Reply To: Annie & Ashley

[Alana McGee]

First off, videoing makes such a difference. It really let’s me see how Ashley’s reacting.
For me, I see what I did right and what I need to work on.

10/7 hide
Ashley was inside and Bill kept her distracted so she did not see where I was hiding targets.
We used the new scent area.
I walked around it a few times.
Dog distraction next door – Ally started barking as soon as we went outside.
Evening, warm out. A slight, slight breeze blowing from the north to south- it barely moved plant leaves
at about 3-4ft off the ground.
6 Targets (+ 1 accidental target)

This was fairly easy! Amazing!

#1 under the duff – covered
#2 logs & rocks – barley visible
#3 under a rock – covered
#4 logs middle – barley visible
#5 rocks against planter – barley visible
#6 log & small sticks – barley visible

I could tell she found each target be scent and not visually.

She found # 1 right away – running along fence to see Ally. Caught the scent and followed her nose.
She forgot all about Ally next door. Alerted and stayed with alert despite Ally barking just on the
other side of the fence. Then she went nose to nose with Ally through a knothole. She then located a few
hides bouncing between them with a soft quick alert ( I was waiting for a stronger alert – I need to change that
since this was a new environment. I know I wouldn’t react that way in the forest. Mom needs more training.)
She then went back to each one and gave a good alert with a quick visit with Ally in between.
At one point, she caught the scent of the open jars that I keep the tins in about 8 ft away on a table and alerted
on those. Bill and I were in disbelief that she smelled those and laughing because Ashley was just so happy
to find them!
She got close to #5 at one point but the big plant was a block and there were other targets.
She was done after 6 finds. Something along the back fence caught her attention – probably deer.

I don’t need to recue her to start after a hide.
#3 was a bit of a challenge – under the rock. I did get down and help her with this one.
For future hides, I will get on the ground with her and look with her more often.
She takes a break for distractions them comes back to searching on her own.

I’ve noticed if Ashely can not get close enough to a target, her alert changes to pawing.
She only gives a down when she can really do a paw touch and has room to lay down.

When she searches, she goes back to places she found a hide and does a quick sniff and
just keeps moving to find more.

Where I need to improve
I should have praised quicker for her just getting over them since this was such a new environment.
Get on the ground and search for tough ones with her.
Pay more attention to her searching pattern.

Training Plan for This week

I think the biggest thing to work on is expanding the area.
3-5 Hot targets
Mixed Visual Targets: Partially Hidden & Hidden

Hides that I place:
Start adding hides in the to expansion area and the rosemary.
After that add hides in the iceplant.
A separate search in the natural duff area. It’s on the other side of the yard.

Blind Hides: as we can set them up.

Any recommendations for improvement based on the yard and searches of this last week?
The 2 previous posts.

Any suggestions for this weeks hides?