One year ago this week, Bailie and I started our nose work adventure. Hard to believe how far we’ve come in one year! This photo was taken at our very first class. We were both clueless as to what we would be learning to do, and so was Mom. With a good year under our furs, we have the goal of getting some titles this year. Bailie and I are both on the first level of competition and hope to have our NW1 titles at some point this year. There are also element specialty trials we can title in and we will be working on those as well. Each of the four elements has their own title. The element competition is a bit different from the complete NW1 title as you can try for just one, two, three or all four elements and title in each one individually. I also hope to complete my ORT for clove, and Bailie wants to get her anise and clove done. It looks like we will be getting started with competition sometime between March and May if we can get spots. There are almost always more dogs than spots, but we will try until we get in.
Homework is a big part of nose work. We work on our homework 2-3 days a week plus one class a week. Nose work is an indoor/outdoor sport and is also done outside in the winter. It is important to practice outside as odor behaves differently in below freezing temperatures and snow. The photo above is a search I did the other day of a bike rack. The metal container with odor was in the middle by the arrow, with the scent openings pointing to the ground. Odor doesn’t travel much at all in the cold, so it took me a little bit to find it. The top row, left to right, is my search, the big photo is my alert signal to Mom.
Bailie did a search of an entry way at the school we were practicing at. It is a good place to go on the weekends as there are tons of places to search and no one is around to bother us. The hide is up high, but she did pick up the odor on the ground and in some of the crevices it traveled through. Odor seems to travel along metal pretty well in the cold.
This next search is a real hard one for dogs because trash cans are full of smells. This particular one was half full with food wrappers. We have to learn to distinguish between the odor we “get paid for” and odors we happen to like. Sometimes we use distractions like open cans of cat food, fast food, and other tasty things. We are pretty good about sniffing and moving on, but it is tough. Mom left the hide out on the trash can for about fifteen minutes before I started my search, so the odor did travel some. The arrow shows the hide location. I’m off on my search.
I continue on around the lower, exterior of the trash bin.
Odor seems to be coming more from above somewhere, so I hop up to check it out.
I realize it is not where I was, so I go back to the other side to continue my search.
At this point, I’m starting to narrow it down to where the strongest point of the odor is located which should be the hide.
Sometimes being a taller dog would sure come in handy, but I’m fine with hopping up to sniff. Boy, lots of good smells here!
I think I finally have it nailed down here in the back corner!
Alert, Mom!
Bailie and I each did four searches that day with a total of nine hides. When we finish, we always need a good nap as all the mental work tires us out, but we love it. Nose work is such a fun sport! I’m so happy Mom got me into it! I recommend it for all my friends, but I really suggest you take a class on it if you can. We will continue to take classes as long as we do nose work as there is always something new to learn, it is not as simple as it looks, and classes are fun. A class will get you and your dog off on the right paw with a lot of important things you should know even if you are only going to search “just for fun”.
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You guys are something special. I hope you get you spots because I know you will pass everything.
We are really hoping to get some good titles, I know I can do it. Bailie can if she puts her nose to it, but sometimes she isn’t as into it as I am. She will be working on tracking titles too which she excels at.
Nose work looks like so much fun!!
You should see how excited I get about it. All the humans laugh at me because I can barely wait for me turn without exploding.
it is something you were meant to do – there is a reason you are called French Scent Hounds π
This is true and proof dogs with “jobs” are really happy. I could do nose work 24/7/265 if someone would set up the hides for me!
when you are working where is Bailie? so interesting!
At home we are kenneled when we do nose work, when we are out and about, we are in the car when we are not working. I keep telling Mom to just forget Bailie and work with me as I love it so very much, but she insists we both participate, so I have to let Bailie have a turn too.
Wow – this is great! I lub learning about your nose work – it looks like fun!
Thank you! Mom is still totally fascinated after a year. Every class she finds out new stuff about odor and how we work. It is a wonderful sport.
You two sure are getting good at that nose work.
Millie & Walter
We work hard at it and are improving. Can’t wait to get some titles under my fur.
Looks like a great way to stay busy- you two look like you’re seasoned pros! π
I could search all day every day, but our practice sessions don’t last all that long because we keep finding the hides which is what we are supposed to do.
We started noseworks about a year ago, too! It is a lot of fun and it’s a great game to play when we’re stuck inside.
