Webinars

COMMON PITFALLS

1.) Thinking No’s don’t matter

No’s are allowed… that doesn’t mean they don’t matter! Every No is worth half a hide worth of points. That’s huge when it comes to standings at the end of the day. Think again about what you think it means to be successful. Does the word No fit within your description?

2.) Calling hides too early

Before calling a hide, Breathe In then Breathe Out… most No’s are the result of a split second call. In Flemington, I falsed on a red garbage can that was used to hold dirty rags (in an Autoshop). I saw a Change of Behavior and went with that instead of following my own rules!

3.) Waiting for perfection before you call a hide

In Flemington in the woodshop there was a deep inaccessible under a group of 6 tables. I spent most of my search time trying to source that hide. Finally we got it but I was afraid to call it earlier… I was worried about no. As it turns out the judge was taking ANYTHING around the group of tables… had I called it sooner I would have had more time to cover the rest of the room! Take your time but don’t belabor an inaccessible.

4.) Lack of confidence in calling hides

This kind of goes along with waiting for perfection before calling a hide. You have to have the mental fortitude to risk a no. However it’s a calculated risk! Think before you speak but have confidence in your calls!

5.) Not keeping track of time

In Elite you now have large complicated search areas. Many times you have the option to work off leash. Some people prefer on leash… which is fine… however recognize that you might not be able to cover the whole search area! Covering the entire search area is CRITICAL in being successful in an Elite Division Trial.

6.) Not searching the whole area

Ah yes! You need to cover your ENTIRE area!! I’ve left hides behind that have costed me HIT simply because I didn’t cover the entire area adequately. Think about perhaps letting your dog drive the first 80% of the search and then you directing into areas the last 20% of the search. This may mean that you need to go on leash (unless your dog directs well off leash).

Here’s a video clip of me doing a nice search in a wood shop… but notice that I NEVER get into the corner with the last hide! Ugh… lesson learned!

7.) Being afraid to put the dog back on leash

What’s that? I just talked about how searching off leash is better? Yes! But don’t be afraid to put your dog back on leash. IF and that’s a big IF you have time, putting your dog back on leash can help you make sure you cover your area and do a little extra detailing of the search area.

8.) Losing track of hides found

This is ESPECIALLY important if you have a dog that returns to found hides. Not only do you have to be able to count but you also have to remember where the hides were! This can be one of the most difficult aspects. In my first Elite trial I had to search a line of identical horse stalls!

9.) Taking too large of a risk

If you aren’t pretty sure… don’t call it! Watch this clip… I took an appropriate risk in calling this elevated hide. I would not have called a simple look up!

10.) Not using the last 30 seconds effectively

Ah! When you hear that 30 second call don’t just call Finish!! USE that 30 seconds!!  Ask yourself if your dog is in odor or working an area.  If he's working the area, use your 30 seconds.  If he's not, consider if you have time to get to another area to work.

Here's a short clip of Judd working the last 30 seconds of a search.

11.) Not keeping yourself in the moment

Head games are huge at this level...  although they are completely different than NW3 head games.  No longer do you have to just worry about a single hide search with straighforward hides...  Now head games are taken to a whole new level.  At one trial that I'm aware of, competitors were given 90 seconds to work an area without a walkthrough...  they were given a range of 1 to 6 hides.  There were 5 hides.  Not staying in the moment is deadly in a search such as this.

12.) Refeeding at hides

We will get into this next week.  Basically if you occasionally refeed you've taught your dog that there is a lottery ticket at the occasional hide and that the lottery tickets are scratch off winners.  You've actually increased your chance that your dog will return to a found hide.  In the case of close convergence, your dog will not want to find the unfound hide!