[Aussie]

For a week or so, I have been taking care of a friend's, 18 week old quite well bred labrador puppy.

We have been playing the hide and seek game in the house with initially using a fair few items in my case, paint rollers for the pup to find, and bring back to me. I reward the puppy.

Over the last couple of days I have only placing 2 items hidden in various parts of the house.

Its been so much fun watching the pup and observing its diligence and body.

Those who train for S & R dogs and who also compete in AKC hunt tests and field trials, do these types of particular puppy games transfer well in retriever games?

 

[Guest]

For a week or so, I have been taking care of a friend's, 18 week old quite well bred labrador puppy.

We have been playing the hide and seek game in the house with initially using a fair few items in my case, paint rollers for the pup to find, and bring back to me. I reward the puppy.

Over the last couple of days I have only placing 2 items hidden in various parts of the house.

Its been so much fun watching the pup and observing its diligence and body.

Those who train for S & R dogs and who also compete in AKC hunt tests and field trials, do these types of particular puppy games transfer well in retriever games?

Yes and no. A lot of it in interchangeable... But it's like balancing anything else. SAR teaches a dog to use almost exclusively its nose. In field, we want nose, but at the right time NOT the whole time...

I found that when my SAR dog went and did mainly SAR for about 12-18 months... When I brought her back to the field, she was WAY more hunty, much earlier than she had ever been. And she was/is a really great marker.

I found that doing field first made sar SUPER easy. I don't think it would be the same the other way around... My dog already knew how to behave, use her nose. Now she just needed to use it more, remain focused and controlled....

SAR training, for me, if I had to pick one or the other, was probably some of the most fun I've ever had training dogs. They work ALMOST entirely independent of you as far as relying on you to tell them what to do -- compared to field work. I think as a result, there is much less pressure and it's more fun, in GENERAL, for the dogs and to watch them work...

it's also MUCH EASIER to have a successful training day... So that makes it more fun in and of itself...

-K

 

[Aussie]

Thanks Kristie,

When the puppy understood the game, as I have a long hallway through the middle of our house, which I placed the crate, then eventually locked the puppy in our kitchen, it scratched the door badly (no worries - long suffering never goes into the kitchen so he will not see the damage) and vocalised. I used the opportunity to teach quiet. I still think obedience type stuff, like patience before sending etc may be valuable?

Being a dork, of course, I tried my 4 trial dogs, on the hide and seek game. I could not help noticing the same hunt patterns, as the field. One even popped!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Kristie,

When the puppy understood the game, as I have a long hallway through the middle of our house, which I placed the crate, then eventually locked the puppy in our kitchen, it scratched the door badly (no worries - long suffering never goes into the kitchen so he will not see the damage) and vocalised. I used the opportunity to teach quiet. I still think obedience type stuff, like patience before sending etc may be valuable?

Being a dork, of course, I tried my 4 trial dogs, on the hide and seek game. I could not help noticing the same hunt patterns, as the field. One even popped!!!!!!!!!

In addition to hiding toys, one of the best ways to do puppy SAR is to hide the owner or whomever it loves the most. Not far away... You do it like a "sight blind" at first. Puppy watches owner walk away and then runs and finds it. And you build up from there, just like anything we do in our field training.

 

[Aussie]

Kristie,

I was going to move outside this morning, and hide some articles for the youngster, but our house block is about an acre and a half, in some areas, heavily gardened. Thought it would be too hard for such a youngster.

Thanks for your input.

The last thing I need is a puppy, but having one, even for a short time is fun.

 

[Aussie]

Kristie,

I have a ton of questions, but will limit myself to three. Hope you do not mind replying.

Could you tell me the level of training your dog was when it was sent for S & R training? And its age?

You mention hunt on marks. Was there significant fall out (hunt wise) on blinds, as a result of S & R training?

 

[Guest]

Kristie,

I have a ton of questions, but will limit myself to three. Hope you do not mind replying.

Could you tell me the level of training your dog was when it was sent for S & R training? And its age?

You mention hunt on marks. Was there significant fall out (hunt wise) on blinds, as a result of S & R training?

My dog was about 18 months when we started SAR. She was relatively finished in her training (all yardwork). I honestly can't remember which titles we had at that point. She's a master hunter now.

I did the training myself with a local group (based out of Atlanta, trained all over metro Atlanta).

There was a pretty decent amount of fallout, but it just took a few months to get back in order. She was very hunty on everything. It was pretty interesting. I was NOT doing both training at once. I went to SAR for a year or so and then brought her back to the field... I'm sure it might be better to do both at once if you want to do both.

If you have a good dog with high drive, SAR work is very easy and tons of fun. SAR is the one place where Emmie would scream on the truck when I went out to be the victim or navigator for other dogs.

It was a great time. I highly recommend it...

-K

 

[Aussie]

Kristie,

My interest is due, to having two friends who have the only internationally accredited S & R dogs, owned privately in Australia. They are as mad as most retriever "game" owners I know. :lol:

Their training methods, I find educational, and frankly thought provoking.

Thanks again.

 

[Guest]

Kristie,

My interest is due, to having two friends who have the only internationally accredited S & R dogs, owned privately in Australia. They are as mad as most retriever "game" owners I know. :lol:

Their training methods, I find educational, and frankly thought provoking.

Thanks again.

I think SAR can be more addicting... There is more PEOPLE training involved than dog... Well, I guess that's kind of the same for us... But I mean you need first aid, SAR technician, disaster response and that type of stuff. It depends on the type of SAR you do. I was doing trailing and airscent, but not disaster. Might have at some point, but was not sure of MY abilities in disaster situations (afraid I might be crying too much... ugh).

Anyway... You should try it some time. It's SUPER! I HIGHLY recommend it. It's by far some of the most fun and rewarding training you can do. I mean, what's better than using your dog to save someone's life???

-K

 

[Aussie]

I agree, but as I have only one head, I think it easier for me to wear one hat.

Observing S & R dogs is great, all the same, and as mentioned from a training point of view, great.

Still like their puffer bottles LOL.