What's That Smell?

Jedi works that nose

Last year's AKC Scent Work workshop went so well that my German shepherd dog club held another one this past weekend. I signed up both dogs. What a busy day that was!

Jedi hadn't done any scent work in a year. Fortunately, he remembered how the game is played:

* Find odor
* Tell Mom
* Get chicken

We were both a little rusty. I need to work on leash handling and remember to stay out of Jedi's way. Jedi needs to be more specific about where the odor is hiding. The instructor gave us exercises to help Jedi hold the alert longer and communicate the find more enthusiastically. Basically, we're trying to convince him that his dope-on-a-rope handler (me) needs a little extra help.

Trooper likes hot dogs

On the other hand, this was all brand new for Trooper. We started off just encouraging him to find bits of hot dog. To build drive, the instructor would throw the hot dog pieces and I would send him with the "go find" command. Then we moved to hiding hot dogs in places like open boxes and on chairs for him to find. We ended the day pairing the target odor (birch) with the hot dogs. Eventually, I will uncouple the two and just have him find the odor -- and when he does he will get lots o' hot dogs.

Instructor said that the workshop was about four weeks of class jammed into one day. We'll probably have to backtrack a couple steps to make sure Trooper's got it, then progress slowly. Instructor warned of stopping the pairing too soon, stating that we should realistically wait 3-4 weeks. (Note to self: look for a sale on hot dogs.)

A change from last year: The instructor alternated teaching the novice group and the advanced group, instead of doing one group before lunch and the other afterward. This new format worked really well. It gave dogs time to rest and process what they just learned. It also gave handlers a break in between exercises. However, I had a dog in each group so I was running all day. On a happy note, I reached my Fitbit step goal!

What's in the bag?

The club members hosting the workshop this year have multiple titles in NACSW Nose Work and AKC Scent Work. They wanted the workshop to mimic trial conditions. As such, there were designated parking and potty areas. Also, all dogs were crated in a centralized location. This created some mild stress for Trooper, but I think it'll be good for him in the long run.

The worst part of the day was the weather. It was cold by Florida standards. I wore heavy socks and leggings under my jeans. (I got to wear my 2018 Westminster sweatshirt, so that was cool.) The dogs were inside the garage where it was nice and warm. The handlers weren't so lucky. We bundled up and gathered around the fire pit in between runs. I'm not going to complain too much though, it was equally cold and raining the next day.

I'd really like to start competing with Jedi again. He enjoys the game, along with the hotel stays and on-the-road junk food. I also think scent work will help boost Trooper's confidence, even if he never formally competes. But it's not going to happen if I can't find time to train. I've got to find some way to make this work. Have I mentioned that this must-have-a-job thing really gets in the way of my dog sports? If only I could hit the right Lotto numbers . . . I'll keep you posted. -- K