Reply To: NW525: Donna & Bryce (Springer Spaniel, Plano, TX)

[Donna Ewing]

Bryce – Lesson #1

I wanted to set Bryce up for success especially with this first lesson so these are easy searches (3 short ones back to back – same search area).

In the classes we used to take, Bryce had trouble with motivation. We would get to a search area and he would just kind of stop and meander around. So my first challenge was motivation and excitement at the start line. I accomplished this by working the warm up boxes (which he LOVES) first and moved right into the search. I think this was a success.

The second and third challenges were on lead and blind (2nd and 3rd search). Around the house I have let him search off lead mostly because I’ve been told that I lead too much when I know where the hide is and he is on lead. The first hide was known to me. The search area was small so not much room to move around so I tried to stay mostly near the middle and tried not to guide him.

Another challenge was outside. I have a real problem with Bryce peeing in exteriors (especially grass!). He hikes and ‘pee-walks, both! One of the areas we take him to pee is right off of the driveway so I want to start working him closer and closer to that area without peeing while in his Nosework harness.

All in all for a first lesson I think we had successes.