Sniff & Go

What is a Sniff & Go? You're probably wondering, just as I did. I had never heard of one! It's a fun sniffing practice session held by certified nose work instructors!  Now that Pongo passed the Odor Recognition Test (ORT) in September, and we were again taking a nose work class, I began to consider entering him in his first nose work trial.  I read a wonderful guest blog where Jason Heng, a Certified Nose Work Instructor, talked about how to know when your dog is ready for a K9 nose work trial.  http://k9noseworkblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/guest-blogger-jason-heng-cnwi-answers.html  I came away from reading the article feeling that Pongo and I need more practice.  Our own instructor, Diane Porter, at Paws-abilities then told me about a Sniff & Go in Gig Harbor that was being held on November 23rd.  I filled out the entry form and mailed in my $30. 

On Saturday, after much begging, my husband agreed to go with me and take pictures and video.  The event was being held on private property in Gig Harbor. When we drove up the driveway, I suddenly felt I was in heaven.  There was an empty horse pasture, an open field and grass that sloped down the hill.  The house and barn sat on 40 acres of land, much of which was wooded.

Everyone parked in the pasture, lined up on the grass in a neat row. 

The Sniff & Go was for Level 1, 2 and 3 hides consisting of both vehicle and exterior searches.  We arrived at 10 am for Level 1.  Level 1 hides are done only with birch.

The organizers offered coffee and a warm place to rest inside the barn.  The temperature was in the 30s when we left home in the morning. I had dressed in several layers, including thermal underwear and tights as I knew we would be outside for a long time.  The warm barn was a wonderful surprise!

The instructors explained how the Sniff & Go would run and then we did a walk-through of each of the search areas, the boundaries marked by orange flags.  What I liked was that they emphasized the atmosphere was intended to be relaxed and encouraged us to ask questions if we had them.  We would be timed, but there would be no placements and we were free to go when we were finished with our searches.  We were divided into two groups so that each group could be running simultaneously.  The lower set of searches consisted of two exterior searches and one vehicle hide.  Then the higher set of searches consisted of one exterior search and one vehicle hide. 

Pongo and I were the second dog-handler team in the first group.  When it was our turn, we queued up by the orange cones to the first exterior search.  You will notice in the video below that Pongo alerts to the odor within seconds, but I don't recognize it and we continue searching.  I ask the judges a question about search boundaries, and then Pongo brings me right back to where he pointed it out before.

Pongo had found the odor so quickly that I didn't trust him. No, similar to his ORT for anise, he had to tell me twice before I believed him.  If you watch the video closely, he looks right at me the first time and even jumps toward me, as if to say, "I found it, where's my reward?"

You can reward your dog at the source with treats during a trial, but if you drop them on the ground, you contaminate the area and are given a "fault."  They have to eat the treat directly from your hand.  The time limit for this search was 2 minutes 30 seconds.  Pongo "officially" found it when I called alert at 54 seconds.  I was thrilled!  The power of his nose continually amazes me, maybe because we are new to this sport. 

The next element was a vehicle search, again with a time limit of 2 minutes and 30 seconds.  There were three vehicles parked on a slight downhill.  This time, I called a false alert when Pongo was "in odor" meaning he was near, but had not identified the source. We finished in 1 minute and 12 seconds.

The next search was held inside a fenced tennis court with a time limit of 3 minutes.  I chose to keep Pongo on leash, as I was afraid he would fixate on searching the perimeter in his excitement in being in a new place.  Pongo found the odor in 34.87 seconds.   Way to go, Pongo!!!

The judges kept track of our search data on a piece of paper.  Here I am showing my husband our results as I walk from the lower to the higher search area. 

The next exterior search was near a building and had a time limit of 2 minutes 30 seconds.  Again, Pongo found it quickly in 37.03 seconds.  I was over the moon! 

Our final search was another vehicle search. This one proved to be the most difficult for us.  With a time limit of 2 minutes 30 seconds, we finished in 1 minute 54 seconds.  However, I again gave a false alert when he was on the fringe of the odor.  It turned out that he was scenting on odor on one vehicle that was actually blowing from different vehicle behind me.  The judge noted that I was blocking the odor. 

So in our first trial situation, Pongo correctly identified 3 out of 5 hides!  The only two we failed were the vehicle searches, and we only started doing those two weeks ago!  We did better than I had anticipated, and I was beaming with pride.  My biggest fear about trials is whether or not I will be able to accurately read what Pongo is telling me. The art of nose work is in the lines of communication developed between you and your dog.  I have seen dogs that give very clear signals that they have found the odor - they stop and look at their owner, or will even sit.  I worried because Pongo didn't do any of these things - or so I thought.  Now my video tells a different story.  But when Pongo doesn't seem to give a clear signal, the judge told me to "watch his nose."  It worked!  I am learning to read Pongo's signals better.  We are communicating!

Maybe we will enter a trial in a few months, just as a practice run.  Like Jason Heng and his dog, maybe it will take us four times before we pass.  And that's ok!  We're just having fun.

