K9 Nose Work© instructor Donna follows her dog Monty through a search area.
About K9 Nose Work©
K9 Nose Work© is a fun activity that taps into your dog's natural scenting abilities. This engaging sport is based on the work of professional detection dogs but is designed for the enjoyment and mental stimulation of all dogs, regardless of breed, age, physical abilities, or behavior challenges. In K9 Nose Work©, dogs use their exceptional sense of smell to search for scented “hides” in various environments. While your dog expends lots of mental and physical energy, you learn to understand their unspoken communication signals, deepening the bond between the two of you. Join us to explore the exciting world of K9 Nose Work© and uncover the innate sniffing talents of your dog!
Enrichment & Fun for Dogs of All Ages & Many Abilities!
Since searches are conducted with one dog at a time, and nose work focuses on building confidence and independence in our dogs, this activity is particularly suitable for dogs who are shy or sensitive to other dogs, and it can be especially beneficial for dogs who are shy or tentative in new environments. However, dogs should be comfortable and safe when working around other humans as well as be able to remain secured in your vehicle in the parking lot when they are not doing a search. If you have questions about whether your dog meets these foundation requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
K9 Nose Work© classes in Fort Collins at Summit are taught by guest instructor Donna Lau Smith KPA-CTP, CNWI.
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A Class Graduation with Summit - You must complete at least one other class within our program before advancing to a K9 Nosework© class. This could be any other class in our program, including Reactive Dog 101. If you haven’t taken any other classes with us before, some exceptions can be made for students who have completed private lessons with us, or students transferring from other programs who have the foundation skills to be successful in this class and have obtained instructor approval prior to registration.
Your dog is comfortable being left crated or loose in your vehicle in between their K9 Nose Work© runs. In K9 Nose Work© the safety and comfort of the dogs is paramount. Only one dog searches (aka, “runs”) with their handler at a time so plan to crate or otherwise secure your dog inside your car when they are not running. If you foresee a problem with this arrangement, please contact us as soon as possible so we can arrange an alternative way to secure your dog.
Your dog is able to work safely in a room with other people. Some environmental supports (barriers, leash management, etc.) can be set up for the success of dogs that are shy or reactive to new people, but your dog must be able to tolerate some degree of proximity to new people in order to participate in nose work classes.
If you believe that you and your dog warrant an exception to these prerequisite policies based on your previous training together, please contact us before enrolling to obtain instructor approval!
K9 Nose Work© Classes with Donna @ Summit Dog Training
K9 Nose Work© instructor Donna observes her dog during a vehicle nose work search.
Intro To K9 Nose Work© - Level 1
This 6-week class will teach you and your dog how to play a game that encourages and develops their natural ability to hunt with their nose, satisfying their need for play and food while burning lots of mental and physical energy! Using food or toys as the reward, this Level 1 class introduces the concept of the K9 Nose Work© game and builds handler observation and leash-handling skills.
Intro To K9 Nose Work© - Level 2 - Vehicles & Exteriors
This 6-week class builds on the foundational skills learned in Intro to K9 Nose Work© - Level 1. The skills practiced with Containers and Interiors are now applied in the last two elements of K9 Nose Work©: Vehicles and Exteriors. Still using food or toys as a reward, we increase the challenge for your dog by introducing more distracting environments along with new surfaces. Handlers continue to hone their leash-handling skills and delve deeper into understanding your dog’s body language while hunting.
Intro to K9 Nose Work© - Level 3 - Intro to Odor
After an introduction to the four elements searched in a NACSW trial (containers, interiors, exteriors, and vehicles), most dogs are ready to be introduced to the three target odors used in K9 Nose Work ©. This 6-week course builds the dog’s positive association with the essential oils of birch, anise, and clove. Handlers continue to observe and identify the dog’s hunting and communication behaviors with the goal of advancing to the challenge of handler reward. Teams receive a starter odor kit and will learn how to handle, store, and use the target odors.