Since there is no forum for wilderness airscent, this seems like the next-best place for this thread.

I'm looking for some suggestions regarding a new GSD on our team. She's training in wilderness airscent, and I know that there are probably a couple of people on this board who know a little about this.

Anyway, here's the problem.
1) The dog won't range. She stays right next to her handler, sometimes behind him (in tall grass). When she hits the scent cone, she's marvelous, but we need to get her to range. One thing our head trainer suggested was that the handler move faster, and when the K9 does range, even a little, praise her in small doses, so that she knows she's doing the right thing. Any other ideas?
2) The dog has no interest in playing. Once she gets the toy, play is over. She will not "out", but will run back to her handler, losing all interest in the "subject". This one's got me a little stumped, since my own K9 is a natural retriever; if you act like a goofball, he'll gladly join in. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> This GSD is different; you could do backflips naked while singing the Star Spangled Banner, and she would not have any interest. It's almost as if she doesn't know how to play, or doesn't want to.

It's ultimately up to her handler to train her, and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But, I'd like to help him as much as possible. I think the dog has a lot of potential, if we can troubleshoot these behaviors, and I'd like to see them succeed.

I'm looking for some suggestions regarding a new GSD on our team. She's training in wilderness airscent

Anyway, here's the problem.
1) The dog won't range.
2) The dog has no interest in playing.

I think that problem number 2 is possibly the majority of your answer. A dog who isn't motivated to do the job simply won't do it. If you can find something that the dog is willing enough to work to earn, you can build up her enthusiasm to search which should also increase her ranging. I use raw hamburger with a little molasses or a jar of baby food followed by a game of tug. She would do backflips for the raw hamburger and molasses.
I also had a GSD in our unit that would get incredibly distracted on a track. This dog also didn't find food or the toys we offered reinforcing enough at the end. We knew we had to find something that this dog REALLY wanted. The handler finally found it...a bite sleeve. She is now weaning him down to a big tug toy (that Leerberg sells). He is trailing MUCH better now.

The other possibility is that the dog is confused yet. Perhaps his training has been progressing too rapidly? My bet though is on finding the right motivation.

I hope this helped.

Wendy D. & K9 Cassie
Northstar S.A.R.D.A.

I would suggest letting the dog pick the motivational item, whether it be food or a toy/tug. You can be quite surprised with the "things" a dog might find motivating. I know of a GSD in the same SAR group as Wendy's that goes crazy for a piece of plastic snow sled! Conventional no, effect yes.

Dave and Bruno
North Star SARDA

Thanks for your suggestions. We think we're on track with what's going on. Without going into great detail, it all boils down to foundation work. We've got the handler going in the right direction on that now, so I think we'll be seeing a lot of improvement. But I will keep all of the feedback I have received here in the back of my mind as we go along.