Teaching and being taught

 
Raezor has taught us so many things.  For as much as we have taught her, I think our learning has been tenfold. 

On a previous training day, it was obvious that Raezor discovered that Kaeden did search work too.  Unbeknownst to me, as I worked Kaeden on a longer cadaver problem, Raezor sat in her crate and watched.  I heard her howling from her crate, but it didn't occur to me that she was watching.  That she was studying.

Until the problems were over and all the items picked up and we let the dogs out to just frolic.  She did not frolic.  She ran, lickity split over to where Kaeden had been working.  She climbed, sniffed and investigated every spot he had been in.  Too bad there was nothing there for her to find.  To be sure the scent was there, but, as yet, she hadn't been taught much about it, so she didn't know what to do with it.

So we spent time working specifically on cadaver scent.  Allowing her natural interest and rewarding it.  Putting it out and directing her to search small areas and having that same party we have with a live subject. 

Then Kristi decided to let Kaeden do more teaching.  She leashed Raezor and Raezor got to watch as Kaeden worked his cadaver problems.  It was as if she took notes.  This first session, she absorbed the scenario and when it was her turn, she was at it big time.  I could hear the "I'll show him!!" come from her loud and clear.  Up the rocks, into the crevices, knowing no boundaries to where she could go, she found the items with the enthusiasm of a long trained cadaver dog.  

So, for kicks, grins, fun and excitement I hid another source and had Kristi let her at it.  Raezor checked where it had been, but directed well away from it... she expanded her search area like a champ and even had no qualms or issues with checking out the water near by.  She checked all the rock formations and had an intensity that rivaled Kaeden's when he works.  

Then she caught scent and maneuvered toward the source.  At first, she blew right past it, but she practically did a back flip to get back to it.




We repeated the scenario a week later in a new location, with different sources, and by the time we worked the second problem, she was heading back to Kristi to tell her about it.

The power of the language you know.  Dogs teach dogs.  Because dogs speak dog.  

Competition works too....

On to more lessons!