Basic find it games with Charlee for her scented tug. I haven’t officially introduced Charlee yet so for those who do not know:
Charlee is my parents new dog but I steal her for training and to hang out with Rileigh. She is a Shepherd/Husky mix who is now 8 months old. Her primary purpose is being an adventure buddy for them (she’s already gone on multiple camping trips, kayaking, paddle boarding, beach adventures, and small hikes.) She is also a learning dog for me. As a good trainer, you never stop learning. I am always eager to learn more in anyway that can help me to help dogs for the future. With Charlee, I’m training her on human remains to learn how dogs process those odors in comparison to narcotics. Not only that but how the odor moves based on the different variances (stages of decay, time of day, length of time, etc.) Will I ever work her live? Most likely no, but that being said, I will have the knowledge and experience for any dog I do train for live deployments going forward. She is a dog to problem solve with as I learn myself. Could I have taught Rileigh as my demo dog? Yes but she already knows the find it game for narcotics and ammunition where as Charlee is a clean slate starting from the ground up.
Working on down stays with Millie in new places. This girl rocked her training session and really impressed me with her willingness to please!
Sometimes in life, you may need a leg up to achieve the task at hand if it seems out of reach. Whether you ask for help or not, a small boost to get you closer can help tremendously to just keep your momentum and confidence going. And when you reach your goal, those that helped and supported you will be by your side to celebrate. This applies to both dogs and life. Give your dog a boost for momentum, for confidence, and to continue being a team. And when they accomplish their search/track/apprehension, be involved in their reward. Play with them. Tell them they did a good job. Make it fun. Be goofy. Be weird. You’re a team and the reward is their payday so celebrate with them and make it the best thing ever.
Box work this week with the Lox man 😎
One task that will be helpful and utilized frequently in Grace’s future is pressing handicap buttons to open doors. She has been getting lots of practice in this week during her visit at Utah State on the way to and from classes!
Every wondered what it’s like to be a dog during a search for narcotics? Here’s a view from their perspective! If you listen very closely you can hear the breathing pattern change as the dog goes into a rapid sniff as she works the scent down to the source!
🔥Blaze🔥 is still looking for his new home through @exigentk9 and @tko.workingdogs! If you have questions or are interested this little man let me know and I can put you in touch or reach out to them directly!
Bulleit and his dad have been working hard on recall and heeling these past few weeks! Tonight they got to try it out in a novel environment with LOTS of distractions and did GREAT!! Before, anytime Bulleit saw another animal he would take off after it and his recall was hit or miss. Tonight, he ignored rabbits, quail, doves, horses, cats, and even deer! So proud of these two and their hard work and dedication! Their commitment to training is really paying off! Way to go Bulleit! 🐾🐶
This might not look like much to some but every interaction/environment/challenge as a puppy, even the smallest, can have a huge impact on a dog the rest of their life. I’ve been working on environmentals with Blaze and confidence building. This will set him up to be comfortable in multiple situations for his future. This was his second ball throw onto this pile of scraps. It moves slightly underneath him, there is uneven footing, it makes noise, it’s shiny, and there’s random pieces sticking out. The first throw he hesitated slightly, unsure of what would happen but went for his ball anyways. Shown here is the second throw. Much more confident and ready to go with minimal hesitation to get his toy. It’s a small thing to ask him to do and it’s very short and sweet but it’s the little things that help them turn into big things! You don’t get places by making giant jumps into everything every time, sometimes you just have to go slow and be patient and inch your way there. The big things will come, some just have a different timeline.
"Dogs are most joyful, when they get to do the things that fulfill them." - Dick Russell
This dog loves to work. Every morning, I let her out of the crate into her downstairs outdoor kennel to break and eat. Does she go straight there? Some days. But when she doesn’t? She goes straight to the back of the car waiting for it to open for her to load up and go train. She will jump in the car before her crate door even opens and wiggle all around on 6” of space while I get it open. Training should always be fun, and you know you’re doing something right when your dog cannot get enough of it. Dogs will tell you how you’re doing, you get their feedback through the leash. You just have to know how to listen in order to be the most successful as a team.
That headsnap though… 😏
Did you know dogs breathe omnidirectional meaning they take air into their nose from all sides? There’s a small flap inside their nostrils called the alar fold that shifts air into the olfactory track from the respiratory track when a salient odor is recognized. That head snap Freyja does as she passes the table is called an omnidirectional headsnap and occurs when the dog is in odor. You can see her process the area, find the source of the narcotic, and give her final indication of a sit and stare. Freyja is a very clear dog when searching which makes it easy to see her changes in behavior for when she is in odor!
Getting some training in with Frejya outdoors before the triple digits hit the next few days. Still getting a feel for where she is at and what direction we are headed now that she’s back with me but we are making progress each day!
Nighttime line searches before bed with Frejya. This gal is back with me after some circumstances occurred with her original placement. We’re getting a feel of where she’s at since she hasn’t been working recently but day 2 back at it and I am extremely impressed with her. She is extremely eager and happy to be working again. I on the other hand forgot how much I love working this dog..
