Review of Important Concepts
I hope you enjoyed your first class as much as I did. What a great group of people and dogs! Below is a list of the important concepts discussed in class. Be aware of them when you're working with your dog at home this week. We'll be building on this foundation in the coming weeks and months.
The goal is to build your dog's drive to hunt!
Only release your dog to search when he is looking forward
Be conscious of your body language. Stay out of your dog's way.
Reward at the source (in the box) quickly.
Save your verbal party for when the dog is eating.
Self rewarding at the box offers additional reinforcement.
Let the dog root in the box or at your hand while eating.
Keep it fun and light!
Lesson Review
In case you missed class or want a review, here’s the link to what we did this week. (You’ll need to register with Thinkific to access it.)
Week One Homework
Use 5-6 containers with flaps and covers
Continue box work done in class. If you dog is comfortable, consider closing a flap.
Try to work in at least five different locations, either in your home, or in a quiet indoor place away from home.
Stay away from outdoor areas, especially grassy areas.
Why is it so important that we remain quiet and out of our dog's way while they are searching?
In addition to developing the independence in the dog rather than us mere mortals escorting our dogs around a search area, the answer may lie in this research, regarding the trade off between direct instruction and independent exploration.