Introduction to Clove & Nose Work in the Rain

At Pongo's class last Monday, he was introduced to clove - the third and final odor in nose work.  As I have mentioned before, it is easy to introduce a new odor once your dog has learned one.  You simply pair it with the known odor.  After doing vehicle searches outside, some with birch and some with anise, the instructor had us come inside to introduce the dogs to clove.  When introducing dogs to odor, she always goes back to using boxes.  There were approximately ten or twelve boxes in a ring, and one of them had a tin with birch and a tin with clove.  Both tins were in the box.  This is called pairing. Each dog was given a chance to find multiple hides with the boxes before the end of class. Then we were each given a ziploc bag with six cut Q-tips scented with clove oil to practice at home.

I purchased two small tins with holes punched in the lid from my instructor.  The lid slides open and there is a magnet inside so you can attach it to anything metal.  These are great for vehicle hides, but also stick to the refrigerator or metal table legs, etc.  I purchased mine from Pongo's nose work instructor for convenience, but you can get them for about half the price online.  Official products can be purchased at: http://www.allgooddogs.biz/products. 

This week Pongo and I practiced with clove by pairing it with birch, each odor in a different tin, but placed together.  Instead of getting out the boxes that we practiced with while we were training for his ORT (I had broken them all down and put them away), I simply placed the two tins together in different places around the living room with a treat.  Pongo's new nose work instructor says that you should pair odor with treats about 75% of the time to keep your dog interested.  Previously, I was pairing much less than that, thinking the goal was really not to pair with food very often. 

Today, Pongo had a nose work date at noon.  We met two of my colleagues from work and their dogs for vehicles and exterior searches.  Pongo had never been to the house we met at and the driveway was gravel.  At first, he was very distracted and it took a while before he began to work.  It is always helpful to be able to have someone else watch or video you, as they may notice and be able to point out things you are not aware of.  My friend Mary noted that Pongo didn't seem to like the gravel and was walking like it hurt his feet. This made so much sense to me when I thought back to other times that we worked on gravel, but I had never really noticed. 

  Here, Pongo details the rear bumper.

Pongo sniffs the wheel well.

Pongo is rewarded at the source of odor for his find.

Lincoln, a Papillon, is an avid agility competitor who loves nose work, too.

Update: December, 2013 Lincoln earned his Masters Agility Champion (MACH) title.

To view his performance, click on the link here:

 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-6mTSGLAu-i5xugNUCibPKQhM9JCedqX

Daisy, a Chihuahua-Papillon mix and agility competitor, searches the wheel well.

It is exciting to watch dogs of all breeds enjoy and excel at nosework.  We were outside for nearly two hours this afternoon, taking turns with four different dogs - Pongo, Daisy, Lincoln and Crosby (pictured in my last blog).  The rain went from a light drizzle to a steady downpour.  Practicing in the rain, I'm told, is very important as you can't control the weather the day of a trial.  Dogs often fail at trial when it rains because they didn't train in the rain.  Well, that won't be a problem for Pongo!  Here in the Pacific Northwest we do everything in the rain.  And the rain has never fazed Pongo.  He'll stay out in the rain for hours!

I am so thankful to have a group of friends who are doing nose work with their dogs.  It is furthering my knowledge by watching them work and by having them watch me.  Thanks Mary and Ellie!

I always come home with a happy dog and that's what it's all about.

Vehicle Search

Pongo is back in class!  We are taking a Continuing Odor class at the Paws-ablities training facility in Fife.  Our first session was last Monday, and I quickly realized the two other dogs in the class were far more advanced than Pongo is.  It made me feel guilty for not practicing much since he took his ORT (odor recognition test).  We have only practiced twice. 

Being highly goal-oriented, I am already looking ahead.  I would really like for Pongo to compete at the Nose Work 1 Level (NW1).  To earn the NW1 title, your dog has to pass indoor and exterior searches as well as a vehicle search all on the same day.  Pongo has practiced both indoor and exterior searches, but we have never done a vehicle search. 

I have a friend at school who just finished taking Intro to Odor with her dog.  Yesterday, I texted her to see if she would like to get together to practice.  We decided to do a vehicle search in the Target parking lot.  We used my husband's truck since it is actually metal (my car is fiberglass) and you can stick things to it with magnets.

 The truck parked for searching.

The odor is placed inside this rectangular metal tin with a magnet backing.  There is a treat poised on top.  We paired all of our hides today with food.

Here the odor was placed inside the plastic end tube from a poop bag roll, then put into a clip with a magnet backing. 

Here the odor is in a plastic container with holes in the lid and placed in the wheel well. 

  
   Here the odor is in an empty seasoning bottle.  I opened up the top and placed it on the back wheel.

   My friend, Mary, and Crosby, her English Springer Spaniel, get ready to search.

Crosby showed us how it was done first.  It was fun watching his enthusiasm!  I had to laugh when he took the clip with the odor in the plastic tube off of the side of the truck with his mouth.  What a sweet boy!  Pongo has a much gentler approach, though it makes him hard to read.  I am going to have to work on teaching him to give me a clearer "alert." 

