Scent Work
Introduction to Scentwork
Scentwork also known as nosework or scent detection ‘this is a window into your puppy’s/dog’s world.’ It’s not about obedience and competition, it’s about being together, having fun and importantly your own journeys.
Did you know? Your dog ‘sees’ in scent, they know your special smell, if you are unwell, if you have been petting another dog and of course where you hid the biscuits. That nose will point the way.
By using their extraordinary superpower their sense of smell, they are gathering all the information around them through their nose and use it to determine everything and make sense of it all.
Wow is right! No wonder they sleep well after a good session of sniffing. It’s tiring work.
Scentwork is stimulating and rewarding for both you and your dog, which builds on your relationship, trust, focus, listening skills, your dog’s confidence while improving your teamwork through fun activities that don’t have to cost a fortune.
The best part is that this is low impact, high rewarding and suitable for all, types of dogs, all ages of pups, dogs and their humans.
Scent work uses activities allowing your dog to find/locate a chosen odour or item. How exciting right? Just watch your dog go!
You can have fun in the home, your garden, out on a walk and for those who get the bug try competing.
Always remember that your dog’s nose is sensitive and tender, which we need to take care of.
Though not every dog is a sniffy dog, what really you say, not sniffy! Nore, do they take to every scent. They will have their favourites.
What can you find: -
🐾 Various scents like rabbit, duck, Kong, gun oil
🐾 Toys
🐾 Items - for example a scent hidden in a fake can, keys, money
🐾 People of course!
What can you search: -
🐾 Containers, plumbing, yes really plumbing items
🐾 Backpacks
🐾 Clothing
🐾 Fencing
🐾 Cars, rooms, stables, sheds
🐾 Logs, plant pots
What scents can you use in your scent library: - Just a few
🐾 Aniseed
🐾 Birch oil
🐾 Catnip
🐾 Unwashed, used clothing
🐾 Clove (whole)
🐾 Ginger
🐾 Gun oil
🐾 Liquid scents – deer, duck etc.
Basic Equipment: -
🐾 Clean empty pots they can put their noses into
🐾 Clean empty sample pots/small jars
🐾 Clean empty jam jars/Kilner jars
🐾 ‘Target’ scent
🐾 Disposable gloves
🐾 Cotton wool/pads, tips
🐾 Plastic/Tupperware containers
🐾 Harness & long line
Skills to learn – Indication, how to introduce scents, basic searches and retrieves.
Indication
We need your dog to ‘indicate’ let you know that they have found the target scent or item.
There are two types: Active and Passive
Start observing your dog, what are they naturally offering you?
- Active – this can be barking, pawing, scratching. Barking is a common indication when search for people for example.
- Passive – these can be sits/downs/freezes and nose touches. The idea is that the dogs ‘stays’ with the located scent i.e. hidden Kong pieces until they are released.
When indicating we need to teach positions of Higher, high, low and floor.
Higher – your dog would be paws up on say a fence
High – your dog’s nose height, or a pot held level with your knees
Low – hold the pot a bit lower, or put it on a low stool
Floor – put a pot in a box flat on the floor, hold the pot between your feet
Introduce a new scent
- Play ‘Choosies’ – hold a treat in your hand behind your back, when your dog is sitting in front of you offer them your hand and an opportunity to ‘choose’ one. Repeat several times so they are excited to play choosies. When they constantly get the correct hand, move to step 2
- Introduce your pots – this time instead of using a treat you will hold a pot in each hand. One pot will be ‘live’ (containing a scent) the other will be a ‘Dummy’ empty one. OR Hot and Cold
- Repeat several times
Basic search
- Start with food/strong smelling treat in a plastic tub with holes in the lid. Place the tub on the floor and let your dog have a good sniff
- Have several more empty containers with holes in as dummies. Place One tub on the floor near the ‘live’ one letting your dog have a good sniff
- Starting by adding further tubs in a line approx. ½ meters apart. Walk your dog along the line letting the search for the scent. Mark and reward when they have located it. Have a party, lots of play!
Retrieve
Will your dog bring you back toys and items and give them up to you?
As you progress, scented items are hidden on a course, in another object or in a car or building for them to find and bring back to you.
Let’s get sniffing!
Useful sites: -
Scentwork UK https://scentworkuk.com
Scentdog https://scentdog.co.uk
Nosework Games https://noseworkgames.org