Hi Bev
Thank you for the great introduction of the video you have sent through. Sounds like you have found a few things that you need to test, which is wonderful.
You mentioned there were times today were Wolfy’s wasn’t so interested in hunting, did you do something different today before your search? Was it a new environment, you mentioned it was a park behind your home, was it busy?
(0:07) Great location of sample by Wolfy, good encouragement when you saw he was in source, and GOOD timing of praise when he located the tin. It is also BRILLIANT that you asked him to show you again so he received two rewards for this find. EXCELLENT.
The second find (0:36) was well timed and a wonderful locate by Wolfy.
At 0:46 Wolfy turned and sat down looking at you. Did you stop because you saw the sample? Great that you moved towards the sample, causing him to get up and turn and ultimately find it. Well done on this manoeuver.
At (1:07) it appears that Wolfy was in the right place for the sample, and at (1:09) was over/at the sample and it wasn’t acknowledged (little hard to see what happened here) and so he stretched further into the tree and then sniffed up the tree and then walked away. You asked him to come back and it appears that he found the sample but then started digging. Has this previously been a rewarded behaviour when locating truffles? Then you take the sample out and reward him. You make the comment ‘he is acting weird today’, and am wondering if it was one of the European Truffle Oil samples, as he have different behaviour here compared to the locating of the other samples.
(1:37) was a good hunt and indication of sample for you, however he picked it up and then dropped it and turned away just as you gave him a ‘yea Good Boy’. Was this one of his times of showing disinterest or was there a distraction? There was good praise for him, be careful what you are praising for?
It was EXCELLENT that you asked him to relocated the sample with a ‘show you’. He did a little search forward and found it for you and you gave him his ball. You could have drawn out the reward sequence longer for the ‘show me’ locate. Having a treat prepared in your hand to deliver to him once he re-located it and extending the reward could keep him engaged at source. However, you did well to bring him back to you at the stage he turned away and keep him on task. Well done.
(1.57) Wolfy locates, picks up and drops the sample. You did encourage him to relocate this one as he had dropped but it looked awkward for him as he walked backwards, bending around his legs, moving forward whilst sniffing. As Wolfy is standing on the (known) sample, moving him away by circling around and then bringing him back into the area would set him up to search forward again. You could again assist with encouragement to relocate the sample. (2:16) When he did relocate the sample you voice praised then picked up the target without food reward. Treating at source and several times will help cement what he is out there to locate and this was an AMAZING relocate for him.
(2:19) there is some BEAUTIFUL tracking and great leash handling skills from you both. He does appear a little distracted and you ask him to come back on task, which he does. Good catch. When he started scratching at (2:37) I would encourage you to go to Wolfy and check out that scratching with him and become part of the locating process. Then when you see there is nothing there, then ask him to ‘find it’ and continue searching. Good mark at (2:45) when Wolfy locates the sample.
I would encourage you to feed at source or throw the ball at source to keep a strong association between the source scents and the reward. How well does Wolfy indicate on the European Truffle compared to the Oregon truffle at home? Do you think that Wolfy needs more time to learn this new scent at home or was this an off day for him? Were there a lot of people around in the park that could have cause some distractions during this session?
Overall you are both doing really well, and work well as a team. It is good that you identified that Wolfy was showing signs of disinterest in hunting and you took a break. What did the break consist of, resting or playing with the ball? Do you have a special toy for rewarding Wolfy when truffle hunting over other games you play with him?
Well done and look forward to your feedback.