A common approach teams take when they are prepping for a Scent Work trial is to focus on the requirements for a given level. However, that oftentimes means teams are solely obsessing about tackling super difficult searches in the upper levels whereas newer teams are holding off on introducing key concepts until much later in their training journey. This can be problematic. Enter all-level trial prep as an alternative approach!   In this episode, we speak with Lori Timberlake of Do Over Dog Training about the more holistic approach she takes in her in-person training classes and how she i ..read more

The AKC Scent Work Buried Class can be a BEAR for dogs and handlers alike! In this episode, AKC Scent Work Judge, professional instructor and accomplished competitor, Natalie McManus, will outline some of the reasons for this and ways handlers can better approach the Buried class. Doing so will help this class make more sense to the dogs and thus allow teams to more successful. Want to learn more from Natalie specifically on how to succeed in the AKC Buried Class? Check out her AKC: Working Water Hides Course! Have a more specific need to something you or your dog are struggling with? Natalie ..read more

When it comes to handler discrimination, it common for handlers to become frustrated and for dogs to be confused of what game they are supposed to be playing. Why does this happen? We discuss some of the common reasons in this podcast episode. Interested in getting started in Handler Discrimination? Check out the online Handler Discrimination course we offer through Scent Work University. ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. Our online courses, seminars, webinars and eBooks are not only for th ..read more

It is common for Scent Work handlers to want to get off training primary as quickly as possible. "We want to hunt for the real stuff!" However, there are ways to fully leverage hunting for primary to help solidify crucial skills that will serve you and your dog well into your sniffing careers. In this podcast episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Judith Guthrie about how she uses primary and the general process one may use to transition from primary, or pairing, to hunting for a novel target odor alone, considerations to keep in mind and more. Judith brings a breadth of knowledge to ..read more

In this podcast episode, Dianna discusses the final traditional search element of Interior searches and how they are oftentimes tackled as a "stuff" search instead of an interior search. Are you leveraging these interesting and exciting search elements to their full potential? Find out in this episode! Does your dog struggle with slippery floors? You are in luck! Kayla Dever and Samantha Winslow will be presenting a webinar outlining solutions you can try. Be sure check out their The Floor is Lava Webinar. Does your dog have a tendency to blow through threshold hides? Michele Ellertson has put ..read more

As we embark on our Scent Work training journey, the prospect of tackling exterior searches with our dogs can be incredibly exciting! However, as we progress along our sniffing journey, we may find the challenges thrown at us by the environment become too much to deal with! Suddenly, exterior searches morph from this exciting venture to something that is excruciatingly painful and fraught with countless pitfalls! In this podcast episode, Dianna discusses why this happens and how we, as handlers and trainers, may adjust our outlook to reinvigorate our love and appreciation for this challenging ..read more

Have you ever questioned why people even bother doing vehicle searches? Are they a search element you simply do not practice or train? In this podcast episode, Dianna will discuss how fun vehicle searches can be, how they can be an excellent learning opportunity for dog and handler alike and why everyone should give them a try! Intrigued? Be certain to check out Michael McManus' Perfect Patterns: Vehicles Course. You may also be inspired by some of the challenges posed in these eBooks: 50 Sniffy Fun Challenges eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenges eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenge 2.0 eBook Wint ..read more

Speaker: Dianna L. Santos Do you DESPISE containers? Are they dumb, boring and your least favorite search element ever? You are not alone apparently! There is rather large contingency within the Scent Work community who are not fans of Container searches. In this episode, Dianna will do her very best to try to make the case FOR Containers, describing how valuable of a learning tool they can be and attempt to inspire listeners to give this search element another chance. ----more---- Intrigued? Be certain to check out these resources to take an even deeper dive into all things Container-related ..read more

When we are training, trialing or making decisions about our sniffing journey, we oftentimes solely focus on the "how". In this podcast episode, discover the importance of understanding the "why". ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Interested in another dog sport? Dog Sport ..read more

Your dog is tackling a search and you just don't think they are going about it the right way. They are coming off the containers or vehicles, or perhaps they are attempting to go outside the barrier cones for an exterior search. Silly dog, you think to yourself, as you step in to direct them, illustrating the "right" way to go about searching this space. In this episode, we discuss how our human expectations can inject unnecessary conflict into our Scent Work searches. Basically, how it is oftentimes best to simply trust the dog, as they can actually interact with and experience the odor we've ..read more