Another Method of Teaching Scent Discrimination

The Seizure Alert Project: Evolution

(imported from Lily's Blog)

To the best of my recollection, this is the extent of any scent work that Lily has experienced.

So

in anticipation of ultimately teaching Lily to Scent Alert, I first want to teach her the concept of scent discrimination (for want of a better term).  There are a lot of "Shell Game" videos out there which are certainly entertaining, but I especially like the following instructional video by MultiAnimalcrackers - Scent Pot Fun.

Comebefores:

• Target L2
• Place (Target L2)

Equipment:

• 3 scent pots, one w/kibble inside

Steps:

• using kibbled container, mark for touching
• open pot, remove treat and TOSS
• when reliably touching, ask for some duration
• as dog shows understanding, begin adding empty pots one at a time
• always reward out of the pot

• change pots position; place on floor
• vary duration length

• CUE used:  "Which one?"

Lily's scent pots

Lily's First Scent Pot Session




Reviewing the Comebefores.  Level 1 Target. Nose touch to the left and to the right.  High and low.  Two-fers to build some duration.  And, from Place, Lily rests her chin on the pot.  I am handing her the treats.  I have an I-clicker under my foot.  These are 3 ways that I am differing from the teaching video.  On Day 2 I will treat from the scent pot and I will toss the treat so that I will have time to close the scent pot before the next touch.

Now the gremlins show up.....the left paw wants to get involved, Lily picks up the pot with her teeth, the left paw gets involved - sending the pot across the room.  Lily retrieves it nicely, but, of course, that's not what we're about.  Anchoring the scent pot between my feet helps.  And when I ask Lily to go into a Down, we begin to see some impulse control emerge.

With Lily in a Down and the scent pot on the floor, now Lily can give two-fers; she can chin target with a bit of duration.  

Now there is kibble in the scent pot.  "Whenever you change something about the behavior, make everything else easier".  So we begin again with a simply nose touch held in my hand.  I give the treats from the scent pot.  Much slower.  Much less information being given.  We will depend on the solid Comebefores as our foundation.  Lily is standing during this session.  I continue watching that left paw.

Lily is standing.  Those paws are quiet.  I'm getting a nice chin target with a little duration.

Adding a second  scent pot (empty).  After a few successful trials I remove the blue pot and go back to targeting the single pot with the kibble.  Bungee back.  Simplify the criteria.  And for some reason, I stop taking the treat from the green pot and give it from the treat can instead.

This session was really interesting.  What is Lily telling us?  I think the explanation would have been much clearer to Lily if I were giving the treat from the green pot.  Her chin target is strong and steady.

Lily is making some pretty consistent good choices during this session.  Tomorrow I will give all rewards from the green scent pot.