Beginners Scentwork - using food

How to teach your dog to work with you and use their brain!

LESSON ONE WHAT YOU NEED

A KITCHEN WITH CUPBOARDS DOORS YOU CAN CLEAN
AN EAGER DOG
CUT UP SOME TREATS – I USE STICKY HAM ABOUT THE SIZE OF MY LITTLE FINGER NAIL, BUT YOU CAN USE GRATED CHEESE OR MEAT SCRAPS.
SOMEONE TO HOLD YOUR DOG BACK WHILST YOU SET UP THE KITCHEN

HERE WE GO THEN

PLACE 10 PIECES ON THE KITCHEN DOORS AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS
GO BACK TO YOUR DOG AND TELL THEM TO FIND IT
STAND BACK AND WATCH – COUNT AS THEY FIND EACH ONE.
REPEAT WITH 7 PIECES
REPEAT WITH 3 PIECES BUT MAKE MORE DIFFICULT.
THEN DO THE SAME WITHOUT YOUR DOG WATCHING
REWARD YOUR DOG AND CLEAN THE KITCHEN DOORS

LESSON TWO FIND THREE OR FOUR CARDBOARD BOXES WHICH HAVEN'T HAD FOOD IN.

SPREAD THEM OUT ON THE FLOOR AND PUT A PIECE OF HAM ON EACH
BRING YOUR DOG INTO THE ROOM AND TELL THEM FIND IT
REPEAT TWICE MORE BUT EACH TIME HIDE THE HAM A BIT HARDER.
STAND THE BOX ON ITS SIDE AND PUT HAM ON TOP
PUT INSIDE OPEN BOX
STICK TO SIDE OF THE BOX
THEN LINE THE BOXES UP ALONG THE KITCHEN CUPBOARDS
PUT SOME HAM ON BOXES AND SOME ON THE CUPBOARD DOOR.
THIS IS CALLED THE AIRPORT LINE UP SEARCH
DO TWICE MORE REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF HAM EACH TIME.
REWARD YOUR DOG AND CLEAN

LESSON THREE

REPEAT THE AIRPORT LINE UP SEARCH TO CHECK YOUR DOG IS GETTING THE IDEA.
NOW INTRODUCE SOME LUGGAGE – BAGS, CASES, PURSES.
NO MORE THAN 4/5 AND ALSO ADD THE SAME NUMBER OF BOXES.
SPREAD OUT IN RANDOM PATTERN ON THE FLOOR
ONLY PUT THE HAM ON THE LUGGAGE 4/5 PIECES
SEND YOUR DOG TO FIND IT AND WHEN THEY FIND THE LAST PIECE, CALL THEM TO YOU WITH A JACKPOT PIECE OF FOOD.
REPEAT AGAIN TWICE MORE BUT HIDING THE HAM A BIT HARDER ON THE LUGGAGE.
NOW DO THE SAME AS YOU DID WITH THE BOXES – AIRPORT LINE UP SEARCH ALