Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Fun vs "Important" Training

A person asked me over the weekend "do police officers talk baby talk to their dogs"? My reply was a question (the goal being to make people think about their training, not just to tell them what I think!) - "why would they not?" "Because that it is important training and we are just training for fun" I was told. This is not an uncommon viewpoint - I recently followed a facebook discussion on training a forced retrieve vs shaping one. A service dog trainer explained that the forced retrieve was necessary for the behavior to be solid and reliable. This arguement is a bit baffling to me - solid training is solid training regardless of the method. The arguement is flawed in that it is only true if we accept that making the behavior fun for the dog and teaching them in a logical and motivational way results in a lower standard of performance. This is not true and often the reverse is actually true - by shaping the behavior we keep the dog's drive intact - allowing us to get more out of the dog and also giving the dog the comfort and confidence to "think outside of the box". This is essential in a working dog who needs the stamina to work long hours and where the environment is constantly changing. So the long answer is that although not every police dog handler talks baby talk to their dog - regardless of what we are training the dog for, we should give the dog the "paycheck" it desires for the work. By rewarding the dog properly AFTER it performs the exercise we help instill a "reward transfer" in that the dog learns to enjoy the activity as well as it liked the reward.



Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Vermont Flooding ~ How to Help

Tomorrow I promise to make this all about me and dog training, I had friends in town for training over the weekend and, before they had to bolt in the wake of the hurricane, we had some good conversations. Diane I hope you know we were picking on you, there really ARE no dumb questions! LOL

It is a good day however when all I have to worry about is explaining training details in a way people can understand. Others have not been so fortunate. The pics below are from areas a very short distance from my house.

Stratton Foundation Disaster Relief Fund
Dear Caring Community,
From Brattleboro to Bennington and more, Irene has had a devastating impact on families and property in our Southern Vermont communities. The national news has documented the realities of the storm's impact. The damage and loss of homes is probably the most dramatic for our area familes!
We prepared and waited, but who could have anticipated the magnitude of the destruction to our roadways, bridges, and homes? Neighborhoods watched as pieces of our community were washed away by rising raging rivers and massive flooding.
Many of our community members are still without power, some have taken refuge in local shelters, and many are housing friends and neighbors who are not able to get back to their homes or have a home to go back to. Our neighbors are destined to face considerable financial hardship.
None of the towns in our area were spared and are now stranded islands in the midst of mountains. The Stratton Foundation has established the Disaster Relief Fund to specifically raise money to help these families recover from sudden and dramatic loss. Please consider your support today. Many Stratton area families are affected!
100% of donations will go to the relief fund. Please contact Tammy Mosher to communicate where the most need is required.


Thompsonburg Road in South Londonderry, VT


Kendall Farm Road in Bondville, VT


Jelly Deli in Londonderry, VT


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Mother Nature is angry...


We caught the tail end of Hurricane Irene today. The wind wasn't too bad but torrential rains cause massive flooding. Sections of major roads around me are GONE. Many people have been evacuated from low lying areas or areas along one of our many rivers. Lots of areas nearby are completely cut off due to high waters. Living at the top of a hill like I do I escaped the worst of it, my road is flooded in one direction but I can get out in the other direction if I have to.


The bridge below my driveway, this time of year I can usually step across the stream underneath.



The normally placid stream from the other side of the bridge.


And the typically tranquil pond beyond.




Thursday, August 25, 2011

I just lost 15 pounds!

Some great instant weight loss plan? Well no. At least not exactly....

Today was my last shift as a fulltime police officer.

There are many things that I am going to miss about being a police officer.
Wearing all of this stuff 12 hours a day is NOT one of those things..


It is rather unsettling being a "regular person" now,
being a police officer is not just an occupation, it is an identity.

Although I am going to miss Vermont and family and friends,
I am looking forward to developing my new identity.

 One where I can wear whatever I want to work and do whatever I want with my hair....

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

It's an EARTHQUAKE!!

