Earthdog Thoughts

We're getting ready to hold the Border Terrier Club of the Redwoods spring Earthdog tests in a couple of weeks. There was a discussion the other day about the Intro to Quarry test and whether it should be used as a "Warmup" for dogs entered in a Junior Earthdog test the same day.
I personally am not in favor of using IQ for that purpose. I think it dilutes the time that a judge has to spend with the dogs truely needing IQ as a developmental step. And that is the hallmark of a good IQ test- a judge who takes the time necessary and works with dog and handler to overcome the initial fear of a dark tunnel, to instill confidence in the dog (and handler) and to acquaint the dog with working quarry.
One of the things that came up in our discussion was what things had to be learned or overcome to progress successfully from IQ to a JE title. The neat thing about Earthdog, besides being a great way to develop and satisfy a terrier's natural instincts, is that it is a progression of learning along with a progression of testing.
The things a dog must learn to progress to a JE title include:
1) entering and driving through a LONGER, DARKER, MORE COMPEX, tunnel - it is definitely darker inside a JE 30 ft tunnel with its 3 turns than a 10 ft IQ tunnel with its single turn!
2) that the SCENT of quarry will lead them to the quarry- i.e the reward! Every step in ED develops a dog's confidence in their nose.
3) no handler or judge help is available- the dog is on his/her own. JE is a very simple test to judge: either the dog gets to the quarry in time, begins work in time and works the quarry long enough or they dont.
4) that actively and continuously working the quarry is the objective- not staring at the quarry.
5) being retrieved without resistance or backing up into the tunnel.

If a handler has a dog that is stuck getting to JE and if the issue is item #1 above, additional IQ work will likely NOT help. If the issue is with one or more of the other items above, more IQ work could help. But so could individual training of the dog by the handler.

Item #4 above is interesting in that some dogs just naturally seem to prefer to stare and hold a quarry in place. They will aggressively chase a fleeing quarry but will hold a quarry that is relatively motionless. The criteria of ED is that active working is required. It is up to the handler to train and reinforce aggressive, active work by the dog when confronted by quarry regardless of how the quarry behaves. That means that the handler must THINK ABOUT and UNDERSTAND HOW his dog thinks and reacts to various stimuli. No amount of IQ (or JE) work will, by itself, get them where they need to go. This is an issue that needs development outside the ED tunnel, as well as within it, using very specific action / reward training.