Whether they are brand new to formal scent detection, or highly experienced working dogs, all dogs are masters of odor. From scavenging food, to hunting rabbits, to noticing when a neighboring dog has just come into season, processing the complex world of scent with exquisite artistry is what dogs have evolved on this Earth to do.
In this class we will be expanding on explorations begun in Master’s of Odor Pt. 1. In addition to single hide searches, we will invite our dogs to teach us what happens to the odor picture in more advanced puzzles as well, such as convergence, thermals, pooling, hides at different heights, and inaccessibles.
Premium students will receive detailed narrative feedback on most search videos. Check out this example from recent Pt. 2 graduate, Ginger Alpine and her dog, Argent.
Pre-requisites: I am most familiar with NACSW essential oils as target odor, but if your dog is trained to a different scent, we can usually make it work. All levels welcome, but you will get the most out of this course if your dog has a strong reinforcement history already in place for hunting something specific. Food can work as well as scent, but on searches where the hide is inaccessible by containment, such as in a box or cabinet, your dog will need a non-destructive way to tell you where the food is, instead of just going for it.
Note: You do not need to be a graduate of Pt. 1 to enjoy Pt. 2, but if you or your dog is brand new to scent detection, Pt. 1 is recommended.
Required:
- Basic odor kit (including a minimum of 3 scent vessels, such as tins, tubes or straws)
- Smelly, high value food to search for (e.g. dried fish, beef lung, fresh chicken, or tuna)
- High value food or toy reinforcement
- Access to a variety of search areas–both interior and exterior
- Video camera or phone
- Misc. items of furniture–tables, chairs, etc
- Exercise pen, large cardboard boxes, three colanders, junction boxes, or bowls.
Course Outline / Possible Explorations:
(Each team will be encouraged to adjust search parameters based on the dog’s experience level and / or the human’s curiosity.) See the “Lessons” tab above for the full list.
Course Testimonials
Sarah has hit another home run with this course. She is, of course, an amazing instructor able to translate the arcane knowledge of odor and laminar flows and turbulent flows and eddies and pooled odor into something that begins to make sense to a novice mind. Her analysis of the videos can almost make you see the odor moving around, as though someone had tagged the odor molecules with uranium so they sparkle as they loft around windows or pool in corners or travel up and over some unknown object. You begin to read how the dog is following the odor around – that the big detour he just took is because that’s where the odor plume takes him. The “hold the phones” and whirligigs are signs the dogs are following that elusive scent trail and are a picture for us visual humans if we are sensible enough to pay attention.
But the best part of this is it’s always about the dog, and letting them lead. They are in charge, and I’m along to yell “alert” or “finish” or give a hug when the hides are tough. She encourages you to realize how much the dog knows; that you don’t always know best; and that your job is to enable them – not direct them to where the answer is. I’ve seen my worrier blossom in this environment.
I’m looking forward to taking this class again – there is so much material that it will keep us going for a looooong time. Thanks again Sarah.
December 13, 2023