Upping Your Distraction Game v.2
Distraction Challenges
All the snacks Everywhere All at Once
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On a rubble pile or in a building search set out as many different food distractions as you are able to gather. Place the food items on the ground all over the search area. The target odor placement should require the canine to pass through the food distractions in order to reach it. The handler should remain at the starting point of the search if possible.
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Select foods that are less enticing (salads, plain bread, rice, kibble)
Place spotters very close to the food distractions as a visual/pressure deterrent
Put the food on an elevated surface just out of reach of the K9
Use a large target odor source so it’s easier to find
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Select particularly enticing and/or rotten foods
Leave the scenario setup for at least an hour prior to starting
Require the handler to stay outside of the search area
Setup a diffuse or more challenging scent problem or add multiple hides to your problem
It’s so Loud Here
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Run speakers, generators, or engines/sirens in multiple locations on the rubble pile or in the designated search area while the canine and handler are running their problem.
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Place the speakers, generators, or engines/sirens outside of the intended search area
Reduce the number of audio distractions used
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Practice an emergency stop and/or recall in the search area
Run it blind with other distractions in the area and brief your team on what you are seeing while running the problem
Who Invited All these People
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Invite additional volunteers to training and place them between the canine’s target odor and their starting location. Place one or more volunteers directly on or in front of the canine’s target odor.
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Use people your canine knows instead of strangers
Reduce the number of volunteers
Move the volunteers further away from the canine’s target odor
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Ask the volunteers to talk, yell, move around, or move items in your search area while your canine is running
Have one of the volunteers attempt to emergency stop and/or recall your dog as if there is an emergency
Distraction Ideas for Your Scenarios
Food
Fresh
Rotting
Burned
Dog food and treats
Clothes
Teammates’ clothes
Strangers’ clothes
Baby/children clothes
Animal odors
Pet supplies
Urine/feces
Dead animals
Toys
Tennis balls
Reward toys
Stuffed animals
Disturbances
Dummy holes
Recent delayering spaces
People or spotter pressure
Flags or waving items
Flashing lights
Barking dogs or animal sounds
Other dogs working nearby
Farm animals
People or spotters talking or yelling
Running motors, engines, or generators
Sirens or alarms