Jackie tackled various new searches, including water and wind challenges, demonstrating improved alerting behavior and proficiency finding buried scents. Despite minor distractions, Jackie's performance was impressive, prompting preparation for trialing and emphasizing the importance of trial environment familiarization and strategic training tactics.
Jackie looking smarmy in her nosework harness and matching custom 10-foot Mendota lead
She also practiced interior searches finding multiple hides, and hides buried in sand. My ability to read Jackie's alert signal, freezing and holding nose on source, is getting stronger every time we play.
The super single is where a single hide is hidden three to four feet above the ground surface level, far away from the start line, with the scent source placed upwind on a windy day so it is blowing directly toward the dog.
It was interesting watching Jackie use her nose in the wind. At the startline, far from the super single source, Jackie immediately alerted on the startline cone. This would be a "false" alert at a trial, as scent is never placed on the startline cones themselves (though scent can be placed on the same plane as the startline).
After our coach planted the super single source, she then returned to the start line and placed the cone. We're convinced Jackie alerted on the cone because of residual scent from the coach's hand.
Once we removed the smelly cone, Jackie quickly picked up the scent and ran to source, hopping up on her hind legs to smother the source, hidden about four feet up the building's wall, giving her alert signal. It was so easy for Jackie but I was impressed!
Jackie effortlessly and quickly found all the buried scents, both in sand and in water. She struggled a bit with the interior search, quickly alerting the first source but then getting distracted by a dog poop bin and returning to the already found source placed just next to the smelly bin. We re-started the search and Jackie found the last hide.
Jackie made quick work of finding multiple buried hides in water, even with distractions
Pearls:
- It's time to preemptively join the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) in anticipation of trialing. Since Jackie has her Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) lifetime number from AKC, we're solid for AKC events.
- Volunteering at scent work trials is a great way to learn many of the ins and outs of a trial environment in preparation ahead of one's first trial.
- Scent hides will never be placed on a start line cone at a trial.
- There are regulations about how close scent hides are placed together (or apart) at trials, so be sure to know the rules of each association before trialing to stack the cards in your favor.
- A quick game of tricks (think spin, nose touch, any quick game) with rewards to reset your dog if they are struggling at a trial is fair play, so use this tactic if needed. A quick refresher game with rewards is helpful during training if your dog is struggling and needs to reset.
Jackie is triumphant in front of the hide buried in sand
