Lunchtime Nosework Practice Part One

  Every now and then a day turns out too perfect to not be outside.  For the first time in a long time, I took "lunch" and elected Nosework practice over Agility training.  Since time was limited, I had to keep the search areas local and set up four different areas along the road behind us.  To be time efficient, I worked one dog at a time, but tried to give a few minutes down times between runs.

  As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I wanted to use a video camera instead of the Action Cam to record the whole environment.  Unfortunately, the camera had to be set further away to capture the whole picture and there were moments lost.  Luckily, I did use the the Action Cam until the battery died while handling Tarot, but in some cases, it saved the day.

 Area order was House, Garage, Dumpster, Shed.  Torch went first, followed by Niven.  After waiting half an hour, Tarot was finally able to work, but had to wait for an Ambulance and Oil Delivery truck to leave because both were parked in three search areas.  Tarot's order was Garage, House, Dumpster, Shed.

 To be expected, the dogs did fantastic despite serious challenges and I think they appreciated the spur of the moment training.  For me, having two different views of the sessions has enabled me to evaluate my own handling.  So while the dogs did their thing and get critiqued, they still pass with flying colors.  In a separate post, it is me that I am going to beat up on because there were a number of things I caught while editing the video that I think I need to change.

The Four Search Areas

Dog Evaluation

The House

Fire Damaged in April 2015

Three Clove Hides:

Pillar Base (2nd from left) - Flexible Tubing

Far Wall (decking screw) - Metal Canister

Pillar Deck Hole (1st from right) - Straw

  

  

  A bit of brick cleaning and other chemical processes have removed the fire damage smell, but there is still a lot of debris around the porch area.  In their own working styles, Niven, Torch, and Tarot had little difficulty finding them.  The threshold was the concrete walkway and each picked up the Pillar and Wall hide quickly.  It was cool to see they all had to go to the plastic buckets to work the higher Pillar hide.

Torch - 2 minutes / 3 Hides

Niven - 1.5 minutes / 3 Hides

Tarot - 2.6 minutes / 3 Hides

The Garage

Functioning Garage with Groundhog

Two Clove Hides:

Door Lock (5' up) - Metal Canister

Bottom Step - Flexible Tubing

  This area is a functioning garage with a lot of great motor and natural smell.  I also counted on the resident Groundhog to pose a problem, but I do not think it did.  What did throw Torch and Tarot was the Hide's five foot height and long scent plume which had to be worked for great length.  None of the dogs had any issues with locating the hide at the bottom of the rear steps.

  In fairness to all three dogs, the garage door hide was set on a master lock, canister holes facing inward, and five feet off the ground.  Both Niven and Torch did investigate with a jump up, but chose to continue searching without indicating.  Tarot had the hardest time and is the most inexperienced with this type of hide.  I cannot fault a long search given the negative factors stacked against the dog nose.  I am proud each continued to work and use the drain and gravel to finally locate source.

Torch - 4 minutes / 2 Hides

Niven - 1 minute / 2 Hides

Tarot - 6.5 minutes / 2 Hides

The Trash Dumpster

Used Daily

Two Anise Hides:

Lift Bracket (right side) - Straw

Under lip (back left side ) - Metal Canister

  At first Torch missed the cue to begin working, but soon picked up on the container search.  When it was Niven's turn, our neighbor pulled up into the search area which changed it dramatically.  Tarot needs to realize she has to stick on containers or vehicles and not find the furthest point away.

  I am not sure why this dumpster provided such an issue.  I realize both odors were converging, it was hot on the asphalt, and the truck(s) caused "odor chutes", but in my mind, this was basic.  Maybe there was a lot of awesome smelling trash adding to the problem?  (Trash pick up is Tuesday and this was Thursday)

Torch - 2 minutes / 2 Anise Hides (converging)

Niven - 50 seconds / 2 Anise Hides (converging with change of search area)

Tarot - 2 minutes / 2 Anise Hides (converging)

The Shed

Tomato Plants & Neighbor's Dogs

One Birch Hide:

On the ground (3/4 left) - Chapstick Tube

  Considering we have used this area a few times before, I thought the dogs had more trouble locating the one Hide.  Perhaps it was the grass area under summer conditions, plastic tube container, or the neighbor guest's two dogs barking in the window, but it took everyone longer than normal to find it.

