Quote:

both circulated and uncirculated cash is placed within a search area to demonstrate that the dog does not care about either.
If the dog does the dog is run through a proofing routine until it no longer does.

How is this accomplished? I assume it would be the same method for any odor designated for indication; for example proofing the dog off substance containers i.e. PVC pipe was mentioned.

I know you just clicked on my name, but just to be sure. I only use uncirculated currency to conduct negative tests. I don't worry about circulated currency at all. Considering the work that is done, primarily highway interdiction, dogs are subjected to circulated currency on a daily basis. One could easily assume that the majority of vehicles contacted will contain some circulated currency being carried by a driver and/or passengers. If that small amount is not a problem, why concern oneself. The only time we can difinitivly show a dog has responded to currency is when there has been a substantial amount, as in volumn, not necessarily dollar amount. Hence the reason we conduct the negative tests on uncirculated currency. Hope this makes sense.

DFrost

Thanks for the feedback, David; but that's not exactly what I was getting at. I am more wondering how the training is conducted to proof a dog off non-target odors that would have been present in the initial training phases. I would guess that if you trained a dog to pick up, let's say.. gun powder, and that odor source was housed in a plastic container, later in the proofing stage should there be an empty plastic container? And should this "control" item be in a line up by itself or with an actual target odor producing substance housed in an identical container? AND... >draw breath< if the dog indicates on the control should there be a collar correction for this or just the with holding of reward?

Ahhh so, my apologies. when I need to eliminate a response to an extraneous odor, I use the absolute minimum amount of "correction" possible. Which, in most cases is absolutely nothing. I completely ignore the response. This is one of the few times I'll tell a handler where a target is located. Once I've identified an odor the dog will respond to, I'll place that odor into the training area. Then I'll tell the handler where a correct odor is placed. Start the team searching, if the dog responds on the incorrect odor, ignore the response, command the dog to start search (we are real sophisticated here, we use "find it") search to the correct odor, response, reward. I've found, that in most cases, completely ignoring an incorrect response, calls no undue attention to it, one way or the other. It's as if it's nothing. The dog learns, there is nothing to gain, until he responds to the correct odor. I've found it works quickly, with no frustration from either the dog or the handler. Of course the training is documented. Once the dog no long responds to that odor, we may "revisit" that odor at a later date. Of course we have to ensure there is no contamination, we want to make sure we use clean samples of all odors.

DFrost

Bradley, Thats pretty much how I do it as well. As in tracking, no real correction should be given as it can cause the dogs'hunt/search drive to weaken or go away altogether during that training exercise.

Howard

Great, thanks guys! I'll also have to keep that in mind while I am working at the tracking too.

Ok i don't know if i am just being slow right now or tired.

But if im understanding you correctly all your training your dog to do is Respond on residue oder?