SRDI Training Instructions Air Scent - Scent Discriminating

Transcription

1 The purpose of this instruction is to standardize SRDI K-9 Air scent Training (Training a dog in the discipline of Air Scent-Scent Discriminating). SRDI has chosen to use Susan Bulanda's book READY - The Training of the Search and Rescue Dog as the basis for our air scent training program. Reading of this book is mandatory not only for K-9 air scent training, but also for personnel training of scent theory. If a problem arises during training, refer to the READY Book first to solve your problem, if this does not work consult with the SRDI Air Scent Instructor. Introduction The air scenting (scent discriminating) K-9 is trained to find humans by their specific personal scent in a given area. An article is used to scent the K-9. The dog can work an area in which there are other searchers or where other searchers have passed. The air scenting K-9 works with his/her head up or tracks/trails with their head down: in other words, the air scenting dog picks up on wherever scent is found. There are no time limits or weather restrictions as there is with a tracking/trailing dog. Air scenting dogs are usually worked off leash using a grid pattern. SRDI requires all its air scent K-9s to be scent discriminating, here after referred to as air scent. Pre-requisites to Air Scent Training: 1) Passing SRDI basic and advanced obedience tests 2) Handler must have attended eighteen SRDI monthly training's 2) Have a Mission Ready dog in the discipline of tracking/trailing, or as per item (3) 3) Have permission from SRDI Training Chairperson to train in the air scent discipline 4) Read READY - The Training of The Search and Rescue Dog by Susan Bulanda (referred to as the Ready Book) prior to beginning K-9 air scent training. 5) Handler must have completed SRDI blue card for air scent, field proficiency Pre-training: (Getting your dog ready) The training of any Search and Rescue (SAR) dog starts long before the dog enters official training. Handlers must first earn the dogs love and trust; the dog must be completely bonded to the handler. (Refer to the READY BOOK - Chapter 5 - Getting Started Pre-training) Follow these guidelines until the dog is mature enough to work and you have bonded with your dog. Note: From the day you start working with your dog, document everything you do (location, date, time, temperature, duration, progress, failures, socializations, etc.). Use the SRDI approved K-9 Training Log. Equipment Before you begin training your dog for SAR, you must find some way of letting the dog know it's time to work. Some people use a second collar with a bell on it, some use a search dog vest. What ever you choose, it must only be used when the dog is training/working. Once the dog is rewarded for a find, or the exercise is over, take it off the dog. SRDI Training - K-9 Air Scent Page 1 of 5 Revised: 01/15/2003

2 Air Scent Training: Level 1 - Runaways The purpose of this step is to teach the dog that when given the find command that he/she is to find its handler. Start the training in an open area that has enough brush, trees or objects for a person to hide behind. Be sure the wind is coming toward the dog carrying the scent of the handler into the dogs face. Have the assist (someone the dog is somewhat familiar with) hold the dog while the handler stands in front of the dog. The handler runs away from the dog and ducks behind an object while the dog watches. The run away should be no further than feet from the dog to start with. As the handler is running away, the assist holding the dog should be repeating to the dog (ready, ready, where is he/she going) in a low but excited voice... The second the handler ducks behind the object, the assist will let go of the dog and give the dog its command Find, Search, etc. and the dog should go instantly to find the handler. If the dog hesitates, the handler should jump into view and call the dog, once the dog approaches the handler should duck behind the object again until the dog finds him/her. Note: It is important that when the dog finds its handler, the dog is rewarded immediately. Whether the reward is play, food, etc. you must reward your dog for a job done correctly. Make this a game, there is no such thing as to much praise at this stage of the game, it must always be fun for the dog or he/she won't want to play no more. You must always end the dog on a good note, the must always win. This exercise should be kept short as to not loose the dog s interest. If the dog looses interest, make the run away shorter until you find a distance that the dog can maintain a high level of excitement. Repeat this exercise until it is clear that he/she knows and likes the game; you are then ready to go to Level 2. Air Scent Training: Level 2 - Runaways The purpose of this step is to teach the dog that when given the find command that he/she is to find a person other than its handler. Start the training in an open area that has enough brush, trees or objects for a person to hide behind. Be sure the wind is coming toward the dog carrying the scent of the assist into the dogs face. SRDI Training - K-9 Air Scent Page 2 of 5 Revised: 01/15/2003

