owner is people reactive in class

[sjtorr]

I'm thinking of doing nose work (at some point) with my pup... so this is all very informative!

I assume based on what I'm reading here that crating during session is normal - ok, I get that, fewer distractions etc.

What about covering the crate? Would that help / would they allow it? or would it just stress more?

 

[furrykidmom]

Crate

My boy is crate trained too so I was surprised at his behavior. However, he is not usually crated while we are in the room except at bedtime. Additionally, there were other dogs there that he had never met and some of them were stressed. The Spaniel next to him cried off and on while in the crate and there was a blind and deaf Dane that absolutely would not use the crate. He drooled so much in the crate that it was bubbling out the door. Ironically, his name is Bubbles and he had the name before the behavior.

The dogs are crated for multiple reasons I believe. One is that they want the dogs to concentrate on the boxes while they are learning. I guess the dogs being out on leash would be distractive but in my opinion so is the barking and whining. The big reason that I picked up on is not all the dogs are dog friendly. The Lab had on a Thundershirt. I dont know why. They are all adults except my puppy who technically does not meet the age requirement for another month but he is very driven and responsive and I know the owners so they snuck us in early. We are only doing it for fun not for competition. For us this is just a game. Something to keep him busy and tighten the bond between us.

I plan to take either dried fish skins to class or a stuffed Kong. If it is still an issue then I will ask to have him out and controlled by me. I warned the trainers that if this woman speaks up again I will be approaching her. I gave her a pass the first time. If he does not intervene before I get my mouth open do not stop me. If she has a right to speak her mind so do I. I just hate that there is a child in the class also. I dont want her to witness any ugliness. Hopefully we will split into two classes soon.

To anyone thinking about it. Give it a try. I did not know how I felt about it or if I would be bored. The first fifteen minutes or so I was. I was thinking nope, not for us. Then Christos got his try and we were both hooked. I love to see his little nose to the ground sniffing around, checking out the boxes, trying to figure out the game. And this is so different from obedience class so there is some confusion for him too. He wants to drop into a sit and watch me in front of me or the trainer. He knows that we both Pay with kibble but now the pay is finding the box.

We start agility also on the 15th. Again, something to do for fun and to burn energy. I need the exercise and he needs the burn off. We are both so attached already that my husband is jealous. He is always at my side or on my feet if I am home. No separation anxiety yet. He does great in the crate at night. Never a peep. He does fair in the crate at home. We keep a camera on him so we can look in. Most of the time he is asleep, sometimes he is trying to play with our other two Boxers thru the gate and sometimes he is just barking but it never lasts long.

Anyway, we are having a blast and I am not going to let anyone ruin it for us this time. I tried advance obedience with my Shepherd ten years ago. Everyone took it so serious. They did not understand that I was just trying to instill confidence in my dog. I had no intentions of competing. They treated me like crap the whole session. I never went back. Not this time. I am older and wiser.

 

[ELubas]

I'm sorry - is it just me?
I would be more angry at the trainer. What trainer thinks that flooding a young pup in a crate at a distracting event is a good idea for crate training????

I'd be looking for another nose class with a new trainer if I were you. And crate train your pup the right way - SLOWLY. Never make the crate a punishment.
"Nip that in the bud" *disgust* Not even worth a comment.
The other participants are not worthy of your time or emotion. They are not the given experts. I'd be looking for my money back from the trainer.

Thank God! I thought I was the only one who would have said thanks but no thanks to this trainer and class. You and your pup deserve better and in my experience, some of these folks would do well to be kinder, more understanding, and take thier own advice. Good luck to you and pup

 

[johann]

You did better than me. I would have told the witch "You are right, I hate to see her grow up to be some busybody like you." Actually I was in line at a check out a few months ago where a mother was looking frazzled as her tot was having a melt down over not getting something. The mom stuck to her guns, but you can see she was trying to avoid the stares. I leaned forward and quietly told her "Good for you! Your child is going to grow up great." You could see her relax a bit and manage a small smile.

.

A woman said something similar to me recently when my toddler was face down on the floor in Target screaming and kicking and I was mortified. She smiled sympathetically and said quietly "we've all had those days, don't stress".

Literally made my day.

