Canine Search Specialist Training

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Canine Search Specialist Training
Unit 3 Role of the Helper
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Unit Objective

• Upon completion of this unit, you will be able to
  describe the function of the helper

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Enabling Objectives

• Demonstrate proper communication, technique, and
  timing
• Inside the remote alert box
• In an alert barrel
• On the rubble pile
• Effectively reward a search canine
• Improve reward-timing skills

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Introduction

• Thinking, communicating, timing and technique are
  key words to remember

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Importance Of The Helper

• Roles of handler, helper and trainer overlap
• There is an art and science to being a good
  helper
• Learning to be a good helper improves timing and
  your ability to read canines
• In alert training the helper is focus of canines
  attention

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• TO REPEAT
• In alert training,
• the Helper
• MUST BE
• the focus of the canines attention

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Definitions
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Definitions

• Helper
• Handler
• Trainer
• Cueing
• Encouraging
• Reward

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Helper

• The person(s) who assist(s) the handler when
  training the canine
• Teaches canine to bark for someone other than
  handler
• When using remote alert boxwill be inside box or
  on rope
• When using alert hole or barrelhelper is inside
  hole or barrel
• In the rubble pilemay be visible or concealed

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Handler

• The handler is the person for whom the canine is
  working

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Trainer

• Person who makes decisions regarding which
  technique is used to get canine to perform a
  specific task
• Trainer may be the handler, the helper, or a
  third person who is observing

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Cueing and Encouraging

• Cueing
• Technique used by handler or helper to
  precipitate a behavior
• Can be as obvious as banging a door up and down,
  or as subtle as body language
• Encouraging
• Occurs when canine has already independently
  started the desired behavior

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Rewards

• Can be toys or food, or a combination of both
• Tug toys are preferred over retrieving toys for
  two reasons
• Reward is given at the same spot as the find and
  can continue there with a game of tug
• It is not safe for the canine to chase a
  retrieving toy across rubble

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Rewards (continued)

• Food rewards should not be messy
• If crumbs are dropped, the area will be
  contaminated for the next canine
• Airtight containers are recommended

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Qualities of a Good Helper
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Qualities of a Good Helper

• Thinking
• Communicating
• Timing
• Technique

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Thinking

• Planning, executing, and evaluating the training
  sequence

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Communicating

• Helper to
• Trainer
• Handler
• Canine

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Helper communicating with handler and trainer

• Understand goal of exercise
• Know how goal will be accomplished
• Know how canine will be rewarded
• Repeat instructions
• Establish who has authority to change plan
• Develop contingency plan
• Debrief exercise

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Helper communicating with canine

• Convey positive attitude to canine
• Be enthusiastic and supportive
• Learn how to reward different canine temperaments
• Be aware not to overwhelm or over-stimulate the
  canine
• Debrief the exercise

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Helper communicating with canine
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Timing

• Timing can make or break an exercise
• Rewarding canine at correct and precise moment is
  critical
• If timing is off, helper may be encouraging
  unwanted behavior

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Technique

• Techniques must be adapted to canines
  temperament and level of training, and the goal
  of the specific training session

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Temperament

• Soft
• Hard
• Stimulus threshold
• Drive level
• Manners

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Adjust technique to temperament

• Space
• Energy
• Eye contact
• Weight (forward or back)
• Stance

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Helper Prey

• Helper (prey) moves
• Side to side or away
• Teases with toy movement
• Stops movement hide toy to frustrate
• Barks restart action

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Two toy game

• Command to drop toy
• Command to end reward game

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Level of training

• Imprinting
• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

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What is the goal?

• Alert
• Agility
• Intensity
• Ignore distractions
• Helper interaction

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General Helper Principles
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General Helper Principles

• Check equipment
• Understand reward system
• Understand exercise goal
• Plan to achieve goal
• Repeat instructions

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General Helper Principles (continued)

• Ensure good timing of reward
• Be enthusiastic and focus on canine
• Be flexiblehave plan B
• Understand how the exercise ends

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Specific Helper Roles
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Specific Helper Roles

• Remote Props
• Alert Barrels
• Alert Hole
• Rubble Pile

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Remote Control Prop

• Trainer controls access to helper
• Helper delivers reward
• Good for inexperienced helper

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Alert Hole or Barrel

• Helper controls access
• Coordination
• Timing
• Limited visibility
• Must control lid!

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The Rubble Pile

• Safety
• Agility
• Coordination
• Timing
• Technique

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Reward Systems
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Toy

• Should be
• Semi-Rigid
• Durable
• Easy to hold on to
• Able to poke up through rubble

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Food

• Must
• Be self contained
• Be easy to swallow-no chewing
• Not contaminate area
• Be high value food

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Canine Training Techniques
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Training Techniques

• Runaway
• Pop-out
• Call out
• Bait and switch
• Cold shot

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Runaway
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Pop-out
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Call out
Hey!
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Bait and switch
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Cold shot
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Dog leaves wanting MORE!
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Time for a video!

• Role of the Helper

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(No Transcript)
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Unit Summary and Evaluation
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Unit Summary

• Demonstrate proper communication, technique, and
  timing
• Inside the remote alert prop
• In an alert barrel
• On the rubble pile
• Develop an effective canine reward system
• Improve reward-timing skills

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Unit Evaluation

• Please fill out the evaluation on this unit