EVERY “SEEKER” HAS THEIR OWN STYLE OF “SEEKING” 

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EVERY “SEEKER” HAS THEIR OWN NEED WHILE “SEEKING”

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Dogs who do not have any obstructions to their flow of energy are resilient. They see the “rabbit” and in their brains, their survival mechanism takes over. Adrenaline accelerates their flight system and Dopamine escalates as they move into their prey drive and Keeps them Seeking with anticipation and confidence and hope to catch that “rabbit.”  As soon as they capture their prey, Adrenalin and Dopamine levels are dropping. As they settle into consumption of their meal, Dopamine plummets and Oxytocin rises as their body now needs to be able to digest. Oxytocin is that “feel good” hormone and their sense of accomplishment, self-nurturance and satisfaction allows them to decompress. 

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We see those self-regulating dogs as the ones who immediately fix their eyes on the lure and when they see any movement they are ready to go. These are dogs who are accustomed to mediating or being assisted with their own impulsivity (held back gently) and they will confidently take off, run and chase when I raise my voice and shout “Tally Ho!!”  They will stay fixated on the lure as I move it and will capture it easily at the end of their run.

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Some dog breeds need to be introduced to the concept or they are not natural born chasers. I am prepared for this, and I encourage them to play in other ways. We don’t give up if the dogs appear hesitant the first time. We keep it positive and fun, and they still have more time to try lure coursing or a similar stimulation during the day, as long as it is their turn to be it is their field, it is their choice how to spend that time. 

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Dogs who are brachycephalic need to be handled in ways that I can observe their breathing and make sure they are not overheating. 

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Some dogs will not want to run on their own. They will take some time to adjust to being on the field, the machine noise, or the presence and smells of unknown dogs and humans. 

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Some dogs love to chase their parent as the parent chases the lure. I will ask you to come run with me in the field. Others will only want to run with their family member. It takes time to understand they are safe to explore in this environment. 

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Some dogs are confused by the concept of being free to chase something. There can be many reasons that have led to this, and these dogs need special handling and my full attention. They must feel comfortable with me. 

 

ABSOLUTE RULES:

• NO E-COLLARS, NO PRONGS, NO CHOKE COLLARS ARE ALLOWED

• IF YOUR DOG HAS A MUZZLE FOR STRESSFUL SITUATIONS OR HAS BITTEN IN THE PAST, PLEASE HAVE THE DOG WEAR THE MUZZLE. IT MUST BE A BASKET MUZZLE (Cloth or tight muzzles do not allow the dog to breathe well or eat treats or drink water from a bottle) AND WELL FITTED. 

 

*Please note:  At this time, the enclosed field at the JCC is not suitable for competition. A competitive coursing field starts at 600 yards (A football field is 120 yards long). I have worked with whippets and large sight hounds; however, this field cannot accommodate their high speeds and they would be taking sharp turns – as exhilarating as it can be, this would be too demanding on your dog. I am open to discussion regarding individual requests however please respect my final assessment.