 

[furrykidmom]

Nose work update

We were split into two classes this week. Only three people showed up to the early class. The blind and deaf Great Dane and the Springer. All of the dogs were allowed to be out of their crates and leashed with us in our spaces. Or crated if you wanted. It went great. More than great. Everyone excelled. Christos is absolutely loving this and so am I. We are hooked. Hubby joined us last night to watch. He was bored. I thought it was so much fun to watch the dogs think things out and their different approaches. We are learning to read their "tells" for when they are close to the source. Everyone was very supportive of one another. We applauded the other dogs when they suceeded and helped the handler to recognize when their dogs behavior changed. It is easier to watch from the side lines and see the changes than it is to handle and watch for them. You are so busy trying to watch your dog work and make sure that you reward as soon they find it that you may miss the subtle cues. As the handler you do not know where the source is either. The nicest part was that we were able to work off lead tonight. Not a single dog strayed from the search area to visit another dog or person. There were even treats on the floor at the other end of the room that none of the dogs went for. They were so intent on working. Again, Christos is just 5 1/2 months old. He put his nose to the ground and started as soon as I said hunt. When it was over he came when called and sat to have his lead put back on. I am so proud of him. He is better behaved in nose work than he is in obedience class. We start agility at another facility this Friday. I can hardly wait. I cant wait to see how he responds. His daycare has some equipment and he always wants to play on it.

I initially worried that I was exposing him to too much too fast. But we are doing all of this for fun and he seems to be having fun. It has been a great energy release for him and exercise for me. Since he is still a puppy I think it is best to continue to expose him to a lot of new things that might be scary when he is older.

We use a ramp to get the dogs in the back of the SUV because my 8 year old male is developing degenerative myelopathy and my female has something neurological going on as a result of having lyme disease. We wanted to get them used to the ramp before it was something they have to use. they can still jump in and out if necessary and prefer that method to the ramp. Too see them use the ramp is scary and sad. They run up it like they are going to fall off a cliff. You can just hear their nails digging in. The puppy runs right up it like it is no big deal and looks at them like they are crazy.

I believe the other class has a dog reactive dog and a timid dog that came last week in a Thundershirt.

 

[CoraBoxer]

Glad it went better. What I don't understand is a group class with dogs that clearly aren't ready for that - dog reactive, thundershirts... crates? Do they not assess the dog before accepting it into the class?

 

[furrykidmom]

If you read on the nose work association website it is recommended for all types of dogs. They feel that if they are focused on the work that they will build confidence. None of the dogs were a problem in class. Just the one owner. All dogs were focused on their job. It was amazing for me to see my boy go off leash and work his field without running off to play with the other dogs. In obedience class he would leave me in a heartbeat to go play with the other pups. A lot of his daycare buddies are in his obedience class but there are also a few in his nose class too. Just not other puppies. he is the only pup in the class. I believe everyone else is over a year old.

And they are expected to be crated for competetion. Competition can take all day. it is not like you have your run and leave so this is also part of the learning process. A dog can test for ORT (odor recognition test) at 6 months of age. You start with the treat training and then advance to odor recognition. The first scent is sweet birch. So even a puppy can start training. I wish I knew how to get my video from my phone to the site. I would love for you all to see him work. He just loves it.

 

[furrykidmom]

NACSW rules for reactive dogs

As part of our commitment to making NACSW events fun, fair and safe for all competitors, we are working to better educate the entire K9 Nose Work community on the intended use of red bandanas at NACSW ORTs and trials, as well as making our rules regarding reactivity at official events as clear as possible. The red bandanas at NACSW events were always - and still are - meant for dogs who need a bit more space from other dogs.
The activity of K9 Nose Work is something that almost all dogs can enjoy and we have found that the activity has helped many dogs with sensitivities improve tremendously - sometimes to the point where they can safely navigate a trial environment. However, the sport of K9 Nose Work will not be something that is appropriate for all dogs as the ORT and trial environment are real life environments. We can't control these environments as much as class environments can be controlled and surprises do frequently happen. Our primary goal is to keep your dog comfortable and safe - no dog enjoys being put in a situation where they feel it necessary to react - and for some dogs, this may mean that the trial environment is not right for them. Please read below for clarification. Questions or concerns can be sent to trial@nacsw.net



COMPETING IN K9 NOSE WORK®

Have you caught the K9 Nose Work fever? Are you interested entering your dog in an NACSW Odor Recognition Test (ORT) or NACSW trial? As with any activity there are many things to consider before you pursue competition with your dog. K9 Nose Work classes are open to many dogs that can’t participate in other activities because we only have one dog at a time working in the search area. This also holds true of ORTs and trials. However, a competition type setting can be much more stressful and less controlled than a class setting. Your dog might thoroughly enjoy the routine, structure and safety of class but not be as comfortable in strange environments with unknown people. K9 Nose Work began as a fun activity for dogs and handlers. We hope that you will always keep the fun of K9 Nose Work as your top priority when considering competition.



