The Scent of a Hot Dog

Scenting class last weekend was very fun, and Cabana did well. She LOVED getting a few hot dog or sausage pieces that were used as bait in the class, quite out of the ordinary fare for her.

The great thing about scenting is that any dog can do it. It's a total obedience-free zone, so even if you have a dog-aggressive or unruly dog, they can still participate in this sport. It's great mental and physical stimulation for them, as well as not too hard on their joints.

We started with easy exercises, similar to what I had done with her in our backyard. But by the end of the class, the instructors made it much trickier by putting the box with treats up on a chair. The dogs were so used to finding the box on the floor that it took all of them a lot longer to find it on top of the chair.

The video below shows Cabana's last search. It takes her a LONG time, meaning almost 2 minutes. She was much speedier on her other searches. The interesting thing is that scent gets blown around, and it was very windy that day and drafty in the room. Also, scent travels down and pools underneath. The box with treats is on the last chair to the left of the screen, and they placed another empty box underneath the chair to help catch the scent.

The laughter in the video is because I made a joke in the middle of Cabana's search because it feels like she's taking so long. The class was supposed to end at 5:00, but the instructors said it might go overtime, until maybe 5:15. So I joked, "5:20, 5:30?", meaning we might be here even longer because of Cabana.

Near the end, you will see Cabana's nose go up as she catches the scent higher up. Previously, she'd been sniffing at ground level. That's the cue that she's got the scent and is about to find the treats. It's pretty interesting to see the cues that the dog gives.

Tuesday Topics 9 - Share Your Dog Do!

On the way to work, I pass by a dog park that is completely fenced. I always look to see if there are any dogs romping around there, and 90% of the time, there's no one there. So yesterday, I decided to check it out with Cabana. Guide dog puppies are not allowed to go to dog parks, but I figured there was no harm if no other dogs are there. (Right?)

The photo above is of Cabana at the dog park. Boring picture. Even more boring dog park! I just didn't know what to DO there with Cabana. I tried romping around with her--but then she thinks I'm another dog and tries to jump and nip at me. After getting and giving corrections a bunch of times, that activity goes sour. We practiced recall a few times...Cabana sniffed around for a while...but it was definitely a dull outing.

Even when we're at home, I often feel like I don't know what to do with Cabana. Several times a day, usually while I'm working (I often work from home), she comes up to me and seems to want me to do SOMETHING for her. But what? She's not barking or whining--she's just sitting there, looking up at me. I usually stop what I'm doing and pet her for a few minutes, but this doesn't seem to be what she's asking for. Sometimes, I try giving her a different toy or taking her outside for a potty break and a breath of fresh air. But I don't want to feel like I've got to entertain my dog all the time--and I don't know, maybe that's not even what she's asking me for.

Believe me, I'm not one of those over-scheduling moms. My kids enjoy their free time, and I don't make them go to umpteen different lessons and clubs every week. So why can't I be more relaxed about Cabana? When Cabana is sleepy or tired and content to lay on her dog bed, I leave well enough alone. But when she seems to be asking me for something, I just don't have enough ideas. We've already taken our walks by now. You can only play so much tug of war, and puppy sit-ups and training exercises don't take much time, either.

So what do you DO with your dogs? Do your dogs come and look at you expectantly? Am I just imagining that I have to be DOING something for Cabana? Is it a mom/guilt thing? Psychoanalysis aside, I'd love to get a few activity ideas!