Yesterday I spent some time packing and then took a quick shower before running some errands.While in the shower Jill and Calix were in the room formally known as my office while Steel had run of the house. All the dogs get along well but Steel can be a pest, even to me, so unless he can be supervised, we are all happier with this arrangement.

While in the shower I heard a lot of noise coming from what I thought was down the hall. I also noted that it was odd that Steel hadn't yet pushed the bathroom door open to pester me while I was in the shower. Without too much thought I yelled at him to stop whatever he was doing. This was followed by complete silence, odd since usually when doing things involving noise I end up being included in his out of control game of zooming around the house (which is a good thing because then I can ensure the safety of the sheetrock). After a delay he appeared in the bathroom to be nosy and pestering. Thinking nothing of it I finished getting ready and left to run my errands.

Later in the day I come to find out that the noise was in fact an earthquake, not Steel as I had initially thought.... LOL

Is it STEEL or is it a 5.6 EARTHQUAKE?

Earthquake!!


Does anyone feel the earth moving??









Monday, August 22, 2011

Yngo's Legacy

My good friends Ann and Mike lost their beloved Yngo, who happens to be Steel's father, several days ago. Yngo was 12.5 years old, a good age for a rottweiler, but his passing is still heartbreaking. To say Yngo was an accomplished Rottweiler is an understatement, he achieved great things both in working as well as conformation and he was also the top producing Rottweiler in breed history.

Multi V-1, Sieger, Multi BISS Am/Can CH Yngo van het Dornedal
Am/Can CDX, Am TDX, Can TD, SchHIII, FH, BST, BH, TT, CGC

Yngo's real legacy however was his larger than life, fun loving personality. He placed an indelible stamp on practically all of his kids, passing on his love of big sticks, his desire to shake and kill toys, his love of a good enthusiastic back roll, his adoration of children and an enthusiasm for everything he did.

I often joke that Steels attitude has always been "every day is my birthday!" - having inherited more than his share of his dad's traits, he is the dog I work when I am in a bad mood, knowing I wont be that way for very long.
Today Steel seemed to be extra intent on channeling his dad, "helping" me by removing various items from my car while I was unpacking it. Failing to convince me to play with several soda bottles, a tracking glove and a plastic bag he then successfully retrieved a "wacky noodle" from what I thought was a inaccessible spot in the garage. In honor of his fun loving dad's memory I felt obligated to let him convince me to take time out of my busy schedule to enjoy a beautiful summer day and silly Yngo kid.









Sunday, August 21, 2011

MY boys!!

While in Maryland Steel and Calix were very cooperative about letting students without dogs handle them during the different parts of the training class. Calix at least would glance back over his shoulder at me once in a while; Steel however could have cared less where his momma was. <sniff>

OTOH I was able to take a few pics of my dogs working!

CALIX ~ the experienced pro 
 
Whatever you do, dont call him old!


Typical Calix - try a little demand barking first....

GSD mind control - "...must get nose on odor source...."

STEEL ~ the young upstart

Hang on Drew! 
Checkin' the boxes


 
"This box smells like drugs...." 
 

"This baby is goin' down!"
 

Friday, August 19, 2011

Bitch better have my money....

In my last post I discussed the important but often overlooked element of reward placement. With  many years of detection training experience, working a great many dogs, I have rewarded dogs for finding things A LOT. However it wasn't until training with Randy Hare that I learned the difference between rewarding the dog at source and AT SOURCE. The dog should always be rewarded not just when it is near the odor but when his nose is as close as possible to the source.  This may seem like a minor point and a fussy technicality but it is amazing how much clearer the whole process is to the dog. It is as if I told you to go into your living room vs "go into your living room and sit on the far end of the sofa, place your hands on your knees and look at the TV". The communication is clear and the dogs understand their task so much better. As a result they are more confident, happier and better able to maintain high drive for the work. The clarity also eliminates the necessity of certain behaviors on the part of the handler - such as "detailing", directing the dog into every nook and cranny and other traditional behaviors that are believed to either help or avoid cuing the dog.

