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Article Indication
In the heat of summer,
it is really difficult for dogs to get out and track a full length track.
This is a great time to work on some skills at home such as article
indication.
Generally, we will teach article indication away from the track itself.
Trained properly, your dog will give you a consistent behavior every time
he or she comes to the article, that will be your signal when tracking that the
dog has found the glove, or any other article you laid on the track.
To start article indication, I like to use my driveway or my front yard,
which is a place the dogs rarely see because it is not fenced.
If it is really beastly hot, you can even do this game in your
air-conditioned home. With the dog
on a leash, I will drop the glove about 3-4 feet in front of me and command the
dog to down at the glove. If need
be, point to the ground and the glove, then reward the dog with a happy voice
and a treat. I like to use the words
“what did you find!” as I am rewarding as these are the same words I will
use out in the field when the dog has tracked to the glove.
A little tip on using treats, break them up in tiny little pieces and
your dog will think he hit the jackpot as you multiply feed those treats!
Once my dog is consistently downing at the glove we play the article
game. Now unless you are blessed
with a really BIG basement this game needs to be done in the yard and on cut
grass. Lay the gloves about 15-20
feet in the diagram below. Have your
harness and a 6 ft lead on the dog, and bring them to each of the gloves,
repeating the “down, what did you find and jackpot reward with your happy,
happy voice. If your dog pulls you
to the glove, all the better, and if he gives you’re an automatic down at the
glove – it is time to celebrate!
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