Mind Games for Dogs: Shell Scent Game
Teach your dog how to find and paw indicate a scent using this easy and fun game using materials you have at home. Shows you step by step how to chain two simple behaviors (sniff, paw) to create a new more complex behavior that gets a new cue. Great to develop your dog’s problem solving ability! Star (*) indicate clicker sound for dwaf/HOH. Look for our other educational videos and information at www.viassistancedogs.blogspot.com Videos now available for purchase! Brought to you by Vancouver Island Assistance Dogs. Helping owners train their own service dogs.
missiles24
30 May, 2010
Brilliant Video! My Dogs Like It Alot!
mgtmeehan
30 May, 2010
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing!!
rogersmmr
30 May, 2010
Great game, Donna. Thank you for sharing! I know what the ridgebacks are going to learn.
terye1
30 May, 2010
cracking bit of video,a greta demo!thanks
AnimalLoverLink
30 May, 2010
Great video that I will be sharing. Thank you for making it available. When the weather outside is frightful, mind games are delightful!
MultiAnimalcrackers
30 May, 2010
Love this vid. Another well explained behaviour. Havent done this with Inca but have taught her to find a tea bag on a person, but i learnt her to signal with a nose touch to the area, where she retains contact unti she is released. I just thought it would be a bit painful having her paw at a person.? Do you teach a seperate signal for finding a scent on a person or just paw contact like in the clip?
musicofnote1
30 May, 2010
I’ve built this game into our 3rd Dog Dance Choreo. It’s a Choreo about fie fighters and at the beginning we’re playing this game with each other in the fire house as the alarm goes off. Great way to focus her attention on me right from the beginning instead of the public. And she looooves it.
We use 3 small flower pots and instead of pawing, she sniffs out the right pot and then lays down with her paws on either side of it, staring it until I turn it over.
supernaturalbc2008
30 May, 2010
Thanks! When she does something, she pays attention. In this case I wanted her to gently indicate, not do a hard paw slam!
I think it’s behaviors like this that make each dog so unique!
pamelamarxsen
30 May, 2010
I love how sweet Jesse is when she paws the container! 5*s and a fav!
supernaturalbc2008
30 May, 2010
Apound puppy. My best guess is a 1/2 miniature pinscher, 1/4 border collie or cattle dog, 1/4 German Shepherd Dog (the mom was a GSD mix)-all cute!
preslana10
31 May, 2010
cute pup, sweet vid. what breed is the dog?
sherlocksden
31 May, 2010
I really like how you broke it down into the necessary small steps. I’m training my first dog and have trouble breaking things down. Many clicker websites tell you what to do, but not how to do it. Thanks!
supernaturalbc2008
31 May, 2010
Yes, start with this and then expand it to a find game around the house and include things like backpacks etc like a drug detection dog. Scent alerting is actually about building the communication between the dog and handler. Teach a strong indicator behavior and pair it to the alert. (See the sound alert videos)
wubbie2steps
31 May, 2010
Love your vids, very through and you make it look easy! Thanks.. Question: Do u think this would be a good way to teach a dog to sniff for food that a person is allergic to.. you know like a peanut sniffing dog for a person with peanut allergy or would you use another technique!
newbear95
31 May, 2010
thanks for the advice.
supernaturalbc2008
31 May, 2010
Newbear95, in clicker training, we avoid using ‘no’ as the dog views it as punishment and it causes dogs to stop offering behaviors-the foundation of shaping. You can try to capture the behavior separately when your dog voluntarily lifts his paw or you can shape it by capturing him placing his paw on an object such as a plastic lid, large ball etc.
newbear95
31 May, 2010
LittleTomato96, u can try hiding a tasty & smelly treat in your clench fist & let your dog smell it.don’t open your hand if he noses your hand or tries to bite at your fingers.just say a firm “No” if he tries to bite at your fingers & remove your hand for a few seconds & try again.keep repeating until he paws at your hand.u can say “paw” when he paws at your hand and immediately open up your hand & let him have the treat.he should learn this command in a week if u repeat it 5 times a day.
LittleTomato96
31 May, 2010
I failed! When i say paw and point to my hand he didn’t concentrate in my hand, Funny (my dog) looked somewhere els. So I picked his paw up and put it in my hand and say “Good boy” then throw out a treat. And i kept on doing that but he didn’t do it him self. I always have to pick his paw and put it in my hand. Help!
plac0za
31 May, 2010
amaziinG !!! =)
PoppysCornerShop
31 May, 2010
Like this game, really interesting. ty for sharing
LilyTails
31 May, 2010
cool
supernaturalbc2008
31 May, 2010
Gracias
abalonmistic
31 May, 2010
muy bueno
supernaturalbc2008
31 May, 2010
This technique is called ‘capturing’ and is the easiest way to get a behavior on cue. Works for any behavior the dog already knows-sit, down, running fast, putting paw on his nose etc.
supernaturalbc2008
31 May, 2010
Hi, The easiest way to teach a ‘sniff’ cue is to capture it. Watch your dog closely when you take him outside. Simply cue ‘sniff’ anytime he is using his nose x20). Then bring him in and have a little something yummy in your fist and place it at nose level, again cue ‘sniff’. They usually catch on pretty quickly as sniffing is how dog’s learn about the world! They just need to learn what our cue for it is!