We just love it. Inside gets tough with letting things age and keeping us away from the area. We do a lot of practicing with exterior, vehicle and exterior container searches as the variety is better.
WOW! You must have one heck of a good nose to sniff something out of a trash bin!
α¦ husky hugz α¦ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
The way the teacher explained it to humans is it is like going into a flower store to buy roses. You walk in and are overwhelmed with all the flower smells, but with some time, you start to smell only the roses because that is what your brain is looking for. We do the same with our three odors. We sort out everything else and focus on birch, anise, and clove and then figure out where the strongest odor is which is the hide.
Great job. That trash can hide could not have been easy.
Those hides are tough because of all the odors, and it is also hard for the human to trust us finding something there if it is hidden as humans want to think we are alerting to an old sandwich or something in the trash. We work a lot with trash bins, dumpsters, picnic areas and stuff like that.
Wow, what a fun training program to be involved in! That looks challenging and exciting at the same time. Great work!
Grr and Woof,
Sarge, Police Commish
We really work and it really wears us out, but we have so much fun searching!
Thanks for the report on your progress Emma. I can see how both of you have gotten better and better over the course of the year – some of those hides are pretty tricky. Good work!
Mom tries to be tricky, but at school they can really be tricky. Sometimes they are inside a door stopper, or behind an electrical outlet plate (only when electric is off), places one would never think of, but Mom has to trust our noses and us.
Emma, you and Bailie are just pawsome! The trash can must have been a hard find. Love seeing the pictures of you both at work. Especially you, Emma, have so much concentration I can see the furrow between your eyes. Whether it is to get titles or just fur fun we scent hounds were made for this kind of “work.” XOXO Sparkle the PBGV
Bailie has fun, but she doesn’t take it real seriously, she is more serious about tracking. I simply adore nose work and I concentrate so hard to find the hides. I love it and do pretty well.
You two are getting so good at the nose-work! We are completely impressed with your progress and sure hope you get in to the next class!
Happy Friday!
Oz
We will enter and hope we get in, and if not, we will keep entering until we get a spot. Nose work is so much fun and we really want to get some titles at this point.
This is really impressive! Way to go!!
Thank you. We love it.
What a fantastic activity to do with your dog, and Bailie certainly has a nose for news – he’s so accomplished! I never thought about how the freezing cold effects odors and the ability to track them.
There are so many factors that effect odor and where it travels and how it travels. Mom is constantly learning.
Dang, time sure flies when you’re sniffin’ fun!
It does fly by way too fast. I wish my searches lasted longer, but I find the hides and that is it.
Scents can run but they can’t hide!
You are right about that. I love it! We will sniff them out wherever they are!
Looks like you guys are nose experts! Nice job! Good luck with your titles!
We are far from experts, so much to learn and practice, but we are working hard and enjoying it.
Neat! There is a new course being offered in our town for scent detection, Were busy when its on but It would be so much fun to try!
It is a lot of fun for any dog, but for scent hounds it is what they were bred to do, so it is really fun to see.
Wow. Being able to find a scent on a trashcan is really impressive! Good job!
It is a tough place for a hide, but also a common place in trials, so we work with trash a lot.
Awesome pawsome! Your photos look intriguing & really make me want to start our K9s Nosework Class. We’ll have to wait a little while longer, but come Spring we’ll be ready to go!
Yay! You will love it! Just remember it doesn’t happen overnight and is a constant learning experience for you, your dog, and you both as a team. Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
You did great, Emma! I wondered if you worked outside in the cold or not. I’m looking forward to following along on both of your quests for titles. Reading this really gets me excited to do more of it with Luke.
It will be great for you and Luke. I really hope you can attend a class, though, because there is so much more than just sniffing out a treat, there is how to read the dog, your body language, how to properly help your dog, where to stand, how to move, so much that will make it so much better even if you do it just for fun.
I loved this post! Nose work is so interesting. At one point I wanted to do SAR work. something always kept getting int he way, though. Not enough time, too many other things to do. I can’t wait to hear how you guys do competing! So exciting! Congratulations on completing your first year!
Originally Mom wanted to do SAR too, but it is a really huge commitment. Nose work is something you can do until a dog is really on his last breath, and even humans can do it until they can’t walk anymore. Tracking is super fun too, but better for agile dogs and humans. Bailie and Mom love that too but it is much more physical. We can’t wait to compete some more!
