Farley (9 1/2 y/o IWS) had his left rear leg amputated due to OS on September 20th, 2023. Once he finished his chemotherapy and follow-up blood work in January showed a normal white count, I started him in Nosework (NW) classes

In NW, dogs learn to find various scents (birch, clove and anise) by pairing those scents with treats (hot dog bits for Farley); we usually start with treats in boxes and then scents with treats in boxes and then scents in boxes (the dog is immediately rewarded with treats when s/he finds the box with the scent). This is basically how most search dogs are initially trained using scent from their target (such as bombs, drugs, etc)

When the dog clearly understands it is searching for scents (usually introduce one scent such as birch at a time), we expand the searches to various containers (boxes, backpacks, lunchboxes, etc), indoor areas (library, office, playroom, etc), outdoor areas and vehicles (scent hidden on the outside of the vehicles)

The scents used are obtained from a central source so they are always the same; the scent is put on a short Q-tip and then in a closed (but with air holes) container which is often magnetic

NW is an ideal activity for disabled dogs; they can be handled on or off leash (obviously on lead when outdoors).

Below is a recent room search by Farley looking for scents paired with treats

Christine