Uhunt Scent Detection Training

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  • Posted By : UHUNT APP - Jesse Farr
  • Posted On : Mar 16, 2020
  • Views : 4877
  • Likes : 19
  • Category : PIG DOGGING » ARTICLES, TIPS & HOW TO GUIDES
  • Description : “It is important not to rush the process and confuse the dog”

Overview



  • By Greig Tonkins

    Professional Scent Detection Training has been going on for decades in certain canine industries, such as police, military, search and rescue, customs, conservations, and other fields and applications. I have been fortunate to work with some world-class trainers and have learned professional tips, techniques, and training methods from them. Then I have been able to transfer some of these simple methods over to the good old humble Aussie pigdog, who have been doing their own scent detection conservation work for us for hundreds of years. All dogs can and will benefit from this training, but especially dogs that are only in the field a handful of times a year, as they will learn what we are after and, most importantly, what we are not after, without even having to be in the field. What I have taught the dogs is by no means rocket science at all, just very simple basic techniques of imprinting a target scent or odour onto the dog and then also exposing the dog to nontarget odours or scents and teaching the dog to ignore them. Sounds easy and simple, because it is!! The target odour is carefully collected to ensure no contamination occurs, and everything is kept sterile for the dog’s benefit.  



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    I use is a mixture of boar urine and semen soaked onto a cotton wool ball, as well as some boar hair from the spine and lower legs where the scent glands are located. This target odour is then paired to a positive reward that the dog chooses, eg, food, toy, or affection. The dog learns very quickly that the fastest way to gets its reward is by finding the target odour when asked. After pairing the two together, you increase the difficulty of hiding the scent or odour, thus increasing the dog’s drive and willingness to search out and locate its target. Once the dog has become imprinted on this odour, almost addicted to and obsessed by it and finding it consistently for you, then you can add in non-target odours such as Kangaroo, Fox, Cat, Sheep, Deer, Horse, Rabbit etc for the dog to be introduced to and learn that they are not what we are after. Therefore that acknowledging or indicating on that odour will give no reward, and over time and through repetitions, the dog will smell these odours and not react at all, as they mean nothing to them. It is important not to rush the process and confuse the dog, and there are no prizes for how quickly you can get your dog to do any task or behaviour. 



    Generally, the more pressure put on the dog early on, the less success you may have, and the less the dog will process and retain. Dogs can take sessions to imprint an odour, days, even weeks, or possibly longer. Remember, it’s not a race; it’s to help the dog!! Now, I have had people question me as to if the dog smells boar scent will they stop and indicate on that scent while the boar runs away? Not a chance in hell lol, because for dogs, their ultimate reward is catching the pig, the instinct, the contact, and the biological fulfilment for them, not to mention it is totally instantly self-rewarding. No amount of bbq chicken, toys, or cuddles is going to remotely to compare to the pig. As for the nontarget odours, of course, you will still have to contend with the environmental factors, the overwhelming sights and sounds of the nontarget animal species in the field, and the circumstances you and the dogs will be put in. But it is a massive benefit, and it helps the dogs piece the puzzle together much quicker than if they were never exposed to them prior in a controlled, unstimulating low distraction environment. Deliberately setting our dogs up to learn is one of the most beneficial actions we as owners can do for them. 



    It may take a bit of time and effort, but the dogs will appreciate the help, and your efforts will be evident and rewarded in their behaviour and success. I have even had reports of dogs that have never seen a pig before, take off and find their own, but then unsure of what to do next because of this training. Have fun with it and enjoy the journey, because your dog will!

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