Nosework
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I have just recently started a new dog activity called Nosework. There are a few articles about it at this site, http://www.k9nosework.com/press.html
The idea is to teach your dog to find target odors in various places. Right now we are just starting out so the dogs are just trying to find their bait bag hidden in one of several boxes. It is really neat to watch the different dogs work, they each have their own styles. It is also amazing how exhausting this work is for them. Each dog gets three turns to play the game in a session and as they get good at the game their turns are not very long, Sophie's 3rd turn tonight was all of like 20 seconds and yet she is curled up fast asleep now.
This game is really fun and I would really recommend if there is a class or seminar in your area that you try it out. This game is even good for reactive dogs because only one dog is out at a time so they don't have to work around other dogs.
If anyone else is giving this a try, let me know. I would love to hear how other people are doing.
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This type of game is often used in OB training for fetching the dumbell for the retrieve excerise. Ann does it all the time with Crystal and Kobey
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This is like tracking except the target isn't moving. They love this kind of game trying to find things. I see it just out on walks and Buddy will go crazy just trying to find some little piece of cookie or something a kid dropped that he got a slight whiff of.
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Wow, that looks wonderful. I guarantee my Nicky would excel, she can smell a biscuit crumb from across a 5 acre park!
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I've also seen this called "tracking". One of the obedience clubs here offers this and I was thinking of seeing if Gossy would like it - if we can match times.
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Nosework is different than tracking though it is a related sport. The dogs are not following a laid track. They are brought into an area and must find a target odor, birch, anise, or clove, hidden in that area. At least that is the long term goal. At the beginning, we are using either a prized toy or treat as their target. It is sort of like the work a drug sniffing dog would do.
