Day 59

This week the puppies started their nosework training.  I decided to try the "cocktail" method with these little guys. Basically I have a little container with holes in it and inside are 6 Q-tips, each scented with a different odour (Birch, Clove, Anise, Wintergreen, Pine, Thyme).  I place the container on the floor and the puppies run over to check it out.  While they are sniffing the top of the container I place a small cookie on top for each of them.  So they are learning that each time they smell these odours a wonderful treat appears!  While they are eating their cookie, I pick up the container and then move it to a new location to start the little exercise again.  When they start to get the idea I can then add a blank container so they learn that only the smell pays, not the container itself. I can also start to hide the container a little so the puppies have to use their noses and not rely on spotting it visually first.


I like the idea of the "cocktail."  I have been reading about it on many different nosework forums and
lots of trainers are now using this method to teach the odours to their dogs.  With the cocktail the dogs learn from day one that all those odours pay and each odour now has the same reinforcement history as every other odour. When the dog is smelling the cocktail of odours people believe that the dogs are able to pick out each individual scent.  So when the odours are then separated out into individual hides, the dogs are able to locate and correctly alert on each one.  I have never done it this way but I am eager to try it with the puppies and see how it goes.

The puppies have also had a few new experiences this week. Including playing with noisy toys like tambourines and bells, and they saw an umbrella for the first time. I did catch that new experience on video.  They have also been up on the grooming table several times and a few other elevated surfaces.

The puppies also met a 10 week old Aussie puppy on Friday too.  They thought he was great fun and chased him around.  He thought Spryte was way more fun and chased her around. Eventually they all started to play together and have a great time.

Below are pictures and videos from yesterday:

mom and son chewing on a toy

 

playing keep away with the toy

 

boy

 

girl with toy