PROBLEM SOLVING
By Steve White
The following is an article which appeared in the November, 1993 issue
of "Fresh Tracks " (the journal of the
You're good and so is your dog. You two have the skills to find the badest of the bad. Maybe, they can hide and you won't see
them. Maybe, they can be quiet and you won't hear them. But, they can't stop
producing scent. The harder they try, the more stress they induce, and the more
scent they pump out. Better yet, that scent is more likely to contain the
pungent apocrine sweat -- frequently described by K-9
handlers as "enhanced scent."
All in all, this a formula for an easy track, right?
Maybe so, but it doesn't always work out that way. We have all had slumps. We
know they are just part of the ebb and flow of life. Knowing all this does
nothing to ease the frustration. As with any endeavor,
frustration adds to the problem by generating performance anxiety. The downward
spiral accelerates.
The causes for slumps fall into two categories -- dog/handler problems and/or
patrol procedure problems. The source of most problems might surprise you.
Before you can pull yourself out of your slump, you have to accept the likely
cause and cure, no matter how ego-deflating that realization might be.
First, define the problem-
First, we must define what a slump actually is. Slumps
are when an experienced and usually productive dog team has a marked drop in
productivity on K-9 cases. Novice teams do not fall into this category, they are in a state of transition roughly
equivalent to the move from apprentice to journeyman. Although competent to
perform the job, they need experience to maximize their potential. In
Next, let us look at dog/handler problems and their effects. The first thing
you must do is examine the dog's performance in the controlled conditions
offered by training. Is he lackluster, slow, or
stiff? If so, check his health. We have found that all sorts of things which
seem to have nothing to do with scent work can impair the dog’s willingness and
ability to work. Parasites? panosteitis (even in dogs as old as 3 years), viral
infections. toothaches, and ear infections, are just a
few of the medical impediments to scent work.
Think about it. How would you like to run full tilt on track while ill? With
his already sore head filling with blood because it is lower than his body,
your dog is not going to want to keep his nose down where the scent is.
Similarly, body aches tend to just make the dog feel blasé. This dog needs to
see a vet. You'd be amazed at the improvement a little aspirin or antibiotic
can make.
If he seems to be trying his best to track, but can't seem to smell the scent
look for a medical problem first. Minor sinus infections, earaches, toothaches,
and even inhaled grass seeds can impair the dog's ability before they have
other symptoms profound enough for you notice.
Help your dog focus-
Often problems show up in the dog, but stem from something the handler has been
doing: I know whereof I speak, because I've made all these mistakes myself. The
following list gives concepts and tips which proved to be effective slump
solvers:
1) Focus on the means, not the ends. Is a dog that used to be a focused,
methodical worker starting to go too fast? Often this problem is the result of
emotions from the handler over exciting the dog. Often handlers realize that
their dog is not performing properly and try to compensate with motivational
training. Frequently this exacerbates the problem, by over-emotionalizing the
dog when he needs to work calmly and methodically. Jazzing the veteran dog up enroute to the track, and heavy man work at the end tend to
make the dog focus on the ends (dealing with the bad guy) rather than the means
(tracking). It helps the dog focus on the track when you have a calm, yet enthusiastic, starting ritual and less confrontational
end.
2) Time for a reality check. Is the dog performing well in training, but
can't seem to find a real bad guy? This usually stems from one or two things.
First, we must accept that no matter how we try to simulate reality, dogs know
the difference between training and real applications. All training lacks the
emotional components (yours and the other participants') present in real
applications. Also training usually has some sort of equipment associated with
it. These are cues to the dog. Cues which tell him whether or
not it is worth his while to put forth his best effort. Think of it from
his perspective. He is 100 percent successful in training, so he
"knows" it is worth focusing there. However, in real applications he
is lucky to be successful 30 or 40 percent of the time. Once he realizes this,
he may be less motivated to work on something that isn't as likely to produce
good results. Often this problem is compounded by well-intentioned handlers who
put the dog out on every possible application, even the very low probability
ones. This, in essence, de-trains the dog, by teaching him that his odds of
success are very low (less than 15 or 20 percent) on real applications. The cure? Respectfully decline low probability applications,
and strive to eliminate equipment association in training. Try sleeveless
tracks with a high quarry, dropping the sleeve off at the end, and muzzled
tracks (use this only if you are religious about working your dog in the muzzle
in non-man work and non-scent situations).
3) Go back to the basics. If your dog is having a rough time picking up
scent and you have eliminated medical problems, then it's time to shore up the
foundation. Build the dog's (and your own) confidence by doing series of
relatively simple tracks. I recommend that you start with tracks that have
plenty of human and ground component. Gradually reduce
the ground component, then start adding delay.
Whatever you do, set up a schedule of increasing difficulty, and stick
to it. Remember to add only one new variable at a time to the equation.
That way, if something goes wrong you won't have try to figure out which new
wrinkle caused the problem. Take a tip from Volhard
and Fisher, and use the "three and a proof plan." Move your dog up to
the next level only after he has done four consecutive successful exercises at
the current level, and never skip a level. Just as when you build a house, the
foundation must be solid if it is to bear the load you will later place on it.
Be the right kind cop-
Now for the patrol related problems. This is probably the hardest pill to
swallow for most handlers, but most often we don't make dog cases because we're
not where we should be when we should be there.
Just as in the business world, success comes with working smart not just
working hard. Implement the following tried and true formula and I guarantee
you will get an easy ten to twenty percent more cases than you would have
otherwise:
1) Stay out on the street. It's obvious that you're not going to catch
many bad guys if you frequently respond from the coffee shop, fire house or
precinct.
2) Shut off the tunes. Don't listen to your AM radio or anything else
that might distract you from your police radio.
3) Drift to where the action is. If you hear a call from which it seems
likely that a suspect might run, drift that way. One of the biggest factors in
making cases is response time. The closer you are to the call, the shorter your
response time. This also permits you to approach in a more deliberate manner,
and you may be the lucky one to see the bad guy on the heel and toe.
4) Check with patrol of officers. Find out where they have had problems
recently and spend some time there.
5) Check the arrest warrant board. Commit yourself to looking for
suspicious circumstances in the areas inhabited by the suspects with the
biggest warrants. You may not get one of the warrant suspects, but odds of
criminal activity are high in that neighborhood.
6) Use the hot sheet. Look for stolen cars, and you'll be amazed at what
else you turn up.
7) Patrol ten new streets a night. This will give you 50 new
opportunities per week.
8) Get out of chauffeur mode. Keep your eyes open all night long. Not
just when you're specifically looking for something or somebody, but also when
you're on patrol, and especially when you are enroute
to a K-9 call. Often we focus on getting to the call so we can apply the dog
and in the process drive by the suspect.
It doesn't take much study to see that just about everything above relates to
you as a handler, rather than the dog. Too many handlers are quick to point the
finger of at blame their dogs. The truth is that any time you point your finger, you've got three on the same hand pointing back at
you. I think that is why the
Every handler gets the dog he deserves.
Copyright 2002 Steve White. ptswhite@charter.net
All rights reserved. “Every handler gets the dog he deserves.” Motto:
RAF K9. Originally published
by the
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