Considerations for dogs and handler teams

Though we try to keep our competitions fun and relaxed, there are rules to follow and practices in place that may not appeal to all teams.

· The trial will likely last all day. Will you and your dog be happy waiting in your vehicle for your turn?

· We have trials in all types of weather. There may be times of year that you or your dog would not enjoy doing Nose Work all day.

· At times there will be longer walks to search areas. We do our best to help teams of all fitness levels but you may find that you or your dog does not have the endurance for this type of activity.

· This is a competition setting even though you are only testing against yourself. Do you enjoy this type of activity? Does your dog enjoy being around you under this type of stress?

· The question to answer is not, “Can my dog compete?” but “Will I, and especially my dog, enjoy the day and the added stress of a competition setting?”



If you have decided that your dog can enjoy the competition setting but he does not behave well around other dogs, he would be a “red bandana” dog. This means he would wear a red bandana to let others know that he might need a bit more space or time.

The following are some guidelines of what NACSW ORT and trial environments do and don’t provide with respect to dogs that have concerns about dogs, people and the environment.



Dogs who are concerned about other dogs:

What we do give you…

Search areas without other dogs purposefully in the area.
Reasonable assurance that people will do their best to follow the rules and maintain at least 8 feet of distance between dogs.
No stand for exam, group down stay, or intentional off leash dogs.
Culture and rules that have dogs contained when not going potty or getting ready for their turn.
What we don’t give you…

Guarantee of no accidents or surprises – you and your dog need to be able to safely navigate any of these surprises including dogs directly approaching your dog.
Approval to have a dangerous dog at an event.


Dogs who are concerned with people

Dogs must be comfortable in proximity to people of varying ages, genders, and sizes who may move in unpredictable ways. For most interior searches your dog must be able to enter the room with a volunteer opening/closing the door for you. People may pop out around corners, and judge’s stewards and gate stewards will approach you to guide you to your next area and/or give instructions.

What we do give you…

We ask our volunteers to show respect and not interact with your dog without permission.
We ask our volunteers to give you a little bit of extra space if requested (stepping back a step or two).
What we don’t give you…

We don’t clear areas, hallways; ask spectators or volunteers to leave search areas or to step back away from the search area.
Any guarantees that our volunteers or spectators or other people at the trial location will not attempt to approach/interact with your dog.
While you can share with a volunteer that certain body language/behaviors such as staring may add social pressure to a dog, we can’t guarantee that a volunteer, official, spectator, or other person on trial grounds will not exhibit this behavior.
We don’t condone dogs displaying aggression (for example: lunging, barking, growling, etc.) towards humans at any time.


Dogs who have environmental sensitivities

What we do give you…

Understanding if you need a bit of time to help your dog recover from a scary event.
What we don’t give you…

Accommodations to avoid certain environments, situations, etc.
We can’t give you an alternate path to a search area, or additional time to acclimate to an area, etc.


If you are not sure that you and your dog would be happy in the competition environment volunteering at an NACSW™ ORT or NACSW™ trial is an excellent way to get an idea of what you would encounter. You will not only learn much about the mechanics of competition but also Nose Work. You can locate events using the ORT Calendar and/or Trial Calendar menus.

Thank you for taking the time to read these guidelines and to consider what is best for your dog. Together, we can continue to make K9 Nose Work and NACSW events all about the dogs and keep it fun, fair, and safe for all dogs and people involved.

Happy Sniffing,

The NACSW team

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The National Association of
Canine Scent Work™ (NACSW)
sets the standards governing
the sport of K9 Nose Work™.



NACSW is the only official
sanctioning and organizing
body for K9 Nose Work
titles and ORTs.

 

[furrykidmom]

basics from NASCW website

WHAT IS K9 NOSE WORK?

K9 Nose Work is the specific term used to describe the canine scent detection activity developed by Ron Gaunt, Amy Herot & Jill Marie O'Brien. The three founders of the activity wanted to use their extensive experience from working in the professional canine detection world to give pet dogs and their people a fun and easy way to learn and apply scent detection skills, and so they crafted a new activity: K9 Nose Work.

