Toby had an AWESOME Day

This past Sunday, Nick chauffeured Toby and I to the Port Chester Obedience Training Club so that we could participate in Toby's first Odor Recognition Test (ORT) for K9 Nose Work. This test is to demonstrate that Toby understands that he is supposed to search for the scent of Birch, and it also shows that I can recognize when he has found it. Once a dog and handler team pass their ORT, they are eligible to participate in future K9 Nose Work trials. At the ORT, the judge lines up two parallel rows of identical, sealed boxes, one of which contains a few Q-tips with birch on them. Then you lead your dog through the boxes (or more accurately, your dog leads you) and when you believe that your dog has located the box with the birch hidden in it, you call out "Alert."

Since I had already participated in an ORT with Leah, I knew what to expect, and I didn't feel nervous because they allow you to have a practice run before your turn. This helps to let your dog know why you are there, and to calm your own ring nerves a bit. At Port Chester, they set up the training ring just outside the building with several boxes in it, one of which has a great big "O" written on it, so you know where the odor is - that way you can be sure to reward your dog for choosing the correct one.

Unfortunately, I am embarrassed to admit that I messed up the practice ring for the other dogs both times that I have tested. First, when Leah and I did our practice run, I led her into the training ring feeling pretty confident - which must have traveled down the leash - because she, quite confidently, strolled over to the corner of the ring, lifted her leg, and marked it as her own. Mortified, I needed to pour water on the spot and shift the entire ring down a few feet so it wouldn't disturb the other dogs.

This time, I again headed into the practice area with confidence, especially since I knew that Toby never marks anything. In fact, most times, he pees like a girl. Just as I expected, he did not mark - and he also raced right to the box with the "O" on it before I had hardly stepped through the gates. Thrilled with how fast he got to work, I enthusiastically leaned over to reward him and knocked my treat pouch over, scattering hot dogs, venison jerky and crumbs all over the practice ring. Nick and I quickly cleaned up the spill, (with Toby's help of course), and hopefully located every crumb that we missed. Then, red faced, I hurried back up to the front of the building to wait for my turn, which came quickly, since we were only the eighth team to test.

It was over even faster.

Back when Leah and I did our ORT together, although she passed, it took me a long while to call "Alert." Leah casually sniffed at the very first box on the right, but since she had not sniffed any of the others yet, I wasn't positive that the first box was the actual location of the scent. So, I chose not to call "Alert," and instead led her up and down the two rows of boxes. 

She ignored all of them. 

Realizing then, that it MUST have been in that first box - the only one she had showed any interest in, I led Leah back to it. But she continued to ignore it. Finally, knowing the clock was ticking, (you only get three minutes), I pointed to the box, and said, "Leah, don't you want to check that one?" She sniffed it, briefly, but I called "Alert" before she could move on.

Sure enough, it was in the first box, and I should have called it when she first sniffed it. Always trust your dog. Even the judge commented that I "got lucky."  

Toby isn't so subtle.

He trotted up the first row on the right, started to turn the corner to the second row, and his head snapped around so fast he nearly got whiplash. Then he started sniffing at the last box on the left, shoving it along the floor and out into the center of the two rows with his nose. Of course, this time, I didn't hesitate to call "Alert!"

It took him nine seconds flat, and I can't take any credit for it.

Before Leah's ORT, I practiced with her several times per week, hoping to teach her to just stay on the box once she found it. But, honestly, I rarely practice with Toby other than at class - preferring to use my free time with him for other things, like taking long walks with my best bud.

But he's a natural at Nose Work - and what Lab wouldn't be? He gets to pull and sniff, and get rewarded for it. 

Later that same night, Toby made me even prouder. We met up with Sue Scelzi, our Nose Work instructor, along with several other students, so we could all have our dogs' group Christmas photos taken at the mall. Toby walked through the entire mall like a champ, (on his front clip harness, of course), left the other dogs alone when told, greeted several people without jumping on anyone, and then he even sat-stayed and down-stayed amongst all of the other dogs during photo time just as well as an obedience dog would have.

Which was pretty amazing, especially because, in a real obedience set up, Toby most likely would have taken off.

At least, he would have when he was younger. Instead, Toby really made me proud - which he has been doing a lot of lately. Like any fine wine, the good ones only improve with age.