Scentwork training

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Emma_H

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My dog club is starting a scent work course next month which sounds quite interesting. I'm thinking if it's worthwhile doing it.

Anyone else done this? Why did you do it and what benefits did your dog get from it?
 
Yes, on level three now with the goldie, the smooth is still at level 1. I did it because he needs an outlet for using his nose-he loves it too and is really good at it. Has the advantage of wearing them out mentally without overexercising them when they are younger. I mixed in the scent work with enforcing other commands such as sit/down and stay-retrieve to hand etc although he also has a great passive indication.

Its great to do when the weather is stinking hot, pouring with rain or you just want something to do for 20mins. I do searches in the house and the garden or sometimes hide stuff on walking routes. Both of them love it but the goldie excels and really focuses.
 
I do IPO tracking which is a bit different but agree it's a great outlet for dogs, utilising their natural ability and helps them focus on a task. It really did help my last GSD in many ways, he really settled once he had a 'job' to do.
My current dog is more of a natural tracker and the problem is slowing him down into a style for competitions. I'd love to say it leaves him mentally and physically drained like my old dog but that would be a lie ;)
I've been told he'd be a super service dog as he tracks for fun /the buzz rather than food/toy.
 
I tried tracking CC but although I can admire the technical side of it, I got a bit bored -I wish we could do some training in trailing but have yet to find any (although got sidetracked by canicross so havent really looked. Quarrie finds canicross so exciting though, that I now mostly run Fitz ans will concentrate with Quarrie on the scentwork).

There is a new organisation set up with whom I'd like to do some operational courses next year

https://www.ukcsd.com/
 
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Sounds great, I like that it will give him an outlet for natural instinct. Training wise I would say we were at mid-level obedience. Working on retrieve at the moment.
Is it easy to start it if my dog isn't particularly toy/treat orientated?
 
Emma_H said:
Is it easy to start it if my dog isn't particularly toy/treat orientated?
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yes, IME the treats actually work as a distraction and they do much better once they are removed and they work off scent alone (treats good for giving them the idea though-use something very high value initially) followed by reward (whatever that may be). They can be switched over very early-my smooth went straight onto scent because he's so food oriented he wasnt really getting what he was doing.

Occasionally I scent and hide Ikea rats-the goldie thinks its xmas when he brings one back to me and he works for praise with the occasional treat thrown in!
 
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I've trained my GSDs in both tracking (Woking trials/police style) and scent work using catnip and gun oil as the scent to find. I've also done some "for fun" search and rescue air scent training and man trailing (finding a specific person) with my younger GSD. I did book on to a "formal" course but has to pull out when some of the training days fell during a busy time on the farm.

As others have said it's a great outlet for most dogs and especially those who enjoy using their nose.
 
Not sure if it was WT or IPO tracking you looked at MoC but the latter is indeed very technical and is more of an obedience exercise, no casting or air scenting allowed.

IPO tracking is pretty much all trained with food and its a handy food delivery service when you can feed a whole meal of kibble on one long track ;)

Although it's said if you need to use food for service tracking you're already beat.

My old GSD also loved finding people in the woods!
 
it was based on WT from what I remember. It didnt help that there was a load of waiting about which isnt my strong point.I have some good resources now, I should try and give it a go myself-send OH out and promise to go looking for him ;)
 
MotherOfChickens said:
it was based on WT from what I remember. It didnt help that there was a load of waiting about which isnt my strong point.I have some good resources now, I should try and give it a go myself-send OH out and promise to go looking for him ;)
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My Oh and I do this with one of our lurchers but they have to find me. So far so good, they have not gone home without me yet!
 
I used to do working trials and loved the nosework but really struggled to train the scale jump so not fine this with Lily or Tiva. I have however trained Tiva to indicate on a tin containing cat nip she loves the search and really hold her indication. I sometimes what the police would make if my cat nip tin if I was ever stopped by them. I have a vision of them testing the tin for cannabis ��And then being disappointed.
 
I've signed up. Am looking forward to it.

I do keep my little lad busy. He does obedience every Saturday, can now start small jumps at agility as he's just turned 1 and the scent work too.
 
Emma_H said:
I've signed up. Am looking forward to it.

…….. .
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Well done and I'm sure that you'll enjoy the process. Not by way of caution but just an observation; nose-work for dogs is considerably more subtle than most other disciplines and for those who are unable to read the nuances of a dog's reactions to discovery or change, the minute and often ignored reactions, it can seem rather slow and perhaps even boring. Perhaps you're already switched on to these subtleties, but if not I'm sure that the learning process will be fun for you too.

With a suitably receptive dog, it's yet another facet to dog training. It would be interesting to receive your reports and your thought processes as you progress, as I'm sure that you will.

Good Luck! Alec.
 
WorkingGSD said:
Yes it was, but just at my place with a friend (with guidance from a SARDA member who's a friend).

Tynewater did a couple of two day intros to SAR if I remember correctly withTom Middlemass.
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I think he's either retired or moved away now unfortunately. I might see what this new college does by way of courses although it means traipsing all the way down to Sussex and a big chunk of annual leave. I was quite excited by the deer tracking training until I realised they wanted me to be able to shoot too!
 
MotherOfChickens said:
I think he's either retired or moved away now unfortunately. I might see what this new college does by way of courses although it means traipsing all the way down to Sussex and a big chunk of annual leave. I was quite excited by the deer tracking training until I realised they wanted me to be able to shoot too!
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Tom is still at St Boswells. My hubby took one of his sheepdogs down for hydro with him last week. Gwen and co might be able to persuade him to do another weekend if there was enough interest (and he has the time, as his skills are always in high demand). He really is the top man in his field (SAR and mantrailing).
 
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