Nose Work Classes

Nose Work classes are designed to develop your dog's natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise. This class is sure to be lots of fun for your dog, it will help to build your dog's confidence and also burn tons of mental and physical energy.

At Gentle Touch Pet Training we're always looking for more ways that dogs and their people can have fun. The new canine sport of nose work is loads of fun! And this sport comes with a great side benefit: better communication and a strengthening of the bond between people and their dogs.

Katie Hawkins and Teah Anders heard about this very fun, new urban sport called nose work. Back in June, Katie and Teah had a chance to attend their first seminar on the topic and from that day they were hooked! Now, traveling to LA each week for classes, we're excited about this new sport and can't wait to share it with Gentle Touch Pet Training clients.

Nose work is a brand new sport created by three trainers: Amy Herot, a professional trainer and certified detection dog handler and trainer; Jill-Marie O'Brien, CPDT-KA, an experienced trainer and certified detection dog handler; and Ron Gaunt who was a police dog trainer for 12 years and now runs a private security firm. Taking into consideration some of the beginning skills involved in K9 detection work, the founders started classes in LA in 2006 to help dogs learn to use their most significant attribute - their sense of smell!

The beginning nose work exercises are set up to motivate the dogs and encourage them to "find" a treat or toy. Of course, when they do find it, they are generously rewarded. The training begins with simple exercises where dogs search boxes for the treat or toy. Eventually, dogs start searching through different objects with different distractions and become more confident and skilled at this sport. The next step is to teach the dogs to search for specific odors such as birch or cedar. For this, handlers use small cotton swabs soaked with essential oil. Before long, dogs are searching indoors, outdoors and even vehicles. As you progress with training, dogs begin to indicate when they have found the scent and handlers learn to understand when the dog is alerting to a found scent.

One of the things we love most about this new sport is that it can work for any dog. The way the class is structured, only one dog searches at a time. This means that even fearful or reactive dogs can be successful and that they can safely and comfortably participate in these classes. In addition to the breeds that might come to mind immediately like German Shepherd Dogs, Labradors or hounds; Amy has told us stories of Shih Tzus and Pugs that are top nose work competitors! Nose work also does not require a lot of equipment or space. You can easily get started at home with just a few simple items. This sport is appropriate for the pet dog owner who just wants to have fun and give their dog more mental stimulation. For those who love to compete, dogs as young as six months can compete and there are three levels of competition (NW1, NW2, NW3).

The only prerequisite for this class is that your dog be crate trained or be able to sit quietly in your car between search exercises. For additional information on this sport you can refer to www.k9nosework.com or the National Association of Canine Scent Work www.nacsw.net.

Click HERE to see Nose Work Frequently Asked Questions.

Click HERE to learn how Nose Work can build confidence for success in the conformation ring.

INSTUCTORS: Teah Anders and Katie Hawkins

Gentle Touch Pet Training currently offers 3 classes in Nose Work:

Intro to Nose Work
This is a 6-week class where we work with the beginning nose work exercises that are set up to motivate the dogs and encourage them to "find" a treat or toy. Of course, when they do find it, they are generously rewarded. The training begins with simple exercises where dogs search boxes for the treat or toy. Eventually, dogs start searching through different objects with different distractions and different elevations and become more confident and skilled at this sport.

Intro to Nose Work 2 (Intro to Odor)
This is a 6-week class where we introduce the dogs to finding a specific odor. We begin by teaching them so search for small cotton swabs soaked with an essential oil (sweet birch to start). Before long, the dogs are searching for just the odor understanding that finding the hidden odor will unlock the key to the primary reinforcer – food or toys! Soon dogs are searching with not just boxes, they are searching through different objects with different distractions and different elevations and becoming even more confident and skilled at this sport.

Continuing Nose Work
This is an ongoing class. Clients may purchase a 6-week class card that can be used over a 12-week period. In this class, we continue teaching the dogs to search for odor. We build skills and confidence in the dog and help the handler to learn to trust their dog. Eventually, over time, dogs are doing interior, exterior and vehicle searches. Dogs will eventually be able to search for three specific odors (birch, anise, clove). Practice in this class will help prepare the dog/handler team for the Odor Recognition Test (ORT) and Nose Work Competition through the National Association of Canine Scent Work.

If you have questions or need further information, please call or write: