I’m excited to be able to offer scent work as part of Fresh Start Dog Training as a qualified UK Sniffer Dogs Bronze Instructor.
If you’ve never tried scent work before, it’s one of the most enjoyable things you can do with your dog. It taps into what dogs do naturally by using their incredible sense of smell to search for and locate a target scent.
Together, we’ll teach your dog to confidently search for a target scent and, just as importantly, show you when they’ve found it by giving a clear indication. It’s fascinating to watch your dog’s nose at work and it’s a brilliant way of building teamwork between you and your dog.
It is suitable for almost every dog, whatever their breed, age or experience. Whether your dog is full of energy, lacks confidence, needs more mental stimulation or you simply fancy trying something new together, scent work has something to offer.
I’ll guide you through every step, from introducing the target scent, to building confident searches, teaching a reliable indication and progressing onto more challenging searches as your dog’s skills develop.
One of the things I love most about scent work is that it’s something you can continue at home. Once you’ve learned the foundations, it’s relatively inexpensive to practise, easy to set up, and there are endless ways to keep your dog challenged.
Using their nose is also one of the most mentally demanding activities a dog can do. A good scent work session can be incredibly tiring, often leaving dogs happily settled afterwards without the need for lots of physical exercise.
For reactive dogs, scent work can be particularly beneficial. It gives them an outlet for their natural instincts in a calm, low-arousal way, allowing them to use their brains, build confidence and satisfy those working instincts without becoming overexcited.
I currently offer:
- Detection Dogs Series 1 – a 4-hour introduction workshop.
- Detection Dogs Series 2 – a 4-hour follow-up workshop.
- A 6-week Scent Work class, where you and your dog can build your skills week by week in a fun and supportive environment.
- One-to-one scent work training tailored to you and your dog’s individual needs.
