Finishes and Scent Work

Last night I started introducing scent work to Zane. I took a pill bottle, put treats in it, rubbed it with my hands, and just clicked/treated for touching it then picking it up. I opened it up to get a treat out each time. Then I started to hide it "in plain sight". Basically, as I was sitting on the ground, I just put it to one side or the other and waited for him to find it and pick it up. Then I put it a little farther out. I want him to start looking for it. We played it again this morning and did the same thing.

Eventually, I'll be able to leave him in a sit, walk somewhere, place the object, and he'll go find it. For example, I played it with Bella this morning (I introduced it to her too yesterday), and she is finding it hidden in, on, and under other objects. Then I'll start putting it out with similar, unscented objects.


This morning I played with the around finish with Zane. I've taught finishes several ways. With my first Aussie, Harper, I did it the traditional way of luring the dog around with a treat to heel position. With Travis and Emily, I started with a toy, spun myself in a circle so the dog ran around me to chase the toy, and we ended in heel position. With Bella, I backchained moving to heel position.

So, I had to figure out which method I was going to use with Zane. I tried the backchaining, and he was ho-hum. So I pulled out a toy. Zoom! He likes that one! He's very bouncy going around with me, but he is usually sitting in heel position. Which earns him a tug game. And. . . he has figured out to release on "thank you" (my release cue). Good boy!

Let's talk about downs for a minute. As you know, I am a positive reinforcement, clicker-training fool. I do use some luring when I think I'll get better results. I love to shape behaviors. But then there are dogs like Zane. As I've said before, he always wants to know "Why?" I guess my answer to that question just hasn't been satisfying enough for him. So I had to think. I want a specific picture. We have repeated and repeated and repeated giving the verbal cue followed by either a lure or the hand signal when he didn't need the lure any more. Why would he never go down on the verbal, or if he did, it was a sit, then flop. That's not what I want!

So, I had to put aside my positive reinforcement hat for a while tonight and work on getting a down. I would say down, then my hand in his collar pulling him down in the fold-back I want. I did that about 10 times, then said down, and lo-and-behold. . . he went down. Perfect fold. I had finally answered his question of "why". He got a huge jackpot and we quit right there.

I've notice that many competitive obedience people quit competing when they switch to positive reinforcement only. I wonder if it's because of situations like this where positive reinforcement isn't enough to get the dog to do what you want. And yes, I've heard it all. "You need to use a better reinforcer." Yeah. . . chicken is his favorite and he wouldn't drop for the chicken. Or the cheese. Or the roast. Or. . . With the collar pull, he is still getting a reward when he gets down, but he also does have the discomfort of having his collar pulled too.

So, I probably need to throw out my positive label because I left it behind tonight.