Below are a group of dogs following a 2 week detection trainer's school demonstrating that they have clarity in their task (some of these dogs had no odor exposure at the beginning of the class). They KNOW they are in the exact correct spot and expect the reward to be paid there.  Sometimes the look on their faces is priceless and you can imagine them telling us to bring them the reward.

Or as Randy says:
"Bitch better have my money" (said in a southern accent of course)



6 month old Shorty - bed bug detection


Caine- bedbug detection


Hugo - human remains detection


Coverboy Kaycee - drug detection


Shelter prodigy Cali (aka Ziva) - firearms detection


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Timing is important - but so is reward placement

Regardless of what venue I am training in I have noted a lot of emphasis on the timing of the reward. Timing is important but often the location of the reward source is often overlooked.  I worked with a handler who had an obedience heeling problem. Her dog lagged. She was unaware of her habit of reaching behind her to reward - guess where dog's heel position was? Half a step behind her. Another dog bounced VERY high in heel position sometimes hitting the handler in the face. Handler was rewarding her high in order to keep her up.

Similar to detection training. If we always provide the reward at the source of the odor - the dog will stay at the source of the odor. It is not about fooling the dog into thinking that the reward comes from the source. Dogs perform a great many behaviors knowing that the reward comes from the handler. However if he learns to expect the reward at the source of odor that is where he is going to stay. A detection dog who wont leave the source of the odor ~ what a problem to have!

In addition to proper timing, it's important to remember:
Dogs will learn to go to the place where their reward will be received.








Monday, August 15, 2011

Alpha K9 Detection School ~ Part Two

More dogs being worked during Detection Trainer's School.
All the dogs are doing great improving their committment to source odor and learning through self discovery that ignoring distractions results in a fight at the source odor.

The trainers arent doing too bad of a job either!



 Hugo learning to work the scent boxes:


"Getting into drive"


"Gimme the ball big guy!!"



"Well okay then...."



"Give it to me now!!"


Learning to ignore distractions and develop committment to odor on his own...


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Alpha K9 Detection School ~ Maryland Part One

Week One involved all of the dogs working the scent boxes for whatever target odors they are being trained to detect. Randy Hare's training system allows the dog to teach himself how to get his reward. If the dog is high in drive and wants the reward (tug/fight) bad enough he will figure out what he has to do to get it.



Chuna ~ teacher's demo dog showing us all how it can be done. Is it just me or do you think she has a little ferret mixed in with the malinois?






 K9 Kaycee working the boxes and showing us very clearly which box his target odor in it. By touching his nose to the source of odor he gets a tug/fight at the source. Think he knows how to make that fight happen?


 






And here is little 6 month old terrier "Shorty" figuring it all out too!
 Of course we had to lower the boxes so he could reach them!














Thursday, August 11, 2011

Gummi Bear's Coming!!

Look out Garfield County - Gummi Bear is coming!!


I love Gummi Bear not just because he is
adorable and has plenty of rottweiler in him (along with who knows what else)
but also because he is a high speed little drug dog.

He is here in Maryland training his new handler, Drew Hyer, and will eventually be on his way to Washington State for a career as a drug dog.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Lucky Girl!

I am currently in Maryland helping with a Detection Trainer School. Sunday was a long day of travel and yesterday and today were training days. The good news is however that Ziva is handling traveling wonderfully. She has slept in three different places since last Thursday and still came out of her crate today ready to engage and did a wonderful job at her first training session.

It looks like she is going to stay in Maryland and be trained to be a firearms detection dog for a county police department. While I have become attached to her and would love to train her myself, she can get started training here right away and it will be the best thing for her. Lucky girl went from being dumped in the New Rochelle Humane Society (http://www.newrochellehumanesociety.com/) to being fought over by three highly experienced detection trainers!