HeRo Canine Consulting LLC

20/05/2024

Time flies when you and your dogs are having fun :-)

NACSW Member Name: Silke Wittig
NACSW Member ID: M000280
NACSW Member since: 2010
CNWI since: 2011-06-01

My dogs:
Eddie K000333 (first Birch ORT on 2011-04-17 - Pass)
Ronya K000930 (first Birch ORT on 2011-04-17 - Pass)
Snap K020426 (first Birch ORT and ORT title on 2020-01-12)

Thanks to K9 Nose Work and NACSW for an amazing journey!!! And of course to my absolutely incredible canine partners-in crime and teachers :-)

17/05/2024

This is a courtesy post.
Please feel free to share with anyone who may be interested in taking an Intro to K9NW class in Eugene, OR

Send a message to learn more

28/04/2024

Excellent podcast by fellow CNWI Dianna Santos

In this podcast episode, we discuss the nuances involved with competition, how we may need to more closely evaluate our trial results and the potential pitfalls of incorrectly interpreting these results.

21/04/2024

LIMITED WORKING AND AUDITING SPOTS OPEN

"NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES OF EXTERIOR SEARCHES" with Silke Wittig, hosted by Trust Your Dog K9 Events

Date: Monday, May 27, 2024

Location: Wildwood Recreation Area, Welches, OR

Morning session: 8:30 – 11:30 am
NW3 Elite and Summit

Afternoon session: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
NW3 and Elite

For more information and to register, please email Rebecca Niday directly at [email protected]

20/04/2024

NW3 Skills & Strategies Workshop with Wendy Krehbiel.
Heading to or working on NW3? This can be one of the most challenging levels of competition. The NW3 Skills Workshops will take a look at a variety of skills needed to compete and succeed at this trial level. Getting extra input and ideas can be critical for you and your dog. Wendy will set up searches, odor problems and situations that you can expect to see at the NW3 level. She will also give you input and suggestions for your team. The half-day workshop will be run like an extended class with searches for the demo teams and observation learning time for the auditors.
May 18, Winlock, WA
Information & registration: https://dorothyturley.com/seminars/

18/04/2024

NACSW K9 Nose Work® Online Instructor Training and Certification Course (CNWI Program) - OPENS TODAY

Segment 1: September 13-16, 2024
Segment 2: January 10-13, 2025

Register here: https://conta.cc/441uo2H

Silke

K9 Nose Work CNWI Course - Participate from Home... ****New**** K9 Nose Work Instructor Course (ONLINE) Starting September 2024 Open for registration on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Segment 1 (days 1-4)

08/02/2024

https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2024/02/having-reactive-dog-is-difficult-and.html

When dogs lunge, bark, and growl at other dogs or people, the dog is having a hard time—and so is their guardian. More awareness of this is needed.

02/01/2024

You don't want to miss this.     Upcoming Q1 2024   2024 is a great year to build your K9 Nose Work® knowledge and enhance yours and your canine partner's scenting enjoyment.   Webinar: Mindful Traini

30/11/2023

This event will also be recorded and available for viewing afterwards.

In response to continued reports of an upswing in respiratory illness impacting dogs across various US states, we invite you to join our exclusive free live Q&A webinar, “Separating Fact, Fiction, and Uncertainty: Canine Respiratory Illness Q&A” to be held on November 30th, 2023 at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET.

Register and submit your questions for the expert panelists at https://trupan.in/3sMXAwj

30/11/2023

In response to continued reports of an upswing in respiratory illness impacting dogs across various US states, we invite you to join our exclusive free live Q&A webinar, “Separating Fact, Fiction, and Uncertainty: Canine Respiratory Illness Q&A” to be held on November 30th, 2023 at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET.

Register and submit your questions for the expert panelists at https://trupan.in/3sMXAwj

29/11/2023

NW Class Musings: Who is your dog today… right now? (aka be mindful of labels)

I was attending a nose work class with my dog Snap yesterday. There were two low hides along the perimeter of the room and one crack hide on the ground in the middle in a large garage/barn type building. The hides were known to me.

Snap worked slowly and got them quickly one after the other (ha, only in nose work can you juxtapose slow and quick 😉). One other class participant asked if Snap was a “methodical dog”, and I didn’t really know what to say…. Snap can be slow and methodical, but he can also be fast and silly. He can be focused, and he can be distracted…. My dog is all that!

