totally different type of training situation.

Howard

So, say you wanted to teach the dog to find your keys on command; how would you go about that?

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