If you haven’t ever tried nose games, I highly suggest them. They are a fun way to tire out a dog mentally and physically. True to her drivey nature, Shayne has some crazy search drive and loves these types of games. This was the first time Shayne ever searched outside and so I wasn’t sure if she’d be focused at all or not… boy was she focused! I made it easy for her by keeping the finds in/on boxes. The video shows about 1/2 the searches she did that particular training session. I can’t help but smile watching her work because she so enjoys what she’s doing.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTxTgpUOGlg]
Hopefully I’ll get more video as we continue to work… it’s crazy how much this dog loves to work!
Okay… I’m continuing my GUILT-RIDDEN PLEA for votes for Rio’s entry into the facebook contest. He is slightly behind but still in the hunt to potentially be featured on local billboards. So, if you’d like to see huge billboards of Rio (you’d have to know I’d show that off!) please take a minute and vote for Rio.
If you are a member of Facebook, would you please Click Here and “Like” Molyneaux, the sponsor and host for the contest (the contest raised about $1000 for a local shelter!).
Once you’ve Liked Molyneaux, you can “Like” Rio’s Photo (if the link doesn’t take you directly there, it is located under their photos in the “10 Finalists” album). Voting Ends June 29th so it’s not a long campaign.
If you feel so inclined, I would both welcome and be totally appreciative if you would “share” his photo and voting info with your friends!
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What a great idea for keeping dogs entertained and interested.
They really do enjoy it… it’s quick to set up, easy to “teach” and inexpensive… just keep boxes 🙂
I love nose work. Pamela at Something Wagging has a great write-up on the intro classes she took with her dog. We’ve always played these kinds of games but once I got out the boxes, I was impressed how fast my dog learned what to do. It’s so much fun watching her run around. 🙂
Oooo I’ll have to go and look those up… nose games are so much fun! I started Shayne on finding a specific toy I hid around the house but this has a little more direction I can take it which is nice!
I have done similar things with Luna and a bumper with a wing on it as a puppy. Eventually she began to actually track my feet/path as she figured out the bumper was usually at the end of the path. So now when I play I have to toss it rather than place it and run around at random to throw her off a bit more. But she loves to play hide and seek too. I should do more of this with her with it being hot, our place it just too small and easy for her… and it’s hard to get uninterupted yard time as there are 6 dogs that live upstairs. I want to get her into some of these classes one day, gotta finish up some other stuff first though.
Thanks for sharing, always fun to watch dogs work
Anna
http://www.akginspiration.com
LOL! For a moment, I thought you were going to hide something for your cat too! (Canned tuna in a box – perhaps!). Shayne certainly seems to be having a lot of fun!
We were lucky enough to find Nose Work classes nearby, and I haven’t seen a dog that doesn’t love them! Now all three of mine are learning the sport. – Leah passed her Odor Recognition Test just recently, (she’s been training just under a year), Toby has just started – but I think he is going to fly by Leah as he is more into the game then she is, and Meadow is learning at home without boxes (she’s afraid of them).
Great sport!
In an old video i shot with some nosework footage my other cat (I think it was one of the others) was sniffing out the treats and helping the dog cheat!
I’d love to have a local nose-work class to REALLY get into the sport… i think shayne would really excel .. but the few places teaching nosework haven’t taught the foundation steps in a way that i particularly like so I’ve been reluctant. I’m going to keep trying on my own to get there and maybe add some odor… she really loves this game!
If you are going to do it on your own, the most important thing I’m learning has been to stay on food for a lot longer than you think necessary, in all sorts of scenario, to really build that search drive. Then, when you add odor, pair the odor with the food – also for a lot longer than you think necessary. Finally, even when you go fully to odor and reward after the find, once in a while, still hide some food with it as a welcome surprise. Hope that helps some.
Thank you so much for the input!!! Shayne actually started hunting for toys so she has an INCREDIBLE search drive (it doesn’t hurt that she’s crazy drivey to begin with)… i’m going ot start adding height to her searches and working corners … though i will probably start working an odor in the not too distant future since I think she’s got teh drive and searching skills to move on… but we’ll see…thanks for all the help!
No problem. Just insert “toy” wherever I wrote “food!” My guys are on food, so it’s a habit 🙂
That’s great that she has such a high drive – she should be a shoe in!
If you are eventually thinking competition, (not sure if you’re just doing it for fun), the hides can be as high as four feet.
She works for both food and toys… but started with toys. As of right now there are no local ‘official’ k9 nosework instructors/classes/competitions but maybe in the future. I could see it being a sport for Shayne when she’s physically unable to do frisbee or agility… until then it’s just a awesome past time for her…