Establishing the same protocol for exterior vehicle search on and off leash. The objective is to have the dog using the same technique (and habits) off leash as it does when on leash, not rushing but searching systematically without leving the object (vehicle in this case).

In both Swedish and English Just nu har vi träningsdagar med deltagarna på vår årsutbildning. Den här veckan har vi fokuserat på sök på person och sök inuti fordon. Många hundar vill gärna in och gräva runt och bli hårdhänta med nosen och i bland även tassarna när gömman är placerad i mjuka material som väskor, kläder eller liknande. Vid sök på personer är det dessutom inte ovanligt att hundens sociala förväntningar påverkar söket och markeringen. Ofta av glädje men minst lika ofta p g a osäkerhet. Därför vill vi att hunden betraktar personen som vilket objekt som helst. Vi vill att den söker metodiskt utan att gräva och när den hittar gömman ska den backa ut lite med huvudet men ändå behålla fokuset på gömman med både ögonen och nosen. Om du vill fördjupa dig mer i markeringsträning finns det möjlighet att gå kurs nu i helgen 24-25/3 i Örsundsbro. Det finns även enstaka platser kvar till markeringskursen på Lerkulans Hundcenter i Skinnskatteberg 27-29/4. Maila tobias@swdi.se för intresseanmälan. This week we have training days with the dog teams on our ful year detection course. Today we focused on keeping the passive alert stable and calm even when the hide is placed on people or clothes. We want the dog to search on people just like they search on objects. We don't want them to have any social expectations in those situations.

MARKERINGSKURS 24-25/3 Det finns ett fåtal platser kvar till helgens (24-25/3) kurs om passiva markeringar i Örsundsbro. Helgen är lämplig för både sök- och spårhundar men förutsätter att man har en hund som tycker om både lek och godis som belöning. Intresseanmälan mailas till tobias@swdi.se

INDICATION COURSE Den senaste veckan har vi hållit två stycken markeringskurser på Lerkulans Hundcenter. Det har verkligen varit riktigt kul och vi är imponerade av deltagarnas engagemang och progression. Vi ser fram emot att ses nångång igen och fortsätta träningen. Den 24-25/3 genomför vi ytterligare en kurs med fokus på passiva markeringar. Den här gången i Nordic K9 Search lokaler i Örsundsbro utanför Enköping. Kursen pågår mellan kl 9-17 den 24/3 och 9-16 den 25/3. Priset är 3000 kr. Intresseanmälan skickas till tobias@swdi.se Here are some film clips from last weeks indication courses. It was a really nice group of dog handlers and dogs and we hope to see them soon again. Good luck with your training!

FÖRELÄSNING OCH KURS Nu på lördag den 17/3 håller vi en heldagsföreläsning om specialsök hos Nordic K9 Search i Örsundsbro. 24-25/3 följer vi upp med en praktisk sökkurs med fokus på passiva markeringar, även den i Örsundsbro. Den som är intresserad av föreläsningen anmäler sig via hemsidan www.nordick9search.se Är du intresserad av att vara med på den praktiska kursen skickar du en intresseanmälan till tobias@swdi.se

Two things. First a clip from yesterday evenings training on remote guided scent detection. Right now focus is on having the cue for searching under stimulus control, to avoid that the dog starts searching here and there when it is close to objects. Second, a clarification regarding the online course in the post below, which we have received questions about. Maybe distance training is a more appropriate term than online course. In this course we will use the same progression plan as we do for the dog teams we train on site, but the IRL meetings every 4-6 weeks are substituted by weekly videomeetings and longer videosessions every 3 weeks when training is thoroughly evaluated before next module is entered. The participants will be in continuous contact with the instructor and each other.

ONLINE SCENT DETECTION COURSE FOR PROFESSIONAL DOG HANDLERS Objective: After the course, participants should have advanced operational skills in training dogs all the way from being green dogs to become operational scent detection dogs. The course will cover all steps needed to train a scent detection dog from green dog to become operational (i.e the topics listed below, which are the same topics as the ordinary on-site course), but the training will be given over an online platform and divided into 15 periods of three weeks each and online. For each of the periods ether will be video conferences and dog teams will receive a progression plan to accomplish. Participants are expected to continuously record specified parts of the training on video (using for example their smartphone) and post on the course platform for us and the other participants to see. Participants are also encouraged to contact the instructor at all times if problems are encountered. Primarily over the course platform so that all participants get a chance to know both the problem and the solution. All exercises in the progression plans are shown in text and in video clips. Participants have to keep simple but structured records of their training on a webbased platform in a format specified by SWDI. A voluntary 4-day meeting in Sweden is included (not travel and accommodation) and will be arranged after approximately 1/3 of the course time at a date agreed upon by the participants. In order to have enough time to give feedback on training, the number of participants is limited to a maximum of six. Only professional dog handlers and trainers can register for this course. To follow this course you need to have at least one dog to work on (age, breed, etc. is not important), and be able to spend 0,5-1 hour per day on the specific exercises. Start in May 2018 and end in May 2019. Price: 52 500 SEK. If you are interested in attending or have questions, please send an e-mail to info@swdi.se with a brief description of your work and location. We will quickly put together a group of maximum six dog handlers that we believe can complement each other and contribute. General topics covered Basic tools Establishing the tools needed for each dog team. The theoretical part will cover basic ethology, learning theory, dog sense of smell, aptitude tests and how to search for information in scientific journals. Practical exercises will aim at establishing direct rewards, external rewards, reward signals and identifying which rewards are of lower or higher value to the dog. Indication Establishing a reliable final response and routines for how to plan and document training. Line-ups Making the dogs manage the distraction from the handler by training on line-ups of different kinds to start the search work of the dogs. Walls Wall search for low, intermediate and high hides is introduced. We will also establish a protocol for how to do indoor search. Indoor areas with objects Indoor room search with objects like for example furniture added. We also work on "deep hides". Vehicles Exterior, interior and compartment (engine and trunk) search as well as construction of progression plan for how to train scent detection on cars. Humans Search on humans standing in a line as well as filtering and scanning in crowds. Remote scent detection Basic directional. Training dogs to be sent to objects like cars, doors or bags up to 100 meters away and do scent detection and alert. Distractions Distractions in all contexts above. In between each meeting, participants are expected to train and read selected texts.