  While working Torch, I realized there was a Cherry Tomato plant growing along the shed wall.  If you have dogs and vegetable gardens, you know they do not go well together.  I was surprised none of the dogs even looked at it.

Torch - 50 seconds / 1 Hide

Niven - 25 seconds / 1 Hide

Tarot - 20 seconds / 1 Hide

Video

Links to YouTube Video for each of the dogs.

 My original intent of this post was to separate the search areas and discuss the whole.  I realized this was not the greatest idea, as there are two themes, one of the dogs' performances and one of my own.  I decided to split the post in two and use the same video for discussion.

  Each link will take you to the dog's YouTube posted video and in the Part Two, I will use the same video from a different point of view.

Torch's Search Video

Niven's Search Video

Tarot's Search Video

Enjoy!
Joyce



Part Two

Lunchtime Nosework Practice Part Two

  If you have read Part One of this training session, I stayed focused on the dogs, their performance, and the obstacles they faced with the different areas they were searching.  While piecing together each dog's video, I started to shift focus to my own handling.  This came easy with the long distance video where the dog was lost in shadow and I was suddenly the main focus.

  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I thought I move around more than I do.  Using a handheld cam makes it difficult to see what I am actually doing and I am glad to finally use another source.  I am not disappointed in what was captured from both cameras, but I am with my own handling. Like we evaluate dog performances during editing, we also analyse reasons for why the human did something. Up until now Nosework has been about getting the dog experience, supporting the dog through the learning process, and just following behind.  There comes a point when the Handler has to stop training and.....handle. I believe this is where I am now and why I am being overly critical. I can beat myself up in many ways, but I walk away from this experience knowing it is time to focus on what is going on on the human side of the lead.

Video

Hand Held vs Long Range

ActionCams are easy to hold 

  My intent is not sell any camcorders, but I do want to explain the benefits to having each. The ActionCam is designed for fast movement and does a fantastic job of showing the dog's performance details.  Long Range video shows the overall performance, but leaves more questions for why the human did not act when clearly the dog was "on it".

  When trying to evaluate where the dog is in its training, up close video is incredibly important.  For Nosework, I can see where the dog picked up odor and started its track back to source.  I can see how odor is drifting by how the nose slowly circles around until it finally stops.  In other dog sports, I can see a side step or forge.  We have been focused on the dog for years and video helps us remain challenging in our training routines.  

  The ActionCam is easy and non-obtrusive, there is no worry about positioning a tripod, a second person is not bothered, and video is started and stopped when the action does.  The challenge as the person working both the dog and the camera is paying attention to both.  Obviously, the dog comes first so there will be the moments of perfect wall or spinning sky.  This can be overlooked as audio continues to record the event, how the human responds in vocal tone, problems with the environment, or overall experience.

  Having first hand video will provide feedback for what the handler was seeing with the dog.  Often this is different from what the instructor or fellow classmates see.  Years ago while running Niven in competition Agility, I swore she had side stepped toward the wrong end of a Tunnel and I adjusted my shoulders to pull her inward.  Later, someone gave me video from the sideline and there was no indication the dog was even looking at the wrong end of the Tunnel.

  Long range video needs to be set up and started, but provides a very different feedback.  The vantage point will show the overall area and play the part of the "peanut gallery".  When the dog starts to move, I focus in and normally tune out other factors that can effect behavior.  I could have another dog on the Agility course or a bird swoop into a search area, but I will never notice.  Video will show that moment when the dog seems slightly distracted offering different rationalization.

  For this practice session of Nosework, I had two cameras going before the ActionCam batteries died while working Tarot's first search.  The difference from a handling perspective is staggering and is portrayed when viewing both video types.  Most important for any video is being able to see the synchronicity between human and dog.  Did I move the way I thought I did, support enough, or not do something that would have produced better results?  

  

Handling

Frustration Finally Understood

  When you have a ton of experience in working a particular dog sport, you have a good grasp of when to start, how to teach, what to train, and then handle the dog to a finished performance.  You can take this knowledge to a new dog sport but there is a learning curve to be patient with.  Eventually, you become proficient in two sports and can cross train both.  As the same handler adds new sports, transition experience and progress comes quicker.

