Today we are sharing our second guest post, in our new series, The Versatile Collie. We wanted to share some of the amazing sports and activities different individuals are doing with their collies. This will hopefully show the versatility of the wonderful collie breed. Michelle Doram is our second guest, and she has trained her collies to compete in K9 Nose Work. What is K9 Nose Work? Read more to find out!
Playing a Dog's Game with K9 Nose Work
by Michelle Doram, CNWI
Playing a Dog's Game with K9 Nose Work
by Michelle Doram, CNWI
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The activity and competitive sport of K9
Nose Work® was founded by professional trainer and K9 Detection handler Amy
Herot, Ron Gaunt, a former police K9 and private Detection K9 trainer and
handler, and Jill Marie O'Brien, who was at the time the Animal Behavior &
Training Department at the spcaLA. The initial objective of the team was to
create a class for companion dogs which would re-create the fun and energy
exertion which K9 Detection dogs experience each day in training or working.
Detection dogs are notoriously high drive, ball crazy, and not suitable for pet
homes. Yet, detection K9s have a blast with their games, are quite bonded with
their handlers, then sleep soundly in their kennels. How could companion dogs
have this sort of satisfaction in their lives - and possibly help with behavior
issues linked to excess energy? Wouldn't it be amazing if all dogs could have this
much fun, Ron and Amy wondered? The original 'students' happened to be mostly
dog trainers excited by this activity, and are now referred to as "the
Original 7", as they became Instructors themselves as the activity caught
fire in Southern California. A Fun Match grew into a Competition, and soon was
born the National Association of Canine Nose Work (NACSW), the governing body
and Titling organization of the sport.
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| Michelle's boy, Cedar, looks like he found something! |
Nose Work as an activity or sport is
played by all sorts of dogs, not just scent hounds or working breeds. Puppies
use their sense of smell first, before eyes and ears are open, and process
their worlds via their olfactory system foremost. Whether searching for food,
locating a favorite toy, or investigating interesting smells, dogs use their
noses for survival and fun each day. Nose Work gives us, the human part of the
equation, an opportunity to participate in their activity as handlers. What a
blessing to be able to participate in their favorite game!
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| Michelle's sweet boy, Nate, searching for the scent |
Dog sports as a whole involve a great
deal of training, teamwork, and trust within a team. However, Nose Work invites
the human to play a dog game, not vice versa. Consider for a moment - Agility,
Flyball, Frisbee, Obedience, Rally - all fun games for the dog and human team,
yet are the human's game in which the dogs participate. There is no obedience
training involved or behaviors being taught in Nose Work. Lure Coursing is an
instinctive activity, but all our dogs really want from us in regards to Lure
Coursing is a ride to the practice field. Detection and Nose Work are basically
the same game, based on what a dog already does instinctively. Tracking
involves a great deal of training and observation from the handler as well, but
I believe that the level of interaction between the teams is higher in Nose
Work, mostly due to the variety of elements in which we work. As we progress
through the foundation of Nose Work training, we are learning from our dogs,
while facilitating their searching opportunities to learn how odor works. It is
us, the humans, who are being trained in the big picture. We must be
trained how to be a savvy handler.
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| Michelle's girl, Clover, during a Nose Work competition |
As our dogs learn to detect their target
odors, our task is observing the way they work. We
learn how they behave when they are "in odor", listening for
breathing changes, watching for subtle body language changes, and need to be ready
to reward quickly at the source of the odor (location of the hide). New
environments and search areas are introduced - exterior (any outdoor) areas,
vehicles, containers or luggage of all sorts, and various interior rooms, each
with a bevy of distracting smells to work through. As training advances,
multiple hides are introduced, so the puzzle is layered by the convergence of
more than one odor. Inaccessible (unable to be nose touched) or high hides
reveal new communications from our dogs as they work these complex situations.
Our observations and understanding of our dog's working style must become more
acute as training advances. We also have to remember to remember what we have
learned about the way weather, wind, HVAC, and building construction affects
odor movement, and what we may need to do or change to accommodate these
factors. There's as much mental energy exerted for us during a search as with
our dogs!
A major part of the learning curve in
training as a team is how significantly our behavior can affect the dog's
ability to succeed in a search. Many factors on our part can interrupt the
flow, such as our mood, leash handling, body position, even footsteps. The dog
knows how to search for odor, but is significantly connected to us in a way which
can affect the outcome of a search. By the time we reach title level
competitions, advanced especially, any errors are usually ours. The hardest
part of competing at the NW3 title level is remembering to let our unconscious
skill perform as our conscious mind connects with our dogs.
The adrenaline of a competition with our
dogs, particularly at the NW3 level - in a new area with an unknown number of
hides and a time limit, is an incredible feeling. Some days, luck is on our
side and we squeak through with a Title. The days in which it goes very well,
the Title seems to have come easy. To the spectators, the search looks like an
effortless, synergistic routine between experienced partners gliding elegantly
across a dance floor. For the team, it is a combination of the aforementioned
unconscious skill and strategy with subconscious trust and communication. It
does feel like dancing, though, elated, connected dancing - with eyes twinkling
and pretty music playing. Those days are imprinted on the memory forever, a
highlight of a lifetime shared with our dogs to whom we are now incredibly
connected. The ribbon is simply a memento of a cherished experience! Our
favorite memories are those which have been shared, especially by one to whom
we are very close. Sometimes, the loved one with whom we share our most
cherished moments, is our dog.
There are days when competitions or
training days don't go as well, and the dance is clumsy or had some forgotten
steps. Remember what they say about fishing?
A bad day fishing is better than a good day working? A "bad
day" in Nose Work is still playing a fun game with our extraordinary dogs,
so really is not so bad at all, and probably a good learning experience for us.
Along the way, we've made new forever friends, embarked on memorable trips and
adventures, and most importantly, developed an unparalleled bond with our dogs.
We have the opportunity to create this connection simply by participating in
their game.
Nate has earned the Elite 1 title.
In Elite Division, one acquires points to the next level, somewhat like agility. Cedar has titled at NW3, and Clover at NW2.
Ranking is:
All titles earned by 100% scores until Elite Division, which earns points.
NW1
NW2
NW3 (100% three times for Elite)
Elite 1 , 2, 3, 4, CH
Thank you Michelle, your love for your dogs is very evident, and you are inspiring many others to try K9 Nose Work with their dogs too! And thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures with us!
