Building Speed in Scent Work Course

When dogs are competing at Scent Work trials, they are not only judged on whether they find the hide, but how quickly. Now, every dog has their own search style and no two dogs are the same. However, we are going to cover exercises designed to help your dog be as speedy as THEY can be. We will also discuss the importance of speed v. rushing.

It is important to note that every dog is an individual and no two dogs should be compared when it comes to hunting and search styles. A Malinois is not going to work the same way a Whippet does. However, every dog can improve upon their efficiency and speed in which they work. The key here is how effective they are. Rushing around a search area will only result in disturbing the odor. A dog who frantically zips around the search area may appear to onlookers as the speedier searcher, but this dog may actually need more time to find the hide than another dog who is more methodical and careful.

In this course, we will discuss a variety of exercises all handlers can try with their canine companions. Some will be designed to help focus the frantic ping-ponger. Others will help to build more enthusiasm and drive in the dog who has become pokey in their searching. All the exercises will focus on keeping the dog engaged, happy and loving the search!