Exercise 4-1: Interior with visible cold tins
This interior search shows the dog has good odor obedience and searching skills in the presence of visible cold tins. The search is set up in a way so that the dog encounters multiple cold tins before getting to the hide.
Purpose: Demonstrates the dog can continue to search for the hide (invisible to the dog) in the presence of visible cold tins.
Age of Hide: Recommend 10 minutes minimum
Number of Hides: 1
Search Area: Interior
Hide Placement: The hide is handler’s choice and not visible to the dog within the interior.
On/Off Leash: On or off leash
Required Calls: Handler must say “Alert” or raise hand when their dog has communicated they have found target odor. The Alert call must be the handler’s first confirmation of their dog finding the hide. The Alert call must also come before rewarding your dog. “Finish” must be called to end the search.
Exercise set-up: The hide is placed per guidelines. Place 3-5 visible cold tins at a variety of heights where none are placed higher than the dog’s nose height. These cold items must be tins and not other types of vessels. The cold tins must be adhered to objects or walls. The cold tins must be roughly the same size as the hot tin and be at least the size of a lip balm slider and no larger than 2 ½ x3 ¾ inches. Straws can NOT be used. Search begins when the handler cues the dog to search. Dog and/or handler must cross the start line. Search ends when the handler calls “Finish.” While camera is still running, the handler must show all the cold tins.
Scoring: Pass/Not yet
Non-qualifiers: Excessive cues to search; odor paired with food; dog indicates on the distractor, dog will not leave or retrieves the distractor; dog lured off a distractor with food; excessive handler intervention (including leash pressure, body pressure, verbal) used to move dog away from intentional distractor; handler points to hide; dog does not show change in behavior at source; dog exhibits an unproductive (false) indication; dog retrieves hide or distractor; scent aids fall out from hide placement; exposed scent aids (not in vessel) placed in search area; dog eliminates during search; search parameters not met; incorrectly placed hide; incorrect call.
Tips: Make sure that your cold tins have NEVER had odor in them or been exposed to odor (stored with odor and/or hot tins).
Video example:
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