It’s me, Nelson, the nose work rock star according to my family! Sunday, I did my first NACSW Nose Work Trial. You may recall I passed my Odor Recognition Tests last fall, so as soon as I turned one I could start entering trials. Mom says it is not always what you do, but how you look doing it, so I spiffed up for the drive to my trial. It was cold and snowing on and off, but Mom and I were super excited to start the Lime Green Sniffing Career.
NW1 has fifty dogs in a trial. On the drive over Mom told me Madison was number five on Saturday and it was a good number. She also said it would be a real bummer to be dog number fifty in an NW1. Guess what? Yep, I drew number fifty. Mom said it might not be soo bad, as it is just like the number five only with a zero after it. Humans say they save the best for last, so why not let it be me?
Mom was kind of cold all day but I was energized. An NW1 Trial has four searches, each search has one hide. In this trial, Exterior, Interior, and Vehicles gave us three minutes to find the hide, Containers two and a half. Being young, I get distracted easily. If I smell odor, I know exactly what to do and I go get it and tell my mom. If I don’t catch it right away, I play around until I stumble across odor. There is a lot of waiting in this sport, which is also tough when you are young, but I do pretty well.
If you want to see me in action, we put together a video of all four of my searches. Mom has a GoPro strapped to her chest. Sometimes her hands get in the way, but most of the videos are pretty good. In the first search, my exterior search you can see around forty seconds where I catch the odor and I work my way down the wall to the actual hide.
At the end of the day, I passed all my searches and earned my NW1 Title on the first try. Out of all fifty participants, thirty two dogs earned their title, and I placed fourteenth. I was the youngest competitor at thirteen months. Mom and I are super happy but we also know we need to work hard to get to be an even better team. Why am I a nose work rock star? Well, no other dog at my house ever passed on the first try! Emma needed two trials at eight years old, Bailie two at two years old, Madison two at twenty three months old, and huge surprise, Olivia three tries at nineteen months old! Mom says I’m not an Olivia, but I will be a good boy to sniff with. Olivia has a special talent but she took some time to mature.
Now we will practice, practice, and enter an NW2 one of these days and see how that works out.
I’m thankful I earned my title, so I’m joining Brian’s Home Blog in the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
We love watching you work and you’re so smart, Nelson! Congratulations! You are one handsome boy in your bowtie and French beret!
Thank you. I need to work some more on my focus, but for my age I’m doing pretty well.
Nelson!!! we are so so soooo happy… we guessd it… you have a related name to da Neilson who is a super worker and you were at Olson school what is related a little to your name too… that must be the mix for a super successful day!!! YAY for youuuu!
Thank you boys! I’m super happy and of course, it is the boy in the family who accomplished this at such a young age on my first try, not any of the girls!
We know with all those smells in a new place (and after 49 other dogs) concentrating is really difficult. You rocked it Nelson!
Mom said being 50 is pretty much a guarantee of trouble, but we survived it!
The Nelson Nose knows! Congratulations young man, well done!
Thank you. I had fun and won the game too.
WTG team Nelson! Because you are a star, we should call you Nelson “Rock-a Fella”
LOL! If only I had that kind of money…
We love the video! You are such a cute little boy. The video earlier this week of your sister was adorable too. We just love watching your hound bodies bopping along!! And it is amazing to us when you find the scent! We love that part. Congratulations on your accomplishments!! Bravo!! your friends Lilly and Chester
Thank you so much. Mom loves the part where I find the hide too. She says watching Madison is so fun because she is just bopping around and she is so small and cute anyway. Olivia is like watching a tornado blow in. It was a fun day for me and Mom.
Just love seeing Nelson in action. So cool!
Thank you. I was a pretty good boy except for smashing that box. That gets me into trouble with my mom.
Well done Nelson. Please tell mom I love how she coordinates her clothes and shoelaces with your leash
Hugs Cecilia
She dresses in the color of the dog who is in the trial always. If it is a trial with more than one of us, the dog who may earn a title gets the most color but she wears something with colors of the others too.
Nelson, we can’t wait to see the places you go…you always give 200% and we know you will excel in whatever you try!
xoxo,
Sunny & Rosy
Most of the time I try to be a good boy but I do have my moments according to my mom. I’m excited to see all the things I can accomplish in my furry life.
So easily distracted, but YOU did it! Yay Nelson and Team Lime Green with the matching jacket and shoe laces! XOXO, Sparkle
Yep, Mom always matches us. Lime green socks and sweatshirt too 🙂 I will get more focused as I get older I think.
Hooray Nelson, you really are a Rock Star and we’re so very proud of you. You’ll be ready to go again, we can tell. Thanks for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
Mom says we need to do some work before I trial again because the next one will be twice as difficult, but I love to train, so we will be ready.
It was fun watching you work, you are amazing!
Thank you. I have Olivia give me some tips because she is a super sniffer!
Bravo, Nelson!
I was a really good boy at my trial and Mom is very proud of me!
Congratulations!
Thank you. It was fun and I found all the things.
Wow, congratulations to Nelson for becoming a nose work rock star! It’s impressive that he passed all his searches and earned his NW1 Title on the first try, especially at just thirteen months old. And being the youngest competitor makes it even more impressive. I watched the video and I have to say, Nelson looks like a pro out there. Keep up the good work, Nelson!
Thank you. I need to build my focus but for a first time out, I’m thrilled to have earned my title.