I've been trying to catch a live alert for a few weeks now but it has proved too difficult, so I used a training game to try and capture how Bailey alerts on video. It has been quite a while since we've played any training games as Bailey's alerting is rock solid now. Bailey seldom misses an alert but if he does, I will cue an alert on the spot to keep him on his paws.
The alert here is quite different to how he would provide a live spontaneous alert as he is much more controlled for those, but nevertheless, shows how he alerts and signals to a low BGL. This training game is also a fantastic way to judge how reliable your DAD is outside of training sessions.
After removing Bailey from the room, I hid a low scent tube under Jason's waistband and casually let Bailey back into the room. What you see here is Bailey detecting the scent on Jason and then becoming very excited over it. He then proceeds to alert Jason to this by bumping Jason repeatedly on the tummy and legs. Bailey's alerting naturally prompted Jason to verbally cue the signal by motioning both hands in the air and saying "What's up?". I had not intended Jason to do this and Bailey will offer the signal regardless of being verbally prompted but our procedures are so ingrained that Jason automatically offered the cue. Bailey lies his head quietly beside the hidden scent source before pawing my leg to signal a low.
What I find interesting in doing this exercise, isn't the alert and signal or even the fact that he offered an alert but how he reacts to the scent he has located. When I stop filming, Bailey is offered a reward for his alert as we would do for his spontaneous alerts.
* I have just recently started a face book page www.facebook.com/onenoseydog to share additional stories and posts about Bailey & Jason. So if you're a regular visitor of my blog, you may be interested in my page. Any questions or comments are most welcome!
The alert here is quite different to how he would provide a live spontaneous alert as he is much more controlled for those, but nevertheless, shows how he alerts and signals to a low BGL. This training game is also a fantastic way to judge how reliable your DAD is outside of training sessions.
After removing Bailey from the room, I hid a low scent tube under Jason's waistband and casually let Bailey back into the room. What you see here is Bailey detecting the scent on Jason and then becoming very excited over it. He then proceeds to alert Jason to this by bumping Jason repeatedly on the tummy and legs. Bailey's alerting naturally prompted Jason to verbally cue the signal by motioning both hands in the air and saying "What's up?". I had not intended Jason to do this and Bailey will offer the signal regardless of being verbally prompted but our procedures are so ingrained that Jason automatically offered the cue. Bailey lies his head quietly beside the hidden scent source before pawing my leg to signal a low.
What I find interesting in doing this exercise, isn't the alert and signal or even the fact that he offered an alert but how he reacts to the scent he has located. When I stop filming, Bailey is offered a reward for his alert as we would do for his spontaneous alerts.
* I have just recently started a face book page www.facebook.com/onenoseydog to share additional stories and posts about Bailey & Jason. So if you're a regular visitor of my blog, you may be interested in my page. Any questions or comments are most welcome!