STEPS TO AN ALERT

Steps to an Alert

Change of Behaviour (COB)
The dog first detects odour. An unconscious behaviour that might include a change of direction, change of speed, or change of focus.

Their body movements, speed and intensity tell us exactly what is going on.

Videos
Change of behaviour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4iY3VOGDU

Change of focus/breathing change:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4iY3VOGDU

Non target odour COB: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4iY3VOGDU

"In Odour" Behaviour
The transition between the COB and the actual sourcing of the hide as the dog works through the scent cone. This step tells us the proximity of the hide and the general location.

Usually the dog's head sweeps around and they change direction, often circling. Their head can move up or down, and they might go up on their hind legs, giving us information about the height of the odour although not necessarily the height of the hide because odour can rise and fall.

Videos
In odour behaviour analysis:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQYmYKsOV2I

COB and in odour analysis:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQYmYKsOV2I


“At Source" Behaviour
The dog understands the general location of source and works towards narrowing down to a specific location. The dog’s body language tells us that he has found the location of the hide. This step precedes the final response. Tell-tale behaviours that tell us a dog has reached source:

Head twists as the dog twists their neck to really get their nose on source – the hide is lower than nose height and under a surface
Butt pivot – dog keeps his nose on source and pivots around source.
Body curves as they twist their body to get under or around something
Dog pauses or stops becoming still and intense, mouth closes

Videos

Head twist: https://youtu.be/GJMfwO15dB4
Butt pivot: https://youtu.be/T309p9LBXAU

Body curvature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w5nLjUNols
Clear pause: https://youtu.be/5qyaDMGMxMc

"Final Response” or “Alert”
The conscious communication the dog gives us when they have found the hide. This is often a trained response (e.g. a nose freeze), or it can be a behaviour the dog has offered that we then reinforce (e.g. look back, down, etc.).

Remember:

The final response or alert can dampen and get more subtle and softer if the dog is worried or stressed or in a new environment.
Sometimes the dog may not exhibit the final response even though all of the communication tells us he’s at source.
Because the dog understands that the final response results in a reward, the dog may throw in a final response in the absence of odour in order to either stop the search because of stress, or to please the handler in order to get the reward.

Videos

Compilation of final responses: https://youtu.be/6b2u1OwrDp8
Comparison of stages and timing of verbal mark: https://youtu.be/6b2u1OwrDp8