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To Scent Train? Or Not To...


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a deep and philosophical question.... milo has done scent work, to some extent, and I was keeping it up in a lacklustre way... mainly with seeking treats around the lounge, a little "hide the toy" no tracking (might have a go at that during sledding season) but I'm wondering, going with our developing issues of ground sniffing, wonder if I should "drop" the scent work entirely for a while?? I've used it mainly as a way of stimulating all the dogs during the summer, it's just been to hot for much else. opinions and thoughts??

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I've trained border collies in both tracking and when sheep are around the nose never goes to the ground. Dogs do and can differentiate between different ativities.

ETA I have also done obedience, tracking and the games you describe with my dalmatians and have never had a problem with sniffing during obedience. You need to make the work rewarding in itself. Sniffing can be displacement activity from confusion or boredom.

Edited by Janba
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No I have a couple here trained in tracking and some scent detection, they know until the word is given not to do the job. If your dog finds rewards come from you, you shouldn't have an 'ignoring you' problem

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I've trained my beagle to do obedience and scent work. Even people who work with customs beagles say she is one of the most scent driven dogs they've ever seen, so I am working with a dog who has a very high scent drive. If I could go back to when she was a pup I would do a lot more scent work but only on command so she knew when to switch her nose on. She had to learn how to channel her drive into working with me and for my rewards as opposed to seeking drive satisfaction on her own from scenting.

ETA: from your previous posts Paddles and videos I don't think your issues with ground scenting are related to scent training or something doing more scenting would worsen. I think it's more an engagement and focus issue. Just IMHO :)

Edited by huski
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No I have a couple here trained in tracking and some scent detection, they know until the word is given not to do the job. If your dog finds rewards come from you, you shouldn't have an 'ignoring you' problem

I agree. Cole would rather work sheep do anything else but being allowed to work sheep is a reward that comes from me.

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I've trained my beagle to do obedience and scent work. Even people who work with customs beagles say she is one of the most scent driven dogs they've ever seen, so I am working with a dog who has a very high scent drive. If I could go back to when she was a pup I would do a lot more scent work but only on command so she knew when to switch her nose on. She had to learn how to channel her drive into working with me and for my rewards as opposed to seeking drive satisfaction on her own from scenting.

ETA: from your previous posts Paddles and videos I don't think your issues with ground scenting are related to scent training or something doing more scenting would worsen. I think it's more an engagement and focus issue. Just IMHO :)

[/quote

Frack! just

wrote this big reply to you all, and it got eaten!

Ok, here we go again.

I agree Huski, it's just I was talking to a friend, and she suggested that doing scent work like I do, was not a good idea. I did wonder if she was right. but we all like our "scent" games. it has been suggested that I am doing too many things with Milo, and not "focusing" on any one thing.

I have been playing some "focus" games a friend gave me. (2 food, where you chuck the food) and 2 food where you hold food in each hand and as soon as he focus's on me, rather than the food, and then rewarding.

Oh, also, I finally got milo to "tug" on the French linen tug, although he still prone to trying to grab the handles, rather than the middle of the tug.

Janba, how do you go if there are sheep around when you are trying to do other things? did/do you do distraction work around the sheep? (as a matter of interest?) I have issues with ducks around here, and was wondering weather rather than avoiding areas, I should look for it and "proof" milo against that as a distraction???

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