Scent Training for Dogs
Get in touch for details!
Our Scent Work Classes
Dogs learn about the world through their noses, our scent work classes give them a fantastic opportunity to put their noses to work. It is mentally stimulating and one of the best forms of enrichment for your dog.
The power of your dogs nose
The part of the brain dedicated to smell, is 40 times larger than a human. Olfactory (the sense of smell) exploration is how your dog learns and gathers information about their environment, on a daily basis.
When your dog inhales, roughly 12% of that inhalation is directed into their olfactory system, where it’s processed and analysed. Pretty clever!
On the side of your dogs nose are slits, this is where the air they exhale escapes, this exhalation encourages an influx of new air and in turn new scents.
Why is scent work good for dogs?
The mental stimulation and focus your dogs enjoy in class builds confidence and strengthens their bonds with you. Scent work taps into the seeking part of the brain which releases dopamine. Seeking makes your dog feel AMAZING! Scent work classes help you and your dog work as a team, it’s a fun activity to do with them and an impressive skillset to have.
Scent work is suitable for all breeds and ages, as there is no stress on the dogs joints, and instead it emphasises mental stimulation and enrichment. Sniffing lowers the heart rate and arousal levels, calming even the most energetic of dogs.
How can I start scent work classes with my dog?
Beginners classes cost £90 for the four week course.
Within this course, you will learn:
- Find it cue
- Dogs learn to detect a particular scent
- Searching for scent in different environment
- Dogs learn how to search a vehicle for a particular scent
- Owners will learn specific handling skills and commands used in scent work
Nose work games to try at home
You can progress to competitive level, participating in external trials, or you can enjoy more casual, fun trials which my courses will have prepared you for.
There are lots of simple nose work games you can play with your dog at home, even if you are not taking scent work classes. Here are two of them:
- Scatter feeding your dogs food – throw a small handful of food or treats onto the ground, this is a brilliant way to get your dogs nose working, they have to find the food using their sense of smell which is time effective way of tiring your dog out and mentally stimulating them. This far more enriching than just bowl feeding your dog.
- Cardboard boxes, egg boxes and toilet roll tubes – these are a great tool you can find around the house to enrich your dog, this works by hiding food inside scrunched up paper and then putting it into a cardboard box, egg box or a toilet roll tube. This allows the dog to use their sense of smell to find their food and work to get it out of where it has been hidden.
My working Cocker ‘Bailey’ and I have thoroughly enjoyed the 6 week scent work training course. Claire has help me to improved my understanding of communicating with Bailey and encouraging him to work problems out himself, rather than always looking for my command. He has also helped the other (rescue) dogs in the group to relax, a totally unexpected benefit for all. Highly recommended for your pet and yourself!
Scent Work Training Course
Hands on training for both you and your dog. Learn what your dog is telling you in real life scenarios and how you can work together to solve specific requests. Highly enjoyable and rewarding.
Get In Touch
- 07513 909330
- claire@positivedogtrainingacademy.co.uk
- Address:
52 Pixham Lane,
Dorking,
Surrey,
RH4 1PL.