Thank you to Sue Gardner and Leamington Dog Training Club for their invitation to judge this Level 4 trial.
The weather was not very kind to us on the day but that did not dampen the lovely friendly atmosphere that existed
Both with competitors and the Club’s lovely helpers.
Jackie was my scribe and did a great job enabling a smooth running trial and quick end of trial results.
For me Level 4 is a marmite trial…love it or hate it. The last hurdle to get over before a more interesting test in Level 5, getting away from the many tables,chairs,boxes,bags and items that have been there in the previous levels.
Thinking of that, for my vehicle and wall search I put out two John Deere Tractor ride on mowers in the outside barn, together with the wall at the back, getting away from the usual cars.
I was very pleased that all teams found both scents, one on the underside pedal of one mower and one in a hosepipe along back wall.
The boxes,bags perimeter fixtures etc was the next successful area with all teams finding the perimeter hide placed behind a wooden ful length mirror fixed to the wall. 5 teams found both hides.
Only three teams found both hides in the other two search areas which seemed to prove more difficult
The exterior search was held in an open barn with gravelled floor and a lot of dogs were more interested in the floor itself than the items on it.
My main observations of the lovely dogs in this trial were:
Try and recognise when your dog is in odour more….the tables and chairs for example. Dogs were showing interest around the two chairs in front of the table that had the hide but were not tasked to venture more into the table and thus gave up or were moved on by the handler.
When handlers did ask their dogs to task on items it was a cursory pointing by handler and dog moving on without searching the item..so handler moved on. If you task a dog to search make sure it does. The laid down brolly with the hide was a good example of this.
However I really enjoyed watching all your dogs work and there were many instances of really good indications and focus.
Congratulations to First,Second and Third
Kate and Thomas…lovely searching overall and in a very quick time
Kate and Red..again strong attitude to work, pity you just didn’t see the wellies!
Helen and Thistle….hard going for you because of his nervousness…loved his expression when he saw himself in the mirror,
but you encouraged him calmly and got the best from him
Well done everyone and good luck in the future
Thank you to Sue Gardner and Leamington Dog Training Club for their invitation to judge this Level 4 trial.
The weather was not very kind to us on the day but that did not dampen the lovely friendly atmosphere that existed
Both with competitors and the Club’s lovely helpers.
Jackie was my scribe and did a great job enabling a smooth running trial and quick end of trial results.
For me Level 4 is a marmite trial…love it or hate it. The last hurdle to get over before a more interesting test in Level 5, getting away from the many tables,chairs,boxes,bags and items that have been there in the previous levels.
Thinking of that, for my vehicle and wall search I put out two John Deere Tractor ride on mowers in the outside barn, together with the wall at the back, getting away from the usual cars.
I was very pleased that all teams found both scents, one on the underside pedal of one mower and one in a hosepipe along back wall.
The boxes,bags perimeter fixtures etc was the next successful area with all teams finding the perimeter hide placed behind a wooden ful length mirror fixed to the wall. 5 teams found both hides.
Only three teams found both hides in the other two search areas which seemed to prove more difficult
The exterior search was held in an open barn with gravelled floor and a lot of dogs were more interested in the floor itself than the items on it.
My main observations of the lovely dogs in this trial were:
Try and recognise when your dog is in odour more….the tables and chairs for example. Dogs were showing interest around the two chairs in front of the table that had the hide but were not tasked to venture more into the table and thus gave up or were moved on by the handler.
When handlers did ask their dogs to task on items it was a cursory pointing by handler and dog moving on without searching the item..so handler moved on. If you task a dog to search make sure it does. The laid down brolly with the hide was a good example of this.
However I really enjoyed watching all your dogs work and there were many instances of really good indications and focus.
Congratulations to First,Second and Third
Kate and Thomas…lovely searching overall and in a very quick time
Kate and Red..again strong attitude to work, pity you just didn’t see the wellies!
Helen and Thistle….hard going for you because of his nervousness…loved his expression when he saw himself in the mirror,
but you encouraged him calmly and got the best from him
Well done everyone and good luck in the future