Introduction to Scent Work Course

Does your dog love to sniff? Are you looking for a way to work them out mentally and physically with an activity that is still easy for you to do and fit into your busy schedule? Do you need something to help build your dog's confidence or curb unwanted behaviors stemming from boredom? Great! Then the Introduction to Scent Work course is for you!

COURSE DETAILS

In this 6-week online course, we will be covering the basic concepts of Scent Work as an activity, how to get started, what foundation skills are crucial for a team to succeed in the sport all while instilling ways to ensure the game remains fun for all involved. Throughout this course, we will be utilizing the K9 Nose Work® training methodology, where we use treats, otherwise known as primary, to introduce the dog to the concept of the game. Using this approach works for a large swath of dogs, and handlers, and can ensure the activity remains fun and engaging. Not only will this ensure a foundation to help your dog succeed in NACSW™ trials, it will also be beneficial when competing in other Scent Work competition organizations as well.

LENGTH

6 weeks

INSTRUCTOR

Dianna L. Santos

SHOULD I TAKE THIS COURSE

Do you have a dog who needs job? If your dog is bouncing off the walls and no amount of fetch does the trick, than this course can be they what you were looking for! Work them out mentally, let them do some problem solving without breaking the bank or needing another 40 hours added to the week!

Do you have a dog that has retired from another dog sport? Perhaps you and your dog loved agility, but now they are getting up in years and arthritis is starting to kick in. Scent Work is a perfect choice to continue honing the relationship you built over all these years, and still allowing your dog to be a star.

Are you interested in competing? A solid foundation is key. Whether you want to compete in a NACSW™ trial down the road, or with AKC, UKC, USCSS, PSD, C-WAGS or SDDA, the principles covered in this course will get you started right!

Are you already competing, but have noticed a drop-off in your dog's enthusiasm? This course can help reignite your dog's love for the game, and fill in holes that may exist in their foundation understanding

Do you have a shy or fearful dog? Scent Work can help build your dog's overall confidence, which can help improve their behavior overall. You will be amazed at the transformation this activity can cause!

Do you have a reactive dog? Scent Work is used in behavior modification programs to give dogs a proper outlet, to allow them to tap into an innate instinct, use their brains and provide physical stimulation. All of that to say, Scent Work can help improve the quality of your reactive dog's life and improve their overall behavior.

Do you just want to do something fun with your dog? Scent Work is where it is at! Easy. Fun. Engaging. Simple. No burdensome or heavy equipment to buy. No need to stress about the amount of time it takes. 5-15 minutes a day, two or three times a week. That's it.

WHAT WILL YOU NEED FOR THIS COURSE

• your dog
• collar (flat or martingale)
• harness (back-clip) (optional)
• leash (6'-8')
• long line (10'-15')
• treats (high-value and smelly)
• crate or area dog can wait while you set-up your searches
• boxes (minimum of 10 boxes of various sizes) (good excuse to shop at Amazon!)
• plastic lid (from a yogurt or similar container)
• earthquake putty or GlueDots

COURSE OUTLINE

The Introduction to Scent Work course is designed to provide the same exact learning experience we provided to our in-person group dog training classes in a virtual format. Same great quality with more flexibility and convenience!

Here is a quick breakdown of the types of topics that will be covered each week:

• Getting Stated in Scent Work
• Assessing and Building Confidence
• Introducing Elevated Hides
• Broadening the Search
• Introducing Interior Searches
• Putting It All Together

WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO OFFER THIS COURSE

Scent Work University is fortunate to have Dianna grant us license to feature her courses, seminars and webinars on our online dog training platform. All of the content in this offering is created by, owned by, and the rights to the content, are reserved to Dianna L. Santos.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING

"The exercises were very good and the emphasis on making sure that the dog was enjoying the activity was great.  Thank you very much!" - Julie W.

"lessons broken down into easily digestible info
clear learning goals
exercises easy to follow
dog & human set up for success :)" Alex M.

"All of it.  I loved how you broke down assignments by week, I loved the print outs, I loved the teaching videos (you have a great voice) and I loved your videos with the dog working the exercises.  Well done!" Shelley K.

"My goal at the time of enrolling in the course was to increase the confidence in my little dog Siena and I thought that sniffing and searching could be a fun way for her because she enjoys this kind of activities (hide and search, find it etc.) Clearly I was not wrong, we learned how to increase confidence and exploration;  I’ve learned to read my little Siena better. The course is very well explained and the videos great! I loved the course!" Ivonne A.

"The content was of great quality, the progression of exercises felt just right in terms of increasing challenge, and the feedback Dianna gave was super insightful.  I also appreciate her flexibility with timing...The ability to participate online was fantastic.  I live in a remote location within the U.S., so in-person training (especially for dog sports) is hard to come by. The course materials and the way they were organized made it easy and enjoyable to work through the course.  Dianna's encouraging and insightful feedback was motivating and very helpful." Teresa W.