NW425 Mastering Scent Puzzles

Nose work is a series of puzzles our dogs must navigate and work to locate source. The more puzzles and setups that our dogs can be exposed to and learn to work efficiently, the more prepared they will be for real world and competition searching. Dogs pull from memory and use that information when working each search.

Course Details

There will be 3-4 exercises released each week and one bonus exercise each week with theme of expect the unexpected of the handler or environment.

Most exercises have more than one skill level so it is also a class that can be repeated as your dog increases in skill level.

Teaching Approach

Lectures will be released at the beginning of each week so you can plan your week based on homework and reading assignments. There will be minimal lectures with key concepts and homework is not assigned on the concept lectures. Lectures with exercises will include a written portion, example videos, and homework. Many of the exercises will have progression and variations of the subject exercise. The exercises will vary week to week, while some will build on others, they are mostly stand alone exercises. If you have questions in regard to content or requirements, please contact me via the instructor link.

This class will have a Teaching Assistant (TA) available in the Facebook discussion goup to help the Bronze and Silver students! Directions for joining can be found in the classroom after you register.

Syllabus

Aging

Corners, Corners, Corners

Crack

Deep Accessible

Drop and catch

On the fence

Sitting on the job

Just grass

I’ve been treed

Not here!

Container puzzles

Can ya find me now?

Slippery

Suspense

Table and chairs

In or out?

2 chairs

Amaze Me

Point to point

Bonus: Handler direction

Bonus: Act Weird!

Bonus: Add a noise

Bonus: Carry something

Bonus: Make the known novel

Bonus: Are you Serious?!?

Prerequisites & Supplies

Equipment required:

Normal nose work supplies including interior and exterior areas to work

Teaball and clip

Cold tins

Fan

Newspaper or tissue paper

Xpen or something similar

Chairs

Cups and rope to hang for suspense

Optional:

Plastic shoe boxes (3-12)

Tote Bags for suspense

Tarps or sheets to make the known novel

Sample Lecture

Slippery surface

Slippery surfaces do not allow the odor to adhere around the hide and can provide many different learning opportunities. The odor can drop and pool on the ground requiring the dog to work odor up to source. Depending on air movement, the odor can be picked up and carried through the air and catch on something in the distance which requires the dog to work the odor through the air, sometimes all the way across the room. Hides can be placed vertical or horizontal to provide different puzzles. Slippery surfaces are mostly slick metal or plastic, wood with a shiny surface, or round table legs as there is not much area around the hide for the odor to catch or higher hides placed horizontal so the odor is falling.

Here are a few different ideas with increases in challenge. You do not have to use a banister or bleachers, any object that will set up similar challenge of a slippery item. This just shows a progression that can be done with any object.

Easy banister: Place a hide on a metal banister, set the start line so the dog is downwind of the hide and banister is the focus of the search. This should be aged 30-45 minutes

Banister increase challenge: Place the hide on a metal banister and set the start line so the dog is upwind of the hide. The banister should be the focus of the search. This should be aged 30-45 minutes

Banister advanced: Place a hide on a banister and set the start line a distance away so the banister is only an object in the search area. This should be aged 30-45 minutes

(this search was not done on the same day as the above 2 searches)

Bleachers: place the hide horizontal on the back side of the bleachers so the odor is being dropped and moved onto the seats of the bleachers. If you have a smaller dog, you can place the hide on the end of one of the benches at least high enough for the air to move the odor. The difficulty can be slowly increased just like the banisters. (1) start the dog downwind of the hide and close to the bleachers (2) start the dog upwind of the hide and close to the bleachers. Then move to the bleachers just being in the search area.

Higher hide pooling on an object across the area: Place a hide a little above nose height, horizontally, with objects around for the odor to pool. The level of difficulty can be increased if there are lots of nooks and crannies for the odor to adhere OR the distance of objects from the hide. Start with one challenge and only increase one criteria at a time.

Homework: Find an object that will provide a slippery surface and work through the progression.

If you have not worked many (or any) of these, use something easy like a table leg or chair leg and do not put much above nose height to start. Let it age and see how your dog handles it. You can also use a flag pole or something similar outside.

Try a horizontal hide that your dog can lift their head and touch with their nose.

If your dog does well with these, find an object to work through the progression as outlined above. They do not have to be done on the same day, in fact, depending on your dog’s experience level, you may not want to progress that quickly in one session.

Happy Searching!

Instructors

Melissa Chandler

Melissa Chandler (she/her) lives in Ohio and is owned by her Weimaraner and Vizsla. Melissa has been addicted to dog sports since starting in 4H and AKC Jr. Showmanship. She has competed in conformation, agility, obedience, hunt tests, nose work, and rally. She has also...

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