SCENT WORK – A SPORT FOR As only one dog is trialled at a time, scent work is an ideal sport for dogs who are reactive, timid, or naturally aloof. As the activity itself requires a great deal of mental energy, scent work is a great sport to reduce behavioural problems in dogs that are due to a lack of stimulation. Scent work may be trained at home, on the road, at group classes, or any combination of methods. There are a multitude of online classes or teaching DVDs and a number of online sources for scent work kits for those who wish to train individually or who cannot attend in-person training.
HUNGARIAN VIZSLA ‘VANDOR’ LETTING HIS HANDLER KNOW HE’S FOUND SOMETHING.
Canine scent work is a fun and mentally stimulating sport that allows dogs the opportunity to use their powerful and natural sense of smell in a way that is positive, challenging and builds and strengthens the trust between the handler and dog. The sport evolved thanks to a small group of narcotics and explosive detection dog trainers who were convinced that companion dogs would also benefit from the mental and physical stimulation provided by using their sense of smell in a directed manner, and be rewarded for it! This is a sport that is great for dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages, from six months through to the much older dogs. Scent work builds confidence and helps dogs burn off mental and physical energy. It is an ideal activity for those with limited time, energy or space to train their dog. It is also less physically demanding for the dog and handler, relatively inexpensive, and doesn’t require a great deal of equipment.
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DOG WORLD June 2020
Dogs are trained to recognise specific “target” odours and to alert their handlers when the target odours are detected. A very small amount of the a target odour is placed on a cotton swab, and the dog is rewarded for sniffing out and positively identifying the location of the target. As training progresses, the target is placed in progressively more difficult and challenging locations for the dog to find, including against the backdrop of other odours and distractions. While dogs learn to play the detection game, handlers learn to very closely observe the behaviour of their dog so that they can identify when their dog has found or “indicated” the odour.
KAREN AND DAISY (STAFFY X).
