playing 'find the fox'....

[Pat and Traveler]

Traveler got a new toy, a plush fox, and just for fun I put it under his blanket. He dug it out, dropped it on top of the blanket and looked expectantly at me. So I did it again. And again. He loved digging around in the blanket and finding the fox! So I expanded the game. Had him wait in one room and put the fox in another room. He could see where I put it. Then I told him to 'find the fox,' which he did. Next I put it just a little bit out of his sight-line. Then he was finding the fox under the couch, under a cushion, by the washing maching, on a chair, etc. He walked around slowly, sniffing, while he was searching, which isn't at all the way he usually moves. Usually he's trotting around, head up. I was really impressed with how quickly he caught on to this game. The only time I helped him was when I hid the fox on my bed. I finally ended up pointing at the fox, and he jumped up on the bed and found it. He does pay attention to where I'm pointing.

This game doesn't go perfectly--he came wandering into the room where I was hiding the fox a couple of times, and had to be taken back to his 'waiting room.' And he wasn't always willing to just drop the fox once he'd brought it back to me, thinking it was way more fun to play tug of war or chase-me for a while before giving it up. But I was really amazed at his grasp of what he was expected to do, and how well he did it. Made me realize I should be giving him more challenging things to do. These doods are soooo smart!

[Pat and Traveler]

Thanks, Jane. Do you use pretty small boxes--like shoe boxes?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

You don't have to let him smell it first. What I did though was to start with one box. Every time he put his nose to that box he got a treat. Then I started telling him to sit after he put his nose to the box, and then gave him the treat. After doing this for a short while, he got it. He was then able to find the box with the scent and sit when he found the right box. If he doesn't catch on quickly enough, try putting the treat right on the "right box" and then releasing him with the search command. He'll soon put together that the box with the scent is a really good thing and he NEEDS to find it.

[Pat and Traveler]

Jane--that does sound like a super game! We're gonna do it. From your explanation, you don't have to let him smell the scented thing first before hiding it. Guess I've watched too many bloodhound search movies. :)

[Carol and Banjo]

Jane - That sounds like soooooo much fun! Great activity forr the upcoming cold and nasty weather. Actually today would be a great day to try this out! : )

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Guinness absolutely LOVES using his nose to find things. It's a game and a challenge for him, and he get's to use all his senses. He took a tracking class which was so much fun for both of us. Here's what I do at home with him for "practice". You get 5 or 6 different size cardboard boxes, and take the tops off. You then put a small hole in the bottom (about an inch). You find something with a very strong scent (I use special oils that I got from my trainer that I rub on a gauze square), but you can use anything with a strong enough scent. I spread the boxes around the room (with the "hole" side up), and hide the scented item in one of them (Guinness is gated outside for this part). Then I release him and tell him to "search". When he finds the box with the scent he has to sit (and then he gets a treat as a reward). It's easy to set up, and he would play this "game" forever.

[Pat and Traveler]

Hey, Ricki and Tara! I'm not an experienced dog owner, and am just amazed sometimes about how smart these doods really are. Except when they don't feel like doing whatever it is you want them to do. :)

[Pat and Traveler]

Hi, Nancie and Gracie! Whoa!! I can just picture big Gracie pouncing on the covers! That really is a good game, but Trav is only about 50 lbs., and it gets wild enough at his size! Rattlesnake strike is exactly what they do. I'm glad you mentioned putting scent on the ball. I was wondering if maybe that would help the pups seek and find. What a smart dood Gracie is--looking out of the window. I suppose the cheating makes perfect sense to them. If you show me where you put the dang thing, I can find it even faster...LOL

[Pat and Traveler]

Hi, Caitlin and Albus! I'm going to have to try this. Sounds like a lot of fun--hide and seek!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

We play that game in bed with Gracie Doodle. We put her tennis balls under the cover and she loves to pounce on them and then bite them through the covers. Can you imagine a 73 lb Doodle between the two of you in bed pouncing on tennis balls? We love this game and it makes us laugh every time. Then she just lays there on her tummy and we roll the ball back and forth to each other in front of her just waiting for the "rattlesnake" to strike and grab the ball. Then there is the "go find" game. That is outside with a tennis ball. My DH puts rabbit scent on her ball, makes her down/stay in the back entry while he goes around to the back yard to roll the ball across the lawn into a bush. Then he yells "go find" and she is like a race horse out of the gates! Problem is she also gets excited and breaks before he calls her and she cheats too. One morning he put her inside in the kitchen while he hid the ball. I was in the den which has windows out to the back yard. Gracie came running in, put her front paws up on the sofa to look out the window and then ran back to the kitchen to wait to be released. I was falling out of my chair laughing because she was really sneaky and my DH had no idea. Really a smart Doodle to think to look out the window and which room to go to for the correct window! Gotta love these Doodles!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I play a similar game with Tara only it's "Find the Pig". She loves it!! And I agree that it is easy to underestimate these doods!!