• Nose Work •

Level I: Nose Work Games

Upcoming Classes:

-- Begins Monday, March 19th at 7:30 p.m. (Ends 4/23) Register!

-- Begins Tuesday, February 28th at 7:30 p.m. (Ends March 27th) FULL

Continuing classes:

-- Monday, February 6th at 7:30 p.m. (Ends March 12th)

More Info about Level I


Level II: Intro to Odor

Tuesday, January 10th at 7:30 p.m. (Ends Feb. 21st. No class Feb. 14) Register!

More Info about Level II

Level III: Advanced Odor

Begins Monday, December 12th at 7:30 p.m. (Ends Jan. 30th. No class on Dec. 26th and Jan. 2nd)

More Info about Level III

The Nose Knows!

Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to sniff, search and hunt. The sport of K9 Nose Work is designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise. It’s a great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy. In this class we take your dog’s instinctual skill and teach them to use it to play games with their noses!

Your dog's nose is about 100 times more sensitive than your own. A dog can detect 1 teaspoon of sugar in the water it would take to fill two Olympic sized swimming pools. Your dog is built to sniff. And what happens in your dog's brain may be even more important. It's here that dogs are able to discriminate between smells and components of smells, which can be further enhanced through training.

This is a sport suitable for just about any dog!

Just about any person and any dog can do Nose Work! The art and practice of nose work is open to dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages, even young puppies and older, senior dogs. It has made basic search dog skills available to companion dogs, creating a new sport arena for dog enthusiasts. Not only has it proven to be a great activity for all types of dogs, but it is one of the most accessible activities for the widest variety of dog handlers regardless of previous training experience. No previous obedience work is required.

This is a great outlet for reactive dogs - dogs who don't usually do well in a traditional obedience class because of the close proximity to other dogs. Each Nose Work search is done without any other dogs present. As long as the dog isn't aggressive toward humans (and not a resource guarder), he's probably a good candidate for Nose Work Games.

Nose Work may be started with young puppies (12 weeks and older). Puppies are the best instructors – expose them and watch them, they are all natural. It is also appropriate for dogs of all ages including older dogs and those whose physical health prevents them from doing more rigorous sports such as agility.

Why Do Nose Work?

• Provides mental and physical energy burn

• Builds relationship between handler and dog

• Confidence builder for the dog

• Any human can teach it to their dogs.

• Any dog with a nose can learn it.

• NO prerequisites except dog must have a nose!

• The most amazing enrichment for your dog.

• Dogs LOVE to do this.

• You can do this work anywhere in any weather.

• Dogs get very satisfied and quite tired doing Nose Work.

• It’s Fun!

More Info: Read the Nose Work article from Bark Magazine for a nice overview of the sport.

The Lucky Dog Training Class Guidelines

• One dog works at a time.

• Dog socialization is limited (crated between runs- don't forget to bring yours!).

• Searches are individualized for each dog. Dogs can search for their favorite toy or treat.

• Dog-dog interaction is not an issue, which allows dog-reactive dogs to participate. Generally, as time goes on, these dogs may become less dog-reactive.

• Crate time: Dogs rest in crates or pens when not working. This allows them to focus, reflect and relax. (You must bring a crate to class.)

• Classes are 1 hour long, the course is 6 classes.

• Class maximum: 6 dogs

PLEASE READ: Important note about crating: You must be able to provide a crate for your dog and bring it to class each week. Crates keep the dogs safe and secure between their times to search and allows them quiet time to process what they are learning. Soft sided crates are the easiest to transport. If you would like a handout on crate training, please let us know!

What is the difference between Level I, Level II, and Level III?

Level I: Nose Work Games

In this innovative class you will teach your dog to find something specific. For example, in the beginning, he will learn to find a bit of food or a toy in a cardboard box among 12-15 other boxes! Then, he will search for the scent of the toy/treat among household items, increasing difficulty as we go and as your dog's confidence builds. Some ways we make the finds more challenging include closing the flaps on the boxes, turning them upside down, hiding the box or household item inside of other items, and raise the elevation. Later the search is taken outdoors for a new experience for your dog.

Prerequisite for Level I: Nose Work Games : None. Open to all ages and breeds. No prior training is necessary. Dog must be people-friendly and not a resource guarder (protective of treats or toys).

Instructor: Cheryl Vanvoorhies

Course fee : $140.00

Level II: Nose Work: Intro to Odor

The dog is taught to search for a unique and precise odor (birch to begin) rather than just food. The dog learns to search for this odor and to ignore any other scents. The dog will learn to search in all kinds of environments for his primary reward, building strength in the search and having fun all the while. When odor is introduced, the dog has built confidence in searching and will have the endurance and desire to problem-solve because the hunting skill will have been built previously in Nose Work Games. In Intro to Odor the hides are made more challenging and additional environments and objects are added including an exterior vehicle search.

Prerequisite for Level II: Intro to Odor: Nose Work Games or a similar class or working seminar elsewhere. Dog must be people-friendly and not a resource guarder (protective of treats or toys).

Instructor: Cheryl Vanvoorhies

Course fee : $140.00

Level iII: Nose Work: Advanced Odor

Continuing where Level II left off, the searches become more challenging and an additional odor (anise) or two (maybe cloves) will be added.

Prerequisite for Level III: Advanced Odor: Level II: Intro to Odor or a similar class or working seminar elsewhere. Dog must be people-friendly and not a resource guarder (protective of treats or toys).

Instructor: Cheryl Vanvoorhies

Course fee : $140.00

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