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Dog Training Tips - Building Exterior Searching For a Smell

29 11:25:03
Up to this time all exercises have been conducted in an open area, and the transition from one phase to the next was closely related. Now as the dog progresses to exercises involving the exterior of a building, you will find he is confronted with somewhat of an abrupt change. However, this is an extremely good phase of training to prepare the dog for future building interior smell training.

Through repetition the dog will be taught to examine the exterior foundation and wall of various buildings. Again, this is a new experience for the dog which is very realistic. The difficulty of smell is increased in these exercises, since the air currents may affect the smell in such a manner that the dog will have to examine very closely in order to detect and trace it. Consequently, you must carefully plan these exercises.

The selection of buildings must include the type that provide a place of concealment for the smell and dummy along its edge, where the odour will be available for the dog to smell.During this training, you must conceal only one smell for each exercise. To prevent confusing the dog he should not be required to examine an area where there has previously been a smell.

This will result in a response to 'smell'. Depending on numerous factors, a smell will permeate an area and linger in a location for an undetermined amount of time after the substance has been removed. Consequently, if a dog detects the smell and does not receive a reward, he will become confused. This can very easily and quickly result in the dog's unwillingness to hunt for, detect and respond to smells.

As the initial exercises are prepared, the wind and air currents should be carrying the smell odour toward the location where the dog is going to start. Also, the smell should be concealed in such a manner that provides positive odour availability and subsequent easy detection. This allows the dog to quickly associate detecting smell along the exterior of a building, and stimulates his intent to closely examine such areas.

After you have prepared an exercise such as mentioned above, the dog should be brought to the corner of the building and faced in the direction he is to examine. (The exterior of the building is examined in the counter-clockwise manner). After going through the starting sequence the dog should be encouraged to closely examine the exterior of the building while moving very fast. When he detects and locates the smell he must be encouraged (if necessary) to retrieve it and the dummy from its concealed position.

When the dog is engaged in these exercises, he should be examining the building exterior very closely, if he is detracted or he begins to wander away from the building, he should be immediately turned around and encouraged to examine closer.

After successful completion of these initial exercises, then, the distance the dog is required to hunt for the smell should be increased. Also, the smell should be randomly concealed at various levels, but always where its odour can be detected by the dog and traced to its origin.After you have gradually increased the difficulty in building exterior exercises, and the dog is performing successfully, then he should be ready for the next phase of training.