It was wonderful watching both boys work.  It warms my heart to see how much they love it.  I am in awe of their innate talents.  Dogs are amazing.  How incredibly blessed I feel to share my life with them!

Thank you Mary and Crosby for practicing with us today!

Parents Teach Children Caring

In the study of child development and psychology, the idea of nature v. nuture has long been argued. As a speech language pathologist, I understand how brain chemistry (often driven by genetics) impacts behavior.  And yet, at the same time, behavior is shaped by learning and learning can alter brain chemistry.  This is the basis upon which my profession is balanced.

Early in life, children learn from their parents how to interact with the world.  Not only do they learn how to interact with other people, they learn how to interact with animals.  As I was growing up in the 1970s, my family always had pets.  We usually had one dog, several cats, and at various times fish, birds and a rabbit.  With six kids and all the animals, life was chaotic. Honestly, I don't know how my parents did it and kept their sanity. 

For most of my childhood, we had a Bassett Hound named Maggie.  My parents purchased her for my oldest brother, Dan, as a reward for quitting sucking his fingers when he was ten. We all loved Maggie and wanted a chance to have her sleep on our bed at night.  My mom put each of our names on a day of the week on the calendar to show who had the pleasure of sharing their bed with Maggie that night.  But with six kids and seven days of the week, there was one day left over!  I was the one who always fought with Dan over the extra day.  Finally, after much bickering, my mom decided that Maggie should have a day (or night) of rest and would get to sleep on her own on the seventh day.

And so I learned that animals should not be fought over, and that they needed time to themselves, away from fawning children.  This was one of the first memories I have of learning to respect animals, though there would be many more.  My sister, Beth, was given a calico cat whose original name probably only she remembers, but was later known simply as "Momma Cat."  Momma Cat had nine litters of kittens before we had her spayed.  My mother would always set up a box in the closet of my parents' bedroom when she was expecting.  The closet was dark and tapered under the stairs that went to the upper level of our house.

When Momma Cat went into labor, she didn't like to be alone and would meow until one of us would go into the closet and sit with her while she had her kittens.  But for the first week or so she would not let us touch them.  While the kittens were nursing and we peered over the edge in amazement, she would hold out her paw above them.  My mother explained that she was telling us to leave them alone and we were not to touch them until Momma Cat told us it was okay, that they were old enough.

Out of one of her litter of kittens, we kept Peter, who became my cat.  Peter was an orange short-haired tabby whose full name, of course, was Peter Pan.  He was a sweet cat who would sit in my lap and purr, always seeking out my attention.  But when he grew to adulthood, he became a Tom cat, as male cats do.  He would stay out at night and come back in the morning hungry and strutting from his escapades.  One morning, however, he came home on three legs. The bones in the other leg were shattered and he had a hole in his foot.

When we took him to the vet, she told us he had been shot.  Through the grapevine, we would later learn that it was a neighbor down the street who had shot him, tired of listening to his nightly catwerwauling. I remember my father telling the vet that we could not afford the ongoing medical care that Peter would need.  He asked her to show us what needed to be done and we would take care of him at home.  He needed daily sitz baths and dressing changes, and she did not know whether he would be able to walk on it again.  Since Peter was my cat, my Dad insisted that I help.  I still remember holding Peter in a towel on my lap while my Dad bathed and changed the dressing on his foot. 

Peter's foot healed beautifully and he regained full use of it.  He did not even have a lingering limp, though I could still feel the jagged mass of bone splinters underneath his skin.  To my relief, once Peter was better, my parents had him fixed.  That put an end to his nightly escapades, and I felt that he was safe from my gun-toting neighbor. 

Later, when I was in high school, after years of begging, my parents finally agreed to let me have a dog.  They had always said that one dog was enough.  Maggie was now elderly and Dan had graduated from high school, leaving home years before, so I no longer had to compete for her attention.  But I had always wanted "my own" dog. 

When I was sixteen, I saved up the money I earned from my summer job and purchased a purebred Bloodhound for $400.  His litter was named after the Peanuts gang, and out of the possible boys' names, I picked the name Schroeder for him.  He was such an adorable little puppy, but grew to be nearly ninety pounds in adulthood.  Although he was my dog, I'm ashamed to say that I remember whining I didn't have time to walk him in the morning.  What is amazing, though, is that my mom, who would get up at 5 am every morning to cook us a hot breakfast before we went to school, would take the time to walk Schroeder before she went to work herself. Though I was caught up in being a selfish teenager, I learned that animals depend on us to help care for their needs and that we should make those a priority.

    My parents, Terence and Ruth Day, pose with Pongo during a recent visit.

So the question begs to answer: was I born with a brain chemistry that makes me love animals, and dogs in particular?  I have always been sensitive and it is quite possible that I was born that way.  My parents are also both compassionate individuals.  Were they born that way?  Who knows?  It is probably a combination of both.  I do believe that I am a product of my environment and I am grateful to my parents for the many lessons I learned from their example. They taught me both love and compassion toward animals, shaping the kind of pet owner I am today. For that, I owe my deepest gratitude. Thank you, with all my heart.