Reply To: Tim & Molly

[Alana McGee]

Hi Tim. Thanks for the photos. Yes, we would suggest you start to hide some targets on the orchard. Again, some of it is about generalizing. Because the grasses are different here and the way they are laid out will create some barriers, you are correct, it doesn’t hurt.

Also has a handler you need to get used to digging under those grasses. They create soil mats which can be a pain to get through for you and Molly.

It is not ‘that’ different as you say, but the more you can practice here the more she’ll feel confident in this environment. Mostly we aren’t concerned about her failing to alert as much as gaining experience working in this specific scenario, as you mentioned, because those grasses will create some scent barriers she’s going to have to work through.

Bare minimum on the orchard have a target with you to throw out.

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You are right Tim that throwing a target out on the orchard is different than targets in the ground there- another reason to practice that (burying some) on the orchard. See how she moves when you plant a few right at the base of trees. And do do that. They aren’t always at the base of trees, but plant a couple that way.

As for how to manufacture, yes, just throw one out. Success is success, and that’s the goal in that scenario, not necessarily working through soil to find a target, but success in the game and generalizing to an area.

You timing on encouragement looks great. We think you are reading her well, and it is fine to encourage here, that is what her behavior looks like when on scent.

3:17 she is working SO well on this.much harder for her to find in this scenario. She’s doing well, and we think you are correct. There are mixed odors here, which is why it is a complicated scenario. The more this is practiced the more versed she will get at parsing out just one and following it to source, and then doing it again discriminating against the ones she has previously found.

Well done on the last one- that timing was just fine.

Here’s a link to the third class- Email us and we get you the info you need for sign up- as some of this material will be pertinent to you on the orchard.

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