Scent Work
Next week I have it scheduled for us to start some
Scent Work Classes!
Currently we only have 2 people signed up so be sure to RSVP if you are interested so we have enough folks to have class! The first class we are going to talk about the basics, imprinting scent, setting up searches and starting basic container searches.
If you are not interested in competition scent work you can participate in the class and you can use treats and toys for their searches! If you are interested in competition we are going to begin with birch essential oil. It is important that when using essential oils we are only using very small amounts and the scent source is inside something that keeps the dog from having direct contact with the oil as if ingested it can cause illness. So the source we use is generally 1/2 a cotton swab with no more than a drop of oil on it, in fact you can also just scent one swab with oil in a glass jar with other cotton swabs and that cotton will absorb the odor. Things you can use to contain your swabs: tins with holes, canning jars with holes in the lids, metal tea strainer balls, closed inside a box your dog cannot open.
If you are interested in competition style searching you might want to collect 4-6 of the same size box. I get packages of mailing boxes at Staples (stationary office supply store) which work great. Or you can often find a collection of the same sized boxes as grocery stores if they save boxes for recycling. For imprinting exercises I like to use a metal colander, a lid for a jar, and if you have scent work tins, an empty one to start.
Even if you are not interested in competition scent work is SO GOOD to help anxious & reactive dogs, as well as all dogs! It helps to decompress dogs that are feeling trigger stacked, intense sniffing has be shown to greatly lower dog’s heart rates and can help build confidence for dogs that struggle with environmental anxieties. It’s also a great activity for dogs inside during those longer darker days of winter, or say, when you are stuck in the house for weeks with wildfire smoke or dangerously high temps.