In K9 Nose Work, dogs learn how to search for a specific odor or odors and find the source. Dogs start by searching for their favorite food or toy reward hidden in a variety of environments, increasing the challenges and adding new search skills as the dog progresses. Most people will choose to have their dogs learn to find the target odors used in K9 Nose Work: birch, anise, and clove; those looking to keep it fun searching for food or toy can still have fun and progress in the activity. Once target odors are introduced to the dog, he will search for the odor only and find its source, then get rewarded by his handler with his favorite food or toy reward.

K9 Nose Work introduces dogs to four different search elements: container, interior, exterior, and vehicles. Dogs build their hunt drive and learn foundational search skills in all four elements. Later stages of K9 Nose Work introduce advanced detection and handling skills to teams. Dogs are exposed to a myriad of complex search scenarios, while continuing to condition their foundational skills. Handlers sharpen their observational skills and learn when and how to take action during a search. Teams will practice searching to the competition standards set by the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW), which includes searching for blind hides (location of hide unknown to handler), searching for multiple hides in a single search area, and, at the higher levels of competition, searching for an unknown number of hides in a search area.

K9 Nose Work is an activity that uses real-world environments and can be done almost anywhere. Every search has the potential to be a dramatically different & highly stimulating experience for both dog & handler, just by changing hide placement, or searching under different weather conditions. By participating in K9 Nose Work with your dog, you're giving him the freedom to express and refine his natural talents, and he's giving you a glimpse into how he "sees" the world.

Some of the many benefits of K9 Nose Work are:

Dogs easily burn lots of mental & physical energy doing searches
Searches can be done anywhere you can take your dog
No prior training is required and no obedience is needed
In classes, dogs work one at a time and rest crated or safely in a vehicle between searches so reactive dogs can enjoy the activity, too
Shy or fearful dogs build confidence and overactive dogs put their energy into fun searches
Stronger bond between dog & handler as handler learns to observe, understand, and rely upon his dog


THE TRAINING METHODOLOGY

Any dog can learn K9 Nose Work. The training methodology is designed to help pet dogs tap into their hunting instinct, learn independent problem-solving skills, and to build broad and solid foundational scent detection skills that will enable them to successfully face new and greater challenges in K9 Nose Work.

All K9 Nose Work dogs begin the game by searching for their favorite food or toy. They search in an obedience-free zone, without handler interruption or unintended correction. When dogs find the hidden toy or food reward, they play with it or eat it, self-rewarding and reinforcing their successful searching behavior. Many K9 Nose Work dogs will learn the activity searching for their food or toy reward for 3 months to a year. This time period before introducing a target odor allows for dogs to build their desire to hunt, stamina for searching, and skills for searching in many environments without the risk of failure, distraction or disinterest in the search. It also gives the handler time to learn how to observe the dog and to learn handling skills. In K9 Nose Work, pet dogs are learning a task that is typically assigned to world-class, specifically bred high-drive working dogs, so it's important to move the training at a pace that will bring the best performance out of the dog.

Throughout a dog & handler team's training in K9 Nose Work, the emphasis will always be on creating learning experiences for the dog and supporting his independent problem solving, not commanding him to perform a series of tasks in a predetermined manner. K9 Nose Work is all about the dogs and all about celebrating their amazing abilities.



WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

K9 Nose Work is designed to be a lifelong activity with endless possibilities for fun and learning. Structured learning opportunities are available to help you & your dog get the most out of K9 Nose Work.

Workshops & seminars are a great way to immerse your dog & yourself in K9 Nose Work and to observe other dog & handler teams learning the activity. Founders of the NACSW, its faculty, and approved Certified Nose Work Instructors (CNWI) are the only sources for official workshops & seminars. See the section on workshops for more information.

Classes are ideal for learning & improving upon the skills needed to have fun and be successful in K9 Nose Work. Classes are offered by independent instructors and typically meet once a week. Each instructor is granted the freedom to structure her classes to meet the needs of students in her area. All instructors will use the K9 Nose Work training methodology to introduce dogs to the activity and to teach them new concepts as they progress. Things you'll learn in K9 Nose Work classes include:

The importance of boxes
Starting a dog on primary reward
Moving the search beyond the box
Patterns for more efficient searching
Searching the elements: containers, interiors, exteriors, and vehicles
Pairing to introduce a target odor
Improving observation & handling skills
Leash handling with short & long lines
Proper reward delivery once dog is searching for target odor only
And much more!


I digress.