Hi Y’all!
Oh that does sound like so much fun. Think they’d give me some duck or goose scent? I’m good at finding stuff when my Human directs me to it, but I bet it would be fun looking for a duck or goose scent!
Y’all come on by,
Hawk aka BrownDog
You can train for any scent you want, really, but for competition birch, anise, and clove are the only three we search for. You could learn to search for them easily too.
So impressive Emma and Bailie! Mom had wanted to take a class but it looks like it would take way too much time and patience to we’ll probably not be doing it. But it sure is great to follow you too doing it! Love Dolly
I’ve been waiting to hear about your class. Bummer. If you want to do it just for fun you don’t need to practice as much. You really should take at least one class to see if you like it or not, because you would love it, I know it.
So proud of you – wtg on all you do with the dogs. Dex’s bro is into scent work π
We are excited to get some titles under our fur for all our hard work! That’s cool that Dex’s bro is into scent work. I bet he loves it too.
We are all so proud of you three! Yay! Bailie, and Emma for being super sniffers and Mom for doing all the homework with y’all! XXOO Bentley
We are students that beg to do homework…go figure!
Those pictures were such a good demonstration of nose work. Honey found it especially hard to find hides that were above her head level. So you are both superstars.
At our level, level 1, they can be as high at four feet, so we have to work at it. Funny thing is, we often miss the ones on the ground!
How interesting! I have never heard of this dog sport before, despite being heavily involved in dog sports in Arizona! Very cool!
It hasn’t been around for very long, started on the east and west coasts and is moving towards the midwest. Look up NACSW to see where it might be offered near you. We just love it and the best part about it is it is for dogs and owners of all ages, and it is especially geared towards reactive dogs as there is no dog interaction at class or competition. A great sport!
Being taller would be easier but what can you do? I regularly hide things above Mr. N’s head so that he’s used to searching upwards.
Mom has to watch herself as she tends to do lots of hides up high, and then we forget to search down low!
You guys are so talented! I know I’ve said this before, but I can’t wait to move to an area that offers nose work.
We have a Newfie in our class, he is really good but hilarious! He is so big which is funny in small space searches and he is so strong, he is always smashing boxes and stuff. Hope you guys can try it some day.
One year already, good for your girls sticking with it, I love reading about your adventures in nose work.
It kind of seems like we have been doing it forever, but then again we feel like newbies. We’re definitely looking forward to this year and competing a bit.
Happy One Year Nose Work Anniversary!!! I remember with you all first started! My favorite picture is Emma with the line of all the same shipping boxes! Can’t wait to see how you all do this next year!!! π
We have that shipping box set up in the basement. I need to pass my clove ORT and Bailie her anise and clove, so we have to keep practicing those boxes until we sign up for a test and pass.
Awesome job, it’s really cool that you went out and did something like that; Bailie is really impressive!
We are always out searching places. Some people probably find us odd, but we don’t care, it is fun.
Congrats on your anniversary… This is something we’ve always wanted to try, unfortunately classes are 2 hours away. Good luck on getting your titles soon π
We are lucky to have ours only half an hour away. I would think out in CA you could find some closer as that is where the NACSW is stationed. I know you all have trials all the time which makes us jealous!
It’s awesome how much you both learned this year! Doing your homework makes all the difference, doesn’t it, along with a weekly class! Good luck in 2015!
Practice makes perfect!
Thank you for giving us a ‘sniff’ as to what it’s all about!
You are welcome.
Wow, that is so neat. I didn’t realize how much goes into nose work, but it makes sense. π
When we started we thought it was just a simple thing, but there is sooo much to learn. It is challenging for both humans and dogs but we sure love it!
You guys are sooo inspiring! Keep up the good work!
Thank you.
Good job Emma. When the brown dawgs are out hunting, they always like it when it is cold because the scent stays in one spot as you say. Of course they like a bit of wind too. π I hope you are able to enter all the tests that you want to. We have that problem with hunt tests. More dogs than spots. It starts to get old after awhile.
It is frustrating. So far we have been lucky, but we think it will be harder to get in this year.
Emma, we are so proud of you and Bailie. We’ve been reading about your nose work progress and look forward to this year and all your accomplishments.
Thank you. Right now the hardest part is getting spots for tests in nose work and tracking, but we will find a way!