Teaching a Dog to Find an Object

The object of teaching a dog to search for an item is to ensure that he has the ability to retrieve property or give an indication to the property's location or area. A dog relies on finding property by means of using his or her nose using airborne scent and therefore a dog should be trained to make use of his scenting powers through his nose, rather than his sight.

The success of a dog, searching exercises depends to a great extent on the owner's ability to observe the dog correctly and interpret the indications of the dog in tracing air-borne scent. This is viewing the dogs body language, head position and if possible the drawing of air in through the nose.

In the early stages of searching for property or an item, it may be found that the dog may search a larger area than is necessary, in his or her enthusiasm to locate the article or property. Although not really a fault in later stages of training when a larger area needs to be searched, the dog should be encouraged in the early stages to search a small area and so locate the article quickly and gain immediate praise and confidence.

In selecting suitable locations for placing the article or property, advantage should be taken of wind direction, accessibility and wherever possible, the dog should be worked into the wind.
The owner should initially throw the article into long grass, upwind of the dog and then give him the command 'fetch'.

Once the dog has mastered the technique of locating the article under those conditions, the dog should be placed in a controlled position and watch, as the handler goes out and very obviously to the dog, places the article in long grass. He should then return to the dog and again give the "fetch' command.

The next stage is for the handler to place the article, without the dog seeing him do so. The final stage is for the handler to have a stranger place the article. If at any stage failure is occurring, go back a stage and build the dog's confidence and ability to find the item. Once this stage is reached, the searches can become longer with more than one article used.
It is of great advantage in the final stages, if the dog has had some training in the 'send away' and redirection exercise, although this is not essential.

A dog to perform such exercises must have the extreme ability to want to fetch items. The ability must be to the general person almost seemed to be that is the one purpose in which the dog wants to live its life. Good indication is a dog that wants to constantly chase after a ball or object and will continue to do so even when the dog is tired. A dog that will also want to find a ball or object in long grass and refuses to give up even again when tired or a period of time has passed.