Page 30 - Chow Life - Spring 2018

I Smell A Rat!

PART FOU R
by Cathy Clapp, FlamingStar Chows
Master and Beyond...

Near the end of June 2017 I made that penny just does not know the NOT a good thing.
the trip to Cincinnati for a Barn odds. So by the same logic, with And this was an issue I did have
Hunt trial. I had six trials over the four people in each blind you may with Marilyn that we had to work
course of three days to attempt to or may not each have a different on. We had to let her work out that
get Marilyn’s final three qualifying number of rats to look for. Many when she searched an area and
runs needed for her to earn her judges use an app that’s a random there were no rats, no more were
RATCH (Rat Champion) title. We number generator and it may tell going to appear there while she
were successful. In fact we had all them two (or three or five or one or was working a different area of the
three Q’s that were needed by the four) several times in a row. Or it ring. She had to learn it was okay
end of Saturday’s trials, having may not. It’s random. to stop hunting and tell me there
qualified the first of the three at the This means that you must have was nothing else to look for. We
second trial on Friday evening. As a good understanding of your dog started teaching her to sit when
I look back, I’m amazed at just how and how it works. You have to be she thought she had found all there
well we have done. able to read when you think all of was to find. This is not an overnight
I’m lucky. I have a very intelligent the rats have been found and call process – it does take time and
dog with a high prey drive. She the course “Clear.” This is not as practice and something we were
really loves looking for those rats easy as you might think. Depending still working on. She wasn’t sitting
and I love to watch her work. And on how you have trained (or lack every time, especially in strange
while I can say there was a lot of thereof) your dog may not stop rings, but she was getting the idea
luck involved, and that I have a hunting. that it was okay to stop hunting and
fabulous dog, we put in a lot of This is where what you do early either slow down or just stop and
work into training, too. on in your training can come back look at me.
You see, Master is where every to bite you. When we first started During the break between trials
problem you never addressed or we got in where we could with the on Saturday our judge commented
that you managed to create is going Louisville group. What I didn’t that she wished more people would
to come back and bite you in the realize at the time was the way take more time to praise their
butt. There is one huge difference they trained was not a good thing dogs when they found their rats
between Master and every lower when you got to Master. You see, in the ring – that it just created
level – You do NOT know how instead of bringing enough rats to problems later on when they didn’t.
many rats you are searching for. It put out however many you needed The handlers are so worried about
can be ANY number from one to for your level past Novice (two for time that they just take the rat
five. They are assigned in random Open, four for Senior, up to five for away from the dog and send it on
order. And you can’t even listen Master), they would generally only its way to look for more. It made
and try to figure out how many rats bring a couple of rats and rehide me glad that I always made sure
those previous to you in the blind them after they were found – often to praise Marilyn when she found
had because you see, it’s random. It in an area your dog had already the rat. Yes, she loves looking for
doesn’t matter how many the others searched. This is NOT a good idea. them but I wanted her to know how
in the blind had. Like the penny that While it doesn’t seem like an issue good she was for actually finding
is flipped one hundred times, the at the time, when you get to Master them and alerting me to it. When
penny doesn’t know it’s supposed your dog never knows to stop I’m holding her back for them to
to come up heads (or tails) fifty hunting because it is now expecting remove a found rat from the ring I
percent of the time. It’s “magic” rats to appear where there always make sure to tell her what a
just as likely to come up were not any before – it doesn’t good girl she was for finding that rat
ninety times heads because learn it has cleared an area. This is while petting her vigorously.
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