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  1. #11
    Senior Dog
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    Our rehab vet suggested (amateur) nose work because it encourages the dog to walk rather than run; because of her spinal injury, Kimber's back left leg is weak and she likes to build up some momentum so she doesn't have to use it, which is bad. I read a bunch of Websites and consulted this board; here's what I do (note this is for fun and not terribly standard or official!):

    1. Chop up a string cheese or hot dog into teeny-tiny pieces.
    2. Put on an old pair of shoes, carrying an alternate pair of shoes in a bag.
    3. Walk around the yard, dropping a piece of food every few steps. To encourage scenting, I would step on the piece of food with the shoe.
    4. When I get to a spot where I can hide the shoes, I take them off and put lots of food on one of them. I put its mate in the bag and put my alternate shoes on and walk back to the house.
    5. I let Kimber out of the house and give her the shoe to sniff and tell her "Go Find!"
    6. She finds it, eats all the yummies on it, then gets more treats from me.

    If you review how much food is involved, you can see why Kimber LOVES this game.

    A couple of lessons learned: most of the sites talked about beginning by laying a short trail with the object about 10 feet away. Kimber quickly figured out the object had a "jackpot" of treats, so she would bypass the trail and run right to it. I had to make sure the object is hidden from view. Also, I have to be sure to mix up the trail. She knows all my favorite hiding spots and the 'usual' path, so she often tries to cheat.

    have fun!
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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    Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts



  2. #12
    Senior Dog shellbell's Avatar
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    I do agility with Cabo for fun, our first session of classes was all on leash, and we have an awesome trainer who really takes the time to help the dogs get acclimated with the equipment. If she is interested in nose work, see if you have barn hunt classes in your area....that is me and Tux's current addiction

  3. #13
    Senior Dog
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    Quote Originally Posted by shellbell View Post
    I do agility with Cabo for fun, our first session of classes was all on leash, and we have an awesome trainer who really takes the time to help the dogs get acclimated with the equipment. If she is interested in nose work, see if you have barn hunt classes in your area....that is me and Tux's current addiction

    Barn in hunting sounds awesome! The closest nose work class to me is just scent training, and it's over an hour away.
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
    Hidden Content

    Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts



  4. #14
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shellbell View Post
    I do agility with Cabo for fun, our first session of classes was all on leash, and we have an awesome trainer who really takes the time to help the dogs get acclimated with the equipment. If she is interested in nose work, see if you have barn hunt classes in your area....that is me and Tux's current addiction
    It's interesting how different some classes can be. I took some fun classes with general training schools that offered agility as well. The first trainer I had was good and taught more slowly but some of my sessions were with newer trainers that were not paying attention to form and contacts. But either way the dog was doing a large number of the obstacles and putting things in runs by the end of the first course.

    This past spring I started agility with Penny at an agility field with an agility instructor. WOW. It was much much slower. Working on contacts, TONS of work on each obstacle and it was the end of summer before we were putting more than 2 things together and small runs. So very different. Obviouswly with this class you don't get much "pizzazz" after 6 weeks (we did like three consecutive sets as a group). But if someone wants to compete I totally see why you need to do it this way. I can't say one is better or worse just depends, I can see how just for fun the classes done at training schools works better.

    One more season (spring/summer) and maybe we can try to dabble at some fun runs in the fall.
    Last edited by Tanya; 11-24-2014 at 02:08 PM.

  5. #15
    Senior Dog shellbell's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kimbersmom View Post
    Barn in hunting sounds awesome! The closest nose work class to me is just scent training, and it's over an hour away.
    It is so much fun! We were at a trial over the weekend, Tux got his novice title, and two Q's towards his open title....one of those runs he got high in trial! And I have made some great friends with it as well. Fun fact, at both trials we have been to, he was the only lab.

  6. #16
    Senior Dog WhoopsaDaisy's Avatar
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    I dont know how to get started with barn hunting/ nose work but it sounds like a blast! I checked the website of the training place and they don't have nose work classes listed! I'll have to email them and ask
    Katie and Aric (7/1/17) Hidden Content
    Whoops-a-Daisy B. 1-26-13 Gotcha 8-25-13
    Jett B 8-17-17, Gotcha 10-7-17




    “Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.”
    —Hidden Content (author,Hidden Content )

  7. #17
    Senior Dog WhoopsaDaisy's Avatar
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    Here's a pic from Daisy trying out agility this weekend
    Katie and Aric (7/1/17) Hidden Content
    Whoops-a-Daisy B. 1-26-13 Gotcha 8-25-13
    Jett B 8-17-17, Gotcha 10-7-17




    “Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.”
    —Hidden Content (author,Hidden Content )

  8. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to WhoopsaDaisy For This Useful Post:

    Charlotte K. (11-26-2014), Georgie (11-27-2014), Tanya (11-26-2014)

 



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