Teaching Scent/Nosework Odor

[Rits]

I figured I'd show how I start imprinting odor on a brand new dog.

First time with Trendy here. I start with a cocktail, that is the first 3 levels of odors, all at once. Each odor on an individual q-tip in the same tin. Dogs are intelligent and noses are so amazing that they are able to distinguish each odor individually, even once separated later! This will get me all the way through Novice, Advanced, and Excellent levels. It's not uncommon to enter for one level and title then have to be ready for the odor in the next level at one trial.

To train for Master, I just add in the final scent on its own, which for AKC's Scentwork is Cypress.

 

[JanS]

Very nice! Olive would so try to eat the scent part though. LOL

Side note but her ears look awesome!

 

[Rits]

Olive would so try to eat the scent part though.

I have a lid for the container with holes drilled in it that I would use in your case! I do move to that once I introduce more containers then just feed on the lid when they indicate. I just like to let them put their nose deep into the scent and have a place to toss food in but it works the same.

Side note but her ears look awesome!

Thanks! I'm really happy with them! They were so easy to get to stand; I think I started testing hers around 7 months and went back to full posts for only another week or two then moved back to breathe rites. I have a breathe rite still on one ear only because I'm super nit picky and it was curling back a little too much for my liking.

 

[remy]

This is very similar to how I was taught for Remy. Before moving to the switch box (or in your case the container), the class taught to put the tin on a cookie sheet then just feed over top of that. The next step was what you’re doing with Trendy. To be honest, I’m not sure you really need to do the first step but it doesn’t hurt to do it either lol. I started him on birch only, although they did say you can do a cocktail odor. I wonder if I should introduce the next odors individually too or try out the cocktail?

 

[Rits]

I wonder if I should introduce the next odors individually too or try out the cocktail?

You probably could, it would speed things along and make it super easy to move up in levels. Whatever works for you! I was taught this way and its super easy to take the individual scent out to train with later than to add a new additional scent seperately and start the process over again, imo.

 

[Ravenbird]

You probably could, it would speed things along and make it super easy to move up in levels. Whatever works for you! I was taught this way and its super easy to take the individual scent out to train with later than to add a new additional scent seperately and start the process over again, imo

If I was to start a new dog, I would do what you're doing with Trendy with the clicker. The teacher that helped me get started began with hunting food, then pairing food/odor, the hunting odor only. Way easier the way you're doing it! I was training with Reckless and another friend who were on all the odors and we'd do searches with them and Asha just found the anise & clove with no introduction at all. It's simply a unique odor that stood out and she indicated that. I did learn later about the clicker training on source and still do that as a fun-fest of rewarding nose-to-odor.

 

[Rits]

still do that as a fun-fest of rewarding nose-to-odor.

Oh yes! I always go back to breaking it down to the bare bones and heavily rewarding odor in a single container in the middle of the room to continue to build and reinforce high value for the odor. I just did with Ripley and she was SO excited with how easy it was and showing off then the next day I did a series of drills with her, probably 15-20 different searches with a single hide in containers in varying setups (sometimes changing what container my tin was in to reinforce hot vs sorta smells like odor still) and she loved every minute of it with great enthusiasm coming fresh off of that reminder/easy session we did the day before.

 

[Ravenbird]

I need to get off my duff and do that. One day of clicker fun-fest, next day one hide x 10 runs. Sounds like a great re-set. I've not done much training in anything since we got back from the SW trial other than the CGCU day... lots of other things going on. Tomorrow training with the other gals in town (scent work), so we'll see how that goes.