  Viewing the video taken from Niven, Torch, and Tarot's Nosework practice, I could evaluate their performance fairly quickly and create rational for why each did well on a particular Hide or where we need more time.  After the second view, I found I was watching myself and worst becoming highly critical of my own behaviors.  I sat here for a long time before it dawned on me this game had changed.  No longer was I training a dog to "search", but I was working a dog to do that.  I have to carry that philosophy to Nosework and start handling.

  A huge struggle for me with Nosework is that when I ask a question, I get these weird looks and evasive answers.  If anything, I feel like there is some secret society I need to belong to to get the full answer.  In response, I ended up working the dogs with the mentality of a fast find and when they did not, I tried to understand the why and adjust.  Perhaps I am not seeing the whole picture and am trying to figure out handling for four different elements.  Interior and Exteriors may require more distance, where Containers and Vehicles handle better in close quarters.  Am I not transitioning that?

  What exactly am I trying to do when working the dogs?  Numerous times in the video I hang back to give the dog space to work.  Other times, I do not take enough initiative to keep things moving.  In a way I am trying to follow the Agility Old School philosophy of "stay out of the dog's way" and apply it to Nosework.  The more distance between the dog and myself means the dog can make the decision to change direction and I induce minimal impact.  If I start working "up the dog's butt", how much pressure do I put on a poor performance especially when the dog is detailing?

  In most cases, I leave the lead loose so the dog is not hindered during a change of direction.  The con, this also allows for the dog to pick up speed and bolt forward resulting in  Herky-Jerky handling.  I feel more like a post it is tied to than handler.  If there is always tension on the lead, I might be able to put on the brakes easier, but too often this is at a cost of blistered fingers.  Do I need to handle the working styles differently, limiting access for the bolting dog and open for when there is methodical work?

  Most if not all of the Hides I place are a fair distance away from each other, but sometimes environmental conditions will cause unforeseen problems.  I have no idea what odor plumes are doing and a lot of times I let the dogs work out whatever they need to.  In some cases, they track scent back to a found Hide and I am back at square one.  Eventually I figure out where certain odor is flowing and will begin to limit the immediate area.  My fear is I will become pattern to not think Blind Hides can be set three feet apart.

  The answers to my questions would come from what the founders envisioned when they created the sport and what judges are looking for in competition.  The best option I can roll with is to focus on lead handling and to try to find a balance between "loose, but limited".  This is not an easy feat with Tarot who feels the need to run to the back of a search area and work her way to the threshold.  Taking charge and getting ahead will help Torch from revisiting a found Hide and will help all of them with vehicles/large containers.

  I never thought I "sold a Hide", but I think I am fringing this topic.  Where I do circle or move to the side, am I indirectly selling the area the Hide is in?  Or is that part of limiting the area to help the dog in training?  If I do contain where we search, at what point am I playing the arcade moving target that flips direction every time hit?  If the dog walks through an area without stopping to indicate a Hide and I continue to walk on, how am I to know the dog is ignoring odor for other interests?  Walk slow, move fast, limit lead length, play out the lead, take control, give it up; there are too many variables to factor in a strategy without knowing what a search area is doing at that moment.

  As a last point, I realize I delay the food reward after the dog's nose has stuck to the Hide.  I am not sure when this developed, but before I take any criticism, the answer is simple.  These three dogs have been working a long time and are not training to locate.  They are searching to find.  If these searches were part of a Level 1 trial, the dog would indicate a Hide and I would call "alert".  I will have to wait for a response before I can even move into to reward, so the delay is justified.

  Frustration No More
  Sine I started this set of posts, I had the opportunity to apply some of my theory into Tarot.  She is not an easy dog to handle in searches and I am determined to manage the chaos.  I took advantage of depleted energy from running Agility segments to work thresholds, containers, and interiors.  With a ton of enthusiasm, we trained and worked each element with a steady pace and focus.  I would like to say she left the building with a lot of success to process.  I can say with confidence did I.

  Enjoy the video while I still sort out my revelations and on practice them.
  Joyce