2018-2019 SCENT DETECTON COURSE FOR PROFESSIONAL DOG HANDLERS May 14-16th will be the first meeting on our international detection course for professional dog handlers. Send your application to info@swdi.se Objective: After the course, participants should have advanced operational skills in training their own dogs, as well as other dog teams for professional scent detection. Session 1-Tools Focus: Establishing the tools needed for each dog team. The theoretical part will cover basic ethology, learning theory, dog sense of smell, aptitude tests and how to search for information in scientific journals. Practical exercises will aim at establishing direct rewards, external rewards, reward signals and identifying which rewards are of lower or higher value to the dog. Session 2- Indication Focus: Establishing a reliable final response and routines for how to plan and document training. Session 3-Line-ups Focus: Making the dogs manage the distraction from the handler by training on line-ups of different kinds to start the search work of the dogs. Session 4-Walls Focus: Wall search for low, intermediate and high hides is introduced. We will also establish a protocol for how to do indoor search. Session 5-Indoor areas with objects Focus: Indoor room search with objects like for example furniture added. We also work on “deep hides”. Session 6-Vehicles Focus: Exterior, interior and compartment (engine and trunk) search as well as construction of progression plan for how to train scent detection on cars.  Session 7-Humans Focus: Search on humans standing in a line as well as filtering and scanning in crowds. Session 8-Remote scent detection Focus: Basic directional. Training dogs to be sent to objects like cars, doors or bags up to 100 meters away and do scent detection and alert. Session 9-Distractions Focus: Distractions in all contexts above. In between each meeting, participants are expected to train and read selected texts. First meeting in May 2018 and last meeting in May 2019. Price: 52 500 incl. VAT. (accommodation and food not included). Location: Lerkulan training center and Grimsö Resarch Station, 100-150 km North of Örebro, Sweden.

EXTRAINSATT KURSTILFÄLLE Markeringskurserna blev väldigt populära och det har kommit önskemål om en ytterligare en kurs lite längre fram. Datumet bli 27-29 april på Lerkulans Hundcenter. Priset är 3000 kr plus mat och boende. Du som är intresserad av att gå kursen behöver inte vara yrkesverksam hundförare men bör ändå ha höga ambitioner och en hund med intresse för både godis och leksaker. Kursen startar kl 18 den fredagen den 27/4. Lördag 9-17 och sön 9-16. Anmälan göra till info@swdi.se Kursen 9-11 mars är full. Kursen 14-16 mars finns en plats tillgänglig. One more indication course 27-29/4 at Lerkulans Hundcenter. You dont have to be a professional dog handler but you should have high ambitions and a dog who likes to play. The course fee is 3000 SEK. Email us at info@swdi.se

Searching on humans poses special challenges to scent detection dogs. Humans are often not standing still and most dogs have a range of other expectations on humans, making the initial exercises very important. Over the last days we have spent time revising progression plans for searching on humans, experimenting with different ways to start the training, great fun! At the moment this setup seems to have a lot of advantages when starting. To be continued...

In both Swedish and English Det har blivit ett par platser lediga på markeringskurserna i mars. Under kursen fokuserar vi på att träna in en stabil, tillförlitlig och föraroberoende markering. Första kursen startar 9 mars kl 18 och slutar 11 mars kl 16. Kursen hålls på Lerkulans Hundcenter i Skinnskatteberg. Priset är 3000 kr plus mat och boende. Kursen är öppen för hundförare med höga ambitioner. Kursen kräver också att du har en hund som tycker det är kul att leka med leksaker. Maila ditt intresse till info@swdi.se There are a few slots available on the indication courses in march. During the course we focus on the training of a reliable and handler independent indication. First course starts 9th of march (friday) at 18 and ends 11th of march (sunday) at 16. Second course starts 14th of march (wednesday) at 19 and ends 16th of march at 17. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to info@swdi.se

A reliable indication is key for scent detection. If we can make it working perfect in training it will at least work good in real life work when handler and/or dog is stressed or tired. If it does not work the way we want it but we move on to doing scent detection anyways, the sloppy indication will be further reinforced every time we train. As we had to move two foreign jobs in march, we suddenly have some time free. We thought we may use that time to arrange two courses for those dog teams who wish to get a reliable indication. We therefore arrange two courses focusing entirely on indication training for detection or tracking dogs. We will start from the beginning with all the dogs to get the proper foundation and build a passive indication. The course is open also for non-professional dog teams with ambitions. The only prerequisite is that you have a dog with high interest in objects (Kong, ball, toys or other) as we can then have all dog teams working along the same progression plan. The course takes place at Lerkulan in Skinnskatteberg where it also possible to stay overnight. Price is 3 000 SEK. First course starts 9th of march (friday) at 18 and ends 11th of march (sunday) at 16. Second course starts 14th of march (wednesday) at 19 and ends 16th of march at 17. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to info@swdi.se

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