Nose Work, Huntersville, NC
The Scent-Detection SportWe offer nose work programs that encourage your dog’s sense of smell in Huntersville.
Every dog sees with their nose first. That’s why it seems like they can find anything dead or smelly before it even crosses your mind! At Dogs By Andy K-9 Services, we believe dogs should have the opportunity to use their noses as they were intended, so we offer nose work programs that encourage your dog’s sense of smell in Huntersville, North Carolina.
There are a few different reasons your dog may enjoy nose work at our training facility.
- For Work – Whether your canine is a working dog that sniffs out drugs or saves lives in the line of duty, it is important to emphasize nose work early on in their training career. If you have a specific breed that is well-suited for nose work as their line of work, we’ll be happy to assist you in achieving this goal.
- For Play – Many types of hounds and other breeds love to use their noses just for fun! You can challenge your dog to find hidden scents and give them a “job” when you are around the house. You’ll love watching your dog sniff out the answer, and he or she will love the game.
Nose work for a dog is second nature, and it is important to allow them to utilize this skill. If you have questions about how your dog can improve their nose skills, give us a call at Dogs By Andy K-9 Services today for more information. We offer a number of training programs to meet your needs, and you may find that your dog’s “scents” of smell is better than you thought!
Nose work is a recreational form of the long standing use of dogs as scent detectives. Dogs learn how to identify and search for specific odors and to find the source. Training begins with treats and other “reward” based odors. Your dog will quickly develop a keenness for the hunt and can be trained to search for almost anything, including drugs, chemicals, people, insects, mold, or even disease.
This seminar is hosted by Noel Coward, retired North Port Police Officer and owner of K-9 Consultants.
Your dog will learn to find the source of odors in different locations including boxes, containers, interior spaces, exterior spaces, and vehicles. After these techniques and the hunt drives are established, dogs can continue to work their way through complex search scenarios all the way up to the competition level in trials.
The bond between owner and dog is the most important benefits of nose work. As you develop the ability to rely on and understand your dog in specific situations, key elements of trust, communication, and direction increase will spill over into other aspects of the owner-pet relationship.
Intro to Nose Works
Dogs are introduced to the game through the use of boxes and a favorite toy or treat reward (bring a back-up toy, and plenty of treats). Handlers get to learn the most effective methods for motivating their dogs to search independently, including the power of self-rewarding, and how to reinforce the dog’s behavior at the source (hidden toy or treat).
Each dog works individually, and rests safely in his crate between turns. There should be no interaction or socialization between dogs at any time during Nose Work class. This is to ensure that every dog has the opportunity to work and gain confidence in a distraction and stress free environment.
Intro to Odor
Building upon the foundational skills from Intro to Nose Work, this class focuses on teaching the dogs to search for a special, target odor (one of three essential oils used in K9 Nose Work).
Dogs will learn to search expanded areas more effectively, and handlers will learn valuable techniques for supporting their dogs in the search.
Prerequisite: Intro to Nose Work or instructor approval.
Restrictions
Dogs must be capable of handling confinement during the class, either crated away from their handlers or in a safe, secure, well-ventilated vehicle.
Reactive dogs with a history of human aggression can benefit from the activity of K9 Nose Work, too, but it should be enjoyed in a safe, secure environment, in the presence of people the dog is familiar with (at home with family members, with a private instructor). The group class setting and competition events may be too stressful and unmanageable for your dog and may place him and other people who participate in the activity and sport of K9 Nose Work at risk. If you’re planning to join a group class or attend a competition event, contact the class instructor or the event host first so that he/she can advise you on what is best for your dog.
At Dogs By Andy K-9 Services, we provide nose work training for dogs in the Huntersville, Mooresville, Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia, Greensboro, and North Carolina area, including Myers Park, Weddington, Ballantyne, and SouthPark.
Apply for Nose Work
Call or email Dogs By Andy K-9 Services to enroll in one of our K9 Nose Works classes.