This really got me thinking – who is my dog - and how can I explain that to my students, so it makes sense to them? The answer came to me on my way home: I have to work WITH THE DOG IN FRONT OF ME, THE DOG WHO HE IS AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME! We always talk about it, but we and our students need to really internalize it. We need to remind ourselves and our students what this looks like and that it can vary from search to search, but even change within a search (regardless of whether it’s at a trial or in a training session). I have to objectively observe who he is at any given moment and respond/handle accordingly.

If I LABEL my dog – or even my students’ dogs, e. g. “he is methodical”, or “she is always distracted in exteriors” or “he always has problem with elevated hides”, there is a danger that I, the handler or instructor, am not actually observing what the dog is doing at any given point in time, not give them credit for something well done or even realize that they may have may be different now.

“What are the negative effects of Labeling? Labels can shape expectations that are set for other people, creating stereotypes. These stereotypes can result in unrealistic expectations or expecting less from someone despite what they are capable of.” (source: Turner Syndrome Foundation: https://turnersyndromefoundation.org/2021/07/13/the-power-of-labels/)

Maybe my dog is getting older (8.5 year old Pittie), maybe he has more experience now, maybe he just decided to make me proud and decided to knock those ground hides out of the park in front of 10 or so other people 😊, but I also know that he has rolled around on the ground in interior searches or tried to grab tennis balls of the feet of tables and chairs in kids’ classrooms at trials 😊! He makes me humble, proud, happy, frustrated, laugh…
As my friend and fellow CNWI Debbie Pierce says: “I just need to show up and support the dog I have in front of me.”

And that is another reason while I love nose work - constantly having to be “in the moment” with my dog, a reminder to “live here and now”!

Enjoy each moment, and let your dog be the guide on this wonderful nose work journey!

P. S. And our poor dogs never know which handler they are getting at any given training session or trial, either - it must be so confusing for them :-)!!!

© Silke Wittig – HeRo Canine Consulting LLC

16/11/2023

Mark your Calendar - Sniff for a Good Cause - December 16, 2023 in Corvallis, OR

Fellow CNWI Deb Pierce and I are doing a fundraiser for her church “Let’s Eat” program on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at Evangelical Church, 1525 NW King’s Blvd in Corvallis.

We will probably be running some Cyber Scent Work and/or Cyber Sniffing Games searches, but you do not need to be a member of www.cyberscentwork.com to sign up (but you can earn ribbons and titles if you do).

More details to come soon - stay tuned!

Bridge the gap between Scent Work training and trialing. Submit search videos to be reviewed, scored and receive amazing training feedback from our talented Review Officials. Earn Q's toward Element and Level Titles too. WOW!

10/11/2023

https://www.countrysidedogsports.com/post/musings-on-trust-gator-s-lesson

Recently, I sent in a video of a challenging container search for review from a judge and coach who has never met me or my dog. I also judged Nosework and Scent Work trials several weekends in a row. Because these events happened simultaneously, the topic of “trust” was amplified in a really int...

09/11/2023

Mindful Training for Peak Performance with Teah Anders and Heather Sumlin, 4-session webinar starting on January 15, 2024, hosted by K9 Nose Work® Education Division

Does your dog know what s/he's doing, but you are struggling with trial nerves, trusting your dog, blurt-alerting, doubting yourself, and the whole shebang? Has your confidence taken a hit (or two or three)? Are you enjoying competition as much as you would like to? Are you frustrated or upset with your performance? Do you feel you could do better?

I started with the program in October 2022, initially taking some MM privates with Teah, as I was just not enjoying nose work competitions! My dog Snap certainly has the skills, but I was lacking. I felt I owed it to him to become the best handler I could be, and I wanted us both to be joyful and have fun (he always does 😊) not just in training but at trials, regardless of the outcome! Trust me when I say that this program really works. Does it take dedication, commitment and discipline to implement it? Yes! Does it take practice? Yes! But it’s worth it, so don't miss this opportunity!

If you are an instructor, you will also be able to pass on many of these concepts to your students and integrate them in your coaching, to make them better, and create a positive attitude

Teah is a long-term nose work handler and competitor, as well as a NACSW-approved Certifying Official and Trial Judge. She has been a Mental Management Certified Instructor Level 3 since 2013.
Heather is the daughter of Lanny Bassham, creator of Mental Management Systems, and is an amazing presenter on the subject.

