Nuts about Nose Work
Posted 08-03-2010 at 02:27 PM by alaskayorkie
Eddie's been taking Nose Work classes lately. I've written a little about it here, and so has quicksilver. It's the newest dog sport out there, originated by a guy who trains Police K-9 dogs. http://www.funnosework.com
Basically, dogs are taught to find odors. They start by finding a treat tucked in one of several boxes, then they put an essential oil odor in with the treat. In later classes, you remove the treat and the dog finds the odor alone and is later rewarded with a treat.
Eventually, he'll compete for titles by having to find the odor in a variety of situations -- hidden under one of 12-20 boxes, hidden outdoors, in a building with several rooms, even hidden in cars.
I was skeptical about a short-snouted Yorkie being able to compete with other dogs -- there are no allowances in competition for size or breed of dog. But he's been in every level of class taught in Alaska since the sport was introduced in the spring, and he's doing as well as any of them.
He loves it. Two nights ago, several hours after attending nose work class, he cracked me up. I was watching TV in the living room, and I heard him barking in the kitchen. I went out and checked, and he wanted in a cabinet. I opened the cabinet. He sniffed. No interest. I gave up and went back to watching TV.
But the barking continued. Exasperated, I went out again and told him, "There's NOTHING in here! You already checked!" This time, he started barking and looking at the dishwasher. It was closed tight.
So I opened the dishwasher, and he immediately started pawing at it. I looked inside, and, sure enough, there was his nose work tin still lingering from scent from class earlier in the day. So he got a treat -- and I washed it by hand.
It's amazing what these guys can smell.
Basically, dogs are taught to find odors. They start by finding a treat tucked in one of several boxes, then they put an essential oil odor in with the treat. In later classes, you remove the treat and the dog finds the odor alone and is later rewarded with a treat.
Eventually, he'll compete for titles by having to find the odor in a variety of situations -- hidden under one of 12-20 boxes, hidden outdoors, in a building with several rooms, even hidden in cars.
I was skeptical about a short-snouted Yorkie being able to compete with other dogs -- there are no allowances in competition for size or breed of dog. But he's been in every level of class taught in Alaska since the sport was introduced in the spring, and he's doing as well as any of them.
He loves it. Two nights ago, several hours after attending nose work class, he cracked me up. I was watching TV in the living room, and I heard him barking in the kitchen. I went out and checked, and he wanted in a cabinet. I opened the cabinet. He sniffed. No interest. I gave up and went back to watching TV.
But the barking continued. Exasperated, I went out again and told him, "There's NOTHING in here! You already checked!" This time, he started barking and looking at the dishwasher. It was closed tight.
So I opened the dishwasher, and he immediately started pawing at it. I looked inside, and, sure enough, there was his nose work tin still lingering from scent from class earlier in the day. So he got a treat -- and I washed it by hand.
It's amazing what these guys can smell.
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