Reply To: Mary & Lola

[Alana McGee]

Practicing on a lead is good at times, but yes, it will alter the game for the dog. There are times when having a line on is extremely useful and necessary.

This looks good. For now keep editing, but there will likely be a time when we want to see larger chunks- start to finish, or sections that show these settling in periods as it provides vital context to emotional state.

Thank you for letting us know what you edit out however, as that is valuable information too!

How is she doing with the grass these days? we could see it in earlier videos because we know context when she pulls her feet up abnormally high when walking, but it seems to be improving/ less dramatic. Has it been raining as frequently as previously? In Salu’s vied you said the ground was damp, so we assume so, but let us know. She may for the time being simply be more sensory sensitive in the grass. It looks okay here, but just file that away in Mary’s notes on Lola in the brain.

0:16 tenacious pup. Love her persistence, as always.

1:00 she’s working very close to you. By her choice. Interesting. This is less typical when off line, hence leading us to suspect it is in part due to the line. Neither good nor bad. Information. She’s seems slightly less comfortable in this set up, but you noticed that. That doesn’t mean don’t practice it. It is a very useful skill, just understand it alters her behavior. (*My Lolo is very similar in that regard).

1:08 PERFECT time to drop a manufactured success. If you feel you need to boost the level of positive history even further, make sure she sees you drop it, so she can alert on it respectively.

1:15 Great cheating your body away to direct intention back on your desired search area.
1:17 NICE Lola. Something was distracting and she said, nope, I’m truffling!

1:28 It looks like she handed that one to you? Is that correct? If so that’s perfectly fine.

2:06 this is a fabulous example and teaching moment for “follow the nose”. Lola is right on it and we can see her pinpointing. Truffles, unlike metal teaballs, are not shiny. Real truffles often look like dirt clods until further inspection, so in this situation Mary it is good practice to start following the movements of Lola’s nose inside the hole she excavated. The nose knows, so to speak. The direction of the nose acts a pointer for those handlers who watch it and can indicate truffle location fairly accurately. Start to pay attention to that. As you work in more complex environments and deeper this element comes into play more and more. Follow the Nose.

Nice reward sequences. Well done guys.