# First Elite Title!



## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

I always go back and forth trying to determine the proper place to post my successes in Nosework. I guess because they are successes I tend to put them here, 🎆🎆

As usual, a longer post...
First, this wasn't our best trial as Miika and I only qualified in 50% and Kiisa only 25%. But we tend to learn more from our failures then our successes, so it was good weekend for learning. Luckily in this trial they let you bring one person to video your run so that was a nice way to watch another team work and watch your own run later.

Elite Containers Search Summary:
24 boxes
1 to 4 hides but must have a vetiver
2 distractors
5 minutes
Must call finish

But, back to the brag on my girl. We ran elite containers twice. First one on Saturday was a beautiful failure. She did a picture perfect TFR on the wrong box (the myrrh box was right next to the one she alerted on which had a "Lambie" toy in it-Miika does not care about toys so...the other odor was kibble if you were interested). She was first dog to run. I was unhappy but learned that NONE of the dogs qualified. Small consolation, but there were quite a few false alerts. Pattern was a big X so was simple that way.

Sunday afternoon was the second container trial. Elite dogs ran last. It was a drizzly day from mid-morning on. Miika and I were again the first competitors on the line. It was a circle with essentially a line of boxes down the middle (think two half circles put together). First she went right and found one of the distractors.








Next she alerted with her TFR (we are still working on this as I started to teach her as is needed for Master Handler Discrimination which we hope to be at this year.)








Then we continued on checking each box. She was going to indicate that box but I gave her the command for looking for another. (I believe the first distractor was right behind me and the second was also on the ring, just to the left of my left hand.) She almost indicated on the box by her tail in the photo above, but changed her mind after doing a 1/2 down. We went around one more time and this time she was definitely much slower. Got past the box with the first distractor she found (behind my left foot above) then came walking up to me (essentially how it went) and I called, "Finish!" The judge said, "Good!"








I can tell I was pretty stressed because I had to asked the photographer if I passed or not as I was leaving the search area! 1:46:22

There were probably a total of 14 dogs (still haven't gone back and counted, plus there were move ups) and Miika was the ONLY qualifying run. That first distractor was a dorito chip and it got most of the dogs, even ones much more seasoned than Miika.

With that qualifying run Miika earned her Elite Container Title!
Hope you enjoyed my post. 
I am a most proud Mama!


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## Biscuit (Mar 24, 2020)

Love it! Thank you. Incredible work 👏👏👏


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Congratulations! Nice work.


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## dickwol (Mar 29, 2021)

Very cool! Congrats


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Congratulations! I'm confused about using kibble (food) in one setting as a target, then using a dorito as a distraction in another. How's the dog supposed to know?

Do you get to train using the same kibble they use?


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## cagal (Sep 3, 2013)

Congratulations - nice work!


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## Cas_H (Mar 1, 2019)

Congratulations!!


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

tim_s_adams said:


> Congratulations! I'm confused about using kibble (food) in one setting as a target, then using a dorito as a distraction in another. How's the dog supposed to know?
> 
> Do you get to train using the same kibble they use?


Thank you. 
They are supposed to ignore the distractors. The kibble was a distractor not a target odor. Miika still will respond to distractors, but that response is different from her alert behavior.


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

Biscuit said:


> Love it! Thank you. Incredible work 👏👏👏


😊 Thank you!


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

LuvShepherds said:


> Congratulations! Nice work.


😊 Thank you!


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

dickwol said:


> Very cool! Congrats


😊 Thank you!


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

cagal said:


> Congratulations - nice work!


😊 Thank you!


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

Cas_H said:


> Congratulations!!


😊 Thank you!


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Miika's Mom said:


> Thank you.
> They are supposed to ignore the distractors. The kibble was a distractor not a target odor. Miika still will respond to distractors, but that response is different from her alert behavior.


That makes more sense now, thanks for clarifying!


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Good job Miika! Love the pics.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Awesome!!! Great job Miika and you too. I'd love to see video if you feel like sharing. 

Congrats!


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Congratulations! Looks like Lilac DTC.


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

Sabis mom said:


> Good job Miika! Love the pics.


Thank you. 😊
Yes, Cherie is a wonderful photographer and always emails me the good shots since I don’t do Facebook.


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

David Winners said:


> Awesome!!! Great job Miika and you too. I'd love to see video if you feel like sharing.
> 
> Congrats!


Not sure how, and will need an internet connection. Yep, somewhat off the grid, lol!

You can PM me if you’ like 😉


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

Nigel said:


> Congratulations! Looks like Lilac DTC.


Thank you! 😊

Close, Lilac City Dog Training Club using Spokane Dog Training Club as the venue. Are you in Spokane or Spokane Valley area?


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Im located in the Spokane area. I was just at SDTC last week for puppy class. Been about 8 or 9 years since I’ve been to Lilac. I knew it looked familiar, lol!


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Miika's Mom said:


> Not sure how, and will need an internet connection. Yep, somewhat off the grid, lol!
> 
> You can PM me if you’ like 😉


YouTube is the easiest.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Awesome! Miss noseworks!


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

Jenny720 said:


> Awesome! Miss noseworks!


Thank you, lol! 😊


David Winners said:


> YouTube is the easiest.


I will have to see if anyone I know has an account and can upload it.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Miika's Mom said:


> Thank you, lol! 😊
> 
> I will have to see if anyone I know has an account and can upload it.


They are free.


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## Miika's Mom (Sep 23, 2013)

David Winners said:


> They are free.


Yes, I know. It is having an account and internet access 😉

I did find a volunteer so when we get a chance 😁


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