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SCENT ARTICLES Whether you are just in novice or have already obtained your CDX, training scent articles for the start of your utility training is something you will want to get started on. Training scent articles generally takes some time to make this a reliable exercise. There are several ways to train articles. Which method you choose depends on the experiences your dog has had up to this point. Let me explain; First, you will want to obtain at least one, but preferably two sets of articles fitted to your individual dog. You should have 6 leather and 6 metal articles. Although only 5 of each are used in competition, purchasing 6 of each allows you to use one set of articles for a weekend, as the scented one will be removed from the set. The articles will need identical numbering 1-6 for both leather and metal. After purchasing, you should clean them thoroughly, using soap and water, then let air dry. If you have a Golden who normally picks up everything and anything in its mouth, you will probably want to use the “tie down” method. Get a piece of rubber matting, in about a 4 by 4 foot section, poke holes in the mat and use fishing line to attach the articles to the matting. I have found that if I make two small holes together and fashion my fishing line to make a loop in the line, I can easily slip the end of the article through the loop and attach the article to the mat. I will start first by attaching just the metal articles to the mat and space them about 6 inches apart. Only attach 4 of the metal articles as you will be scenting the 5th one with your scent. For the first couple of days, or until Goldie gets the idea of going to the pile of articles, use the scented article as a retrieving exercise. Throw your scented article into the pile and send your dog to retrieve it. As Goldie gets comfortable going to the pile to retrieve the scented article, you can then start placing the article rather than throwing it. At this point, your dog might hesitate going to the pile. Give him/her some encouragement to do that by taking a step forward and your “find it” command. Make sure as you are placing the article that you vary the placement by going around the pile in different spots. It is common at this point for your dog to try to retrieve some of the tied down articles. It is important for you to not say anything to your dog during this process, but rather to allow the dog to work it out on its own. Soon you will see the dog sniffing the various articles prior to picking up the correctly scented one. That is the behavior that will tell you that the dog is making progress understanding the exercise. As the learning progresses, you will see the dog go to the pile, sniff each one and pick up the correct article no matter where in the pile you put the scented one. I should mention that at this point, your dog is always facing the pile as you place the article in the pile. When you see that the dog is sniffing the articles and is picking up your scented one, it is time to untie one article. Place the unscented article (using tongs) at the same spot where it was tied down. If Goldie picks up the wrong one take it from him/her, say nothing and send the dog back to the pile to get the right one. Soon though, Goldie will get the idea and will pick up the scented one. Untie the next article only when Goldie is picking up the scented article reliably. Continue on until all of your articles are untied. Some important tips about training scent articles are; 1. Let the dog bring the scented article back to you before giving praise. It is tempting to tell Goldie what a great dog he/she is when they sniff and find the correct article, but this only makes the dog dependent on your telling them they are correct. Our goal here is to have them use their nose to figure it out. 2. Never correct your dog physically when it picks up the wrong article. Remember your dog is using its scenting abilities and we have no idea what the dog is smelling. If Goldie picks up the wrong article, simply take the article from him/her and send them back to the pile for the correct article. When Goldie brings back the correct one to you, lavish praise. 3. Wash your articles periodically so that the scent is removed. Water and dishwashing soap work well. Allow to air dry for a day. 4. Air out your articles between training sessions so that they have a chance to eliminate the scent. Also, make sure that when you are at the stage of having all tied down articles untied, that you put your scent on every article when ending the training session. That way the same scent is disseminated as they are aired. 5. Use tongs or gloves to place your articles or have someone else place your articles out for you when you are at the loose article stage. Once your dog has mastered all of the metal articles and is working the pile, choosing the right scented article reliably, it is time to add the leather articles. Tie down the leather articles on your mat where your metal ones were before. Keep the metal articles untied but used in your training. Place the scented leather article in the pile and keep out the scented metal. Repeat the process of untying the leather articles as the dog becomes reliable in finding the right scented article as you did for the metal. Be patient in this process and do not proceed with untying articles until you see your dog sniffing the entire pile and finding the right article consistently. Patience and a methodical process will allow Goldie to be very solid with scenting. Our ideal picture is a dog who will go to the pile directly, and will work the entire pile to find the correct article. Next month we will explore other ways of teaching articles for the dog that might not have a strong retrieving desire.
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