3 Have the handler hold the dog while the assist stands in front of the dog. The assist runs away from the dog and ducks behind an object while the dog watches. The run away should be no further than feet from the dog to start with. As the assist is running away, the handler holding the dog should be repeating to the dog (ready, ready, where is he/she going) in a low but excited voice... The second the assist ducks behind the object, the handler will let go of the dog and give the dog its command Find, Search, etc. and the dog should go instantly to find the assist. If the dog hesitates, the assist should jump into view and call the dog, once the dog approaches the assist he/she should duck behind the object again until the dog finds him/her. This exercise should be kept short as to not loose the dog s interest. If the dog looses interest, make the run away shorter until you find a distance that the dog can maintain a high level of excitement. Repeat this exercise until it is clear that the dog and handler understand the game; you are then ready to go to Level 3. Air Scent Training: Level 3 - Runaways - (Phase I) The purpose of this step is to solidify the dogs desire to find a person other than it's handler by increasing time the dog is held before being released to find the assist. Using the same procedure as in Level 2, have the handler hold the dog while the assist stands in front of the dog. The assist runs away from the dog and ducks behind an object while the dog watches. The run away should be no further than feet from the dog to start with. In this step, as the assist is running away, the handler will hold the dog while repeating to the dog (ready, ready, where is he/she going) in a low but excited voice. Once the assist ducks behind the object, the handler will hold the dog for two minutes and than let go of the dog and give the dog its command Find, Search, etc. and the dog should go instantly to find the assist. Repeat this exercise and increase the time the dog is held and the distance the assist runs out, after the assist is in place (do not exceed five minutes), repeat until it is clear that the dog understand the game. Air Scent Training: Level 3 - Runaways - (Phase II) The purpose of this step is to solidify the dogs desire to find a person other than it's handler and increases the distance, time and level of difficulty and to introduce the use of a scent article to scent your dog. SRDI Training - K-9 Air Scent Page 3 of 5 Revised: 01/15/2003

4 Using the same procedure as in Level 3 (Phase I), have the handler hold the dog, but the assist will enter the area from the side of the search area. Once the assist ducks behind an object while the dog watches wait five to ten minutes and scent the dog from the assist article, give the dog its command Find, Search, etc. and follow the dog into the field. The dog may become confused as to how to search, cover the area in a grid, show the dog how to grid by walking the grid yourself and encourage the dog to range. When your dog hits the scent cone, he/she will catch on to what searching is all about. Make sure you watch the dog's body language when he /she hits the scent cone. Repeat this exercise and gradually increase the size of the search area. Repeat this step until it is apparent that the dog and handler understands the game, you are than ready to go to Level 4. Air Scent Training: Level 4 The purpose of this step is to have the dog find a person other than its handler and not have the dog watch the assist enter the search area and to have a second assist go into the field with you. In this step of the training, have the dog remain away from the search area. The assist (which from this point on, will be referred to as the patient) will place a scent article in a place determined by the handler; the patient will then get into their hiding place. Note: (have the patient enter the area from the side so the dog does not stumble across their track). Once the patient is in place for thirty minutes, it's time to begin a real search. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Note: In this stage of the game, it is imperative that the handler allow the dog time to unwind from being in its kennel / camper, etc. This is the step where on a real search missions the handler blows it. After a long drive to a search or going into an area the dog is not familiar, you can't expect your dog to jump out of the vehicle and go to work. Dogs need to go potty, smell all the new smells, check out the area, and give your dog about fifteen to thirty minutes to be a dog. If this step is not done, you will never get your dog to work. Once your dog is ready, take him/her to the search area and suit up the dog, vest, and collar with bell, etc. Lead your dog to the scent article and give the dog its search command (make sure your 2nd assist stays behind you and does not disrupt the search). Cover the area in a grid, when you reach the end of a pass and start to turn, tell your dog to turn, eventually the dog will get the idea of turning on command. Make sure you watch the dog's body language so you can tell when he /she hits the scent cone. When your dog hits the scent follow him/her into the patient, reward your dog for a good job. SRDI Training - K-9 Air Scent Page 4 of 5 Revised: 01/15/2003

5 Repeat this exercise and gradually increase the size of the search area until you reach a search area of about an eighth mile square. Repeat this step until it is apparent that the dog and handler understands the game, you are than ready to go to Level 5. Air Scent Training: Level 5 The purpose of this step is to incorporate an alert and re-find, and to increases the distance, time and level of difficulty up to a half square mile (you and your patient must have two way radios for this step). Perform this step the same as in Level 4, except when your dog hits the scent and takes off after the patient, only follow him/her half way and stop. As soon as your dog reaches the patient have the patient ignore the dog, and let you know by radio that the dog has a find. Immediately call your dog back to you. When he/ she arrives, have the dog do it's alert, sit, bark, sit and paw, which ever you decide. Once this is done, tell your dog to show you where the patient is (if needed, have the patient call to the dog back to them until the dog catches on to the game). Once the dog does a re-find, ask the dog is that him/her? Have him/her alert again. After the second alert the search is done, praise and reward your dog, he/she deserves it at this point. Repeat this exercise in different areas and weather conditions and gradually increase the size of the search area until you reach a search area of about a half mile square. Repeat this step until it is apparent the dog understands its job and has the endurance to do it. Once complete, you are ready to go to Level 6, the final level of formatted training. Air Scent Training: Level 6 The purpose of this step is to incorporate multiple personnel in the field. It's a little hard to do air scent - (scent discriminating) if there is only one person out there for the dog to find, there are no other choices. Perform this step the same as in Level 5, except place three personnel in the field, one patient and two decoys. If your dog finds and alerts on the wrong person, tell him good job but find the right one. The dog will learn he/she only gets rewarded for finding the patient. Repeat this exercise in different areas and weather conditions. Repeat this step until it is apparent the dog understands its job. Once complete, you are ready to submit to the Training Chairman to test for Mission Ready Status. SRDI Training - K-9 Air Scent Page 5 of 5 Revised: 01/15/2003