Basics: Touch with Duration and Focus

Empty container.
Moved from in hand to pause table.
Again, the container itself is the cue.
Building a solid foundation behavior.
No scent.

Touch in Hand

This explanation was the foundation of Lily's understanding.  "You get paid for resting your chin on this object for a while."

I moved it in hand L and R, up and down, etc  (L1 Target) until I placed it on the pause table.  She didn't have to do anything more than rest her chin on it for a while.

Only after she "got" this with duration, did I then introduce scent to the teeny chain.  Still just the same container.  Not making choices.

All I'm saying is.....that's what worked for us.

This happens to be the same container that Jan has selected for her scent pots.  This is an empty can that has not been washed.  It does not have any holes in the top.  I'm just using it as an object in hand for Lily to touch and rest her chin on - her scent wheel alerting behavior.

Teaching the game from my POV

1. Learn to touch the pot w/duration
1. in hand
2. on pause table
3. on floor
2. Learn the Scent Pot Game
1. teach Lily to select the pot with the treat scent
1. reward from kibble in pot
2. review single pot on pause table
3. add second pot (empty)
4. "They might look the same, but find and indicate the one with the smell"
2. teach Lily to select the pot with the treat scent
1. review single pot on pause table
2. add second pot (empty)
3. add third pot (empty)
4. mix
5. "They might look the same, but find and indicate the one with the smell"
3. Reteach the Scent Pot Game on the floor
4. Reteach the Scent Pot Game with a single kibble in the scented pot
1. reward from hand
2. repeat from beginning
1. in hand
2. on pause table
3. on floor

Wash scent pots twice in dishwasher - once w/detergent, once  water only

Change scent (I used Earl Gray black tea bag)

1. Reteach the Scent Pot Game
1. in hand
2. pause table
3. floor

Introduction to Scent Wheel

• using film canister instead of scent pot
• using scented cotton square
• using EMPTY dummies

1. Introduce film canister in hand
2. Add sample
3. Touch/place in hand
4. Add single scented film canister to scent wheel
5. Make it easy to find and to indicate
1. "OK.  It looks different."
2. "OK.  It smells the same."
6. Find and indicate on scent wheel.
7. Begin to turn scent wheel between indications.
1. Keep it EASY.
8. Add dummy canister opposite sample on scent wheel.
9. "Find and indicate."
1. "OH!  They look the same!"
2. "Mark the one that smells the same as before."
10. Move dummy next to sample.  Repeat.
1. If confused, move dummy away.
2. If still confused, remove dummy.
3. Etc
11. When successful w/dummy on one side of sample move dummy to other side of sample
12. Keeping sample in same container, continue moving dummy to other containers.
13. Move sample to different container.  Repeat entire process.

Advancing with the Scent Wheel:

1. Begin with single sample canister.
2. Add dummy and repeat single dummy process.
3. Add second dummy using same process.
4. Add a third dummy
5. etc etc

What we're doing is very gradually explaining that "they look the same but I'm only paying for the one that smells the same".

When dog is successfully identifying and indicating the sample with 1 sample and 5 dummies 90% of the time or better......then we're ready to add "live" sample.

IOW, she understands the game.