Beate and Ruby (Jack Russel Terrier)

Hi, I'm taking this class with Ruby, my 18-month old JRT who really loves her nose. She is my very first dog and challenges my trainer abilities every single day. We've taken some other foundation FDSA classes but haven't decided which sport we will go deeper into yet. Since she has some confidence issues, I think NW might be a good pick for a start.
I've followed all the other gold students over the last couple of days and enjoyed it a lot. Finally our starter kit was delivered this morning, and I couldn't resist upgrading to gold. Here we are and we are very exited to start working with you.

Welcome to class Beate and Ruby! This is a great sport for building confidence! Can't wait to work with you both!!

And look how many different breads we have! We have a really nice mix of dogs!

I look forward to reviewing your first video homework. Let me know if you have any questions.

Julie, here is our first video. I edited our two very first sessions from today, both of them lasted about 2:30 min, into one video. Since Ruby knows IYC, I think she understood the game very quickly. At sec. 30 she missed the treat I put under the tin, so I showed her where it was. Continuing, I tried to put the treat beside the tin. I had to think hard and missed a few of Ruby’s finds.

Nice job! This is how I picture the first sessions to go! And you had the advantage of wathcing the other gold threads first which is also nice!

I would agree she picked this up fast with her previous understanding of IYC. Great job at 1:01, 1:05, and 1:08 with rewarding her for staying. No fooling her! Also some of that near the end too. I liked how you changed hands frequently to mix it up too.

I would do 1 or 2 more sessions like this - and feed more then 1 treat when she goes to source. Feed 5 or so treats one right after the other. Make it VERY worth her while to find and stay.

Then you can pick a challenge of your choice from the lecture .

I look forward to your next video. Great job!

We did one session this morning, and another this afternoon, adding all 4 challenges to It’s your choice. I had 3 instead of 4 q-tips in the tin. Ruby is very excited about this new game, but I’m not quite sure if I should reward the pawing on the tin.

In the first half you have your treat hand too far away and behind your knee. Let's make it more of a choice for her. After about 30s or so it was better.

Good observation about the pawing on the tin. I would not reward that otherwise she will thinking pawing is what is paying. She may be a dog that paws at source and that's a very good indication, but for now, try to not accentuate it. Mark for nose on tin and try and get reward in before any pawing.

You had some nice stay at source behavior that you marked multiple times without her moving off (51s, 54s, 57s, 1:00, 1:26, 1:30, 1:34, 1:37 ...). Keep that up.

I would hold onto the tin a little more as it was moving around a lot. Just grip it a little more if you have it in your hand.

I would do another session where your hands are elevated a bit like in the first session which should help minimize the pawing. Next I'd try the "two tins" game - one cold, one hot and then move on to a small vented plastic container that has the hot tin.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Julie, we did a few more practice sessions, and I think I was able to minimize Ruby’s pawing. Today I changed the location and tried the “two tins” game and vented containers. I believe Ruby understands the game now.

Do you think we should proceed to the next lesson?

This is so much fun for us. I’ve noticed a change in Ruby, but I’m not sure if it’s related to nosework. Usually she can’t settle down very well after our morning pasture runs. During the last couple of days we practiced our games at this time, and then she falls immediately to sleep. Could this be related?

Good! I only saw one paw at the end! See if you can wait that out and her paw to move off.

At the beginning it was too much of a delay to get treats off your knee down to source and she pulled off and you brought her nose to source (5s, 17s, 23s, 1:11s). It did look nice at 33s, 41s, 1:08s ... she stayed and you got treats to source in time when she stayed. So she was obviously learning with the mark and was realizing to stay at source.

Your timing when you had the food in your cold tin hand (at the end of that session at 1:17s) was perfect! As was the rest of the video with the plastic container and the cardboard box - at 1:35, 1:43, 1:46 and 158. Just perfect! She likes the containers! Little nose presses trying to tell you "it's here, it's here"!!

Yes, I would move on to the next lessons. I would try some duration - move hand in slow to feed on the containers you used. And then try some of the hunting games!

During the last couple of days we practiced our games at this time, and then she falls immediately to sleep.

YES! Using their nose is a tiring thing! Mentally and psychically tiring. Which is why I like scent sports for puppies - it tires them out! Glad it is settling her down!

Julie, in our last sessions I tried to add duration and the RLGL game. Ruby still likes to use her paws when the container is on the floor. I don’t reward this and I think she eventually will learn. A few days ago you said that she might be a dog that paws at source. What does it mean for my rewarding her when we start the hunting with multiple containers on the floor?

Great sessions. Thanks for putting some of the comments in the video. Getting good duration on container and also the RLGL game when you come in from the side was VERY nice. It was when you were coming in from the top, that she was more distracted and you led her nose to source. So that one is just m ore challenging for her. Continue to build up her understanding and try that one every once in a while coming from above and also intermix it with immediate feeding AND feeding more than one kibble when she is at source. That will build more value to the odor.

Terriers tend to to be little pawers at source. And you're right, it tends to be when hides are on the ground. It's not a bad thing (pretty clear indication) but you run the risk of disrupting the environment or scratching cars. The best you can do is to not feed her when pawing. Wait her out and feed when not pawing, or get in quick. The point is to not let her thinking pawing is what we want. It's being at source.

Let's see how it looks with the multiple container. You can weigh them down so they don't flip all over the place (might take some of the fun out of that behavior) or find a way to elevate all of the a little. If it were a big dog I would place the containers on chairs. Let's see how it works. You DO want to feed when she is showing interest in odor. If you start delaying too long, she will get frustrated and confused. So find that second she isn't pawing at the container and swoop in and feed, feed, feed, feed, in a row.

This video shows our searches from today. Search 1&2 was “find it” with one container, one plastic and one card box. You will notice she is generally pawing less, but with the card box she still remembers our past pivoting training (having her front paws on top of the box), and I just ignored that hoping she will eventually figure it out by herself. All other pawing I don’t reward at all. Is this the right way to handle it? Search 3&4 was “more choices” with 4 boxes on floor. As we progress in our learning the more fun we have.

That was simply lovely!!! Her finding, her searching, her behavior at odor!!

With the cardboard box, at 47s I would have just picked up the box a few inches so her feet came off then reward.

And I just loved the more choices searches. Look at her go. So confident and your reward at source was perfect and generous.

I'm so glad you are having fun. It does get more interesting when we get past some of the basic drills.

Next I'd try the 4 boxes in new places. Outside, new building. [edited] And also play the shell game.

Tomorrow night I will post a new lecture on proofing which she will be ready for!! But get in a few more sessions like this.