Register here – it is absolutely worth the equivalent of trial entry fee 😊!

COST: $160 for General Public including Lapsed NACSW Instructors and those who have registered for an instructor course but have not yet attended Segment 1 $120 for NACSW Instructors (CNWI/ANWI/PNWI) in active status INSTRUCTORS: Teah Anders and Heather Sumlin DATE/TIME: 6:00-7:30 PM Pacific Time on...

08/11/2023

WHY WE LOVE NOSE WORK

This short 0:07 sec video clip is part of why I love nose work. We were competing in a NW3 trial in OR.

Snap just cracks me up - he was having a blast! He then proceeded to find both hides in the room and pass the search. Made the judge and timer chuckle too :-).

You just can't not have fun in this sport!

Thanks, Snap, for being my nose work partner, making me humble and proud, and for taking me on this amazing journey with you where we can explore and have fun together.

08/11/2023

ELT-S at Yamhill Heritage Center in McMinnville

It was a rainy day at Yamhill Heritage Centerwhere team Snap participated in the first official ELT-S trial on November 6 in the afternoon, but we got a rainbow!

Snap did it again - 1ST PLACE with 90 points and a total time of 7:23.98. We are so in sync at the moment, and he makes me laugh, too (will be posting something about that shortly :-))! All the good training, coaching and practice is paying off, and Mental Management has been super helpful to get me into the right mindset.
Can't wait to get the videos for this trial (hint hint, Kristina :-))!

Thanks to hosts Carol Forsberg and Kristina Leipzig for hosting, Cindy Crimmel and Tracey Gamley for VCing, Fabian and Bob for judging and of course the amazing volunteer and score room crew.

And thanks to NACSW for creating this new trial opportunity and format - it is a great way for NW3/L3 teams to ease into Elite and see what the challenges can be as well as for Elite teams who may not have the stamina to do full day trials anymore.

05/11/2023

Team Snap L2C - 2023-10-22 in Yamhill, OR - video compilation

The video is only 1:50 mins long - enjoy!

21/10/2023

https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/the-resilience-rainbow/

An IAABC Foundation Publication

16/10/2023

SNAP – ELITE
Team Snap concluded his NW3 journey with a BANG!
1st place Overall
2nd place Containers, 3rd place Exterior
4 Pronounced searches
3rd NW 3 title
Total search time (6 searches): 6:57.84 mins
And of course the coveted Elite title 😊

The weather at Camp Taloali in Stayton, OR was perfect nose work weather, sunny with some clouds and a slight breeze with temps in the 50s and 60s. Lots of room to park and a huge potty area (both, IMO, can also make a difference).

Thanks to Janice Jenkins for hosting, her amazing, efficient and always smiling volunteer and score room team, the wonderful judges Terri Spaeth-Merrick and Cathie Laber and CO Teah Anders (on a side note, Teah is also a Mental Management and Goal-Setting coach, and I can strongly recommend her programs at noseworkmind.com, just sayin’ 😊!)

Above all, thanks to all the PNW people who welcomed me with open arms when I moved to OR in October 2022, both instructors and clients. Being able to take classes from other instructors (novel environments, not my odor, not my hide placements, other dogs’ drool 😊!) has been invaluable. I am also blessed with wonderful students who have always been an integral part of the journey, helping me become a better instructor, but also teammate to Snap!

A big thank you also goes to my “old” GA and AL friends and instructors; I am so glad we are still in touch and supporting one another. The friendships K9NW has forged are simply amazing!

And of course, I am soooo grateful to Ron Gaunt (RIP), Amy Herot and Jill-Marie O’Brien for creating the activity of K9 Nose Work® (k9nosework.com) and the sport, sanctioned by NACSW (www.nacsw.net)! You have so enriched our and our dogs’ lives with your vision and mission!

09/10/2023

There is a big misconception floating around that says pairing scary things with treats will change how your dog feels about those things.

Dog hates the vet? Not if the vet gives them treats.

Dog is afraid of strangers? Have everyone in the room give them a snack.

But here’s the truth.

The only thing pairing food with scary things does, is make those things a predictor of food.

This is the equivalent of giving me $100 every time I see a spider.

I might start thinking about (and looking for) money when I see the critters…

I might even get excited at the notion that a payday is on the way.

And I may actually seek spiders out - something I’d not have done previously.

If, in pursuit of the cash, I had a ton of experience with spiders and realized they were nothing to fear…awesome. The money didn’t change how I felt about spiders. My experience with spiders did.

But if, in pursuit of the money, I found one had snuck up on me and was crawling on my neck…

I’d panic (My skin is crawling just thinking about it).

I’d likely stop engaging in the game.

And I might even stop trusting the person who was giving me the money.

Because it isn’t the reward that changes how I feel about things.

My experience does.

And the same is true for your dog.

Food rewards are an awesome tool for forging positive associations.

But alone, they don’t change how your dog feels about anything.

In fact, using food can result in some major problems if not done correctly.

Your dog might get too close for comfort in pursuit of food, which can lead to a negative experience.

Stuff can sneak up on them if they are too focused on food, which might validate their fears.

And you can inadvertently make rewards unappealing if the thing they are paired with makes them really uncomfortable.

In order for you to successfully change your dog’s feelings about something…

You have to give them positive experiences with those things.

Create opportunities for them to be around the thing without feeling stressed, coerced or trapped.

And protect their experience so they learn the thing they were afraid of isn’t so scary after all.

30/09/2023

What Dogs Can Teach Us

Life is full of disappointments. The only way to not be disappointed or get frustrated is to not set any goals or have any expectations. Tempting, but also without risk or sacrifice, there is no reward. Without purpose, there is no direction. Without vulnerability there is no connection. So we get ourselves a sport dog to fill some of those voids. To belong to a community, to do something 'fun' with our dogs, to set and achieve goals. After all, what else are you going to spend your time and money on? And maybe you'll have fun, make friends, and earn some satiny green ribbons along the way.

Except that we often get caught up in the pursuit of letters that will go before or after our dog's name on a piece of paper. We pass by the awards table coveting that glittery bar or that colorful rosette, thinking how happy we'll feel when they finally become ours and all the congratulations that will come our way. We'll be happy when...

And we lose sight of all the lessons our dogs present to us along the way. We become blind to what they can teach us about ourselves and what they really mean to us.

Dogs can teach us that frustration arises from unmet expectations and sometimes we need to adjust those or how we train or handle, instead of getting mad at the dog. They can teach us that an NQ does not equal failure if they've done 95% of the course right but tick one bar or *we* miscue one turn. They can teach us what we truly are capable of if we try new things -- and sometimes they teach us what we aren't (yet) capable of as handlers and trainers.

They can teach us that their gift is not in the ribbons won or titles earned, but how we grow as humans when we open our minds to new solutions or sometimes just accept what is and live by our own standards rather than other people's. They can teach us about comfort zones (their and ours) and how progress isn't linear but more of a zigzag and sometimes a meandering path that's a rich journey filled with memories. They can teach us that their greatest role isn't as a sport teammate, but a soulmate and confidante who listens to our troubles without judgment for hours on end, sits on the couch beside us when we watch Netflix alone, and drags our butt out the door on walks on chilly days when we'd rather stay inside. They can teach us that their friendship and just being there is vastly more important than ribbons.

If we allow it, they can teach us how to not compare ourselves to other teams. How to handle comments, both compliments and criticism. How to look for the lesson when goals go unmet and then how to regroup and try again. They can teach us that things happen in their own time, in their own way, not by some prescribed vision that we conjure out of convenience. They can teach us how to be present and grateful for what is.

They remind us that everyone’s journey is unique and the gifts that we get along the way are not always the ones we thought we wanted. If we let them. If we look for the lessons.

27/09/2023

There are still open spots available for the 4-session online Mental Management webinar with Teah Anders, hosted by Janice Jenkins/Canine Discovery Corp

https://caninediscoverycorp.com/mindful-training-for-peak-performance-online-mental-management-seminar-series-w-teah-anders/

If you are struggling with HANDLER nerves, stress and performance, I strongly suggest you take it!

Wednesdays October 18, 25, November 1, 8, 2023 6:00-7:30pm (4 sessions) For the past 24 years, Teah Anders,  has been working with dogs and handlers helping them communicate and learn behavior…

23/09/2023

https://www.science.org/content/article/humans-haven-t-just-changed-what-dogs-look-we-ve-altered-very-structure-their-brains

Differences in breed behavior are rooted in dogs’ neural anatomy

22/09/2023

For our 100th episode, we have the distinct privilege of speaking with the Co-Founders of NACSW, Amy Herot and Jill Marie O'Brien about all things odor, K9 Nose Work, training, trialing and more.