I've been apprenticing in dog training and behavior so it was another layer to dig into. I had the great pleasure of attending a K9 Nose Work Workshop in Canton, GA. I really didn't have high expectations since it was all foreign to me.
The trainers of this workshop were 2 of the founders. The information provided was amazing. This great game was developed to give pet dogs something fun to do with their noses. It comes from folks with a background in detection as well as search and rescue. The game is simple, easy on the owner and very fun for the dog.
The key points that stood out to me were:
a. ANY dog can do it. This includes any age, breed, size and even reactive dogs!
b. The handler does very little. They are to observe the dogs behavior when they are scenting noting what they do and how they do it.
c. ALL dogs already know how to do it for the most part. It's just a matter of turning their nose on full blast and letting them do what they were born with.
There is very little start up cost after you learn the basics. All you need is 5 - 7 boxes, a high value reward like treats or a favorite toy and you are good to go.
My goal in this blog is to explain what I've learned, share video and track the progress of my own dogs skills. At this point I have practiced a few times with all 5 of my Rat Terriers and they LOVE it.
I hope this encourages other to do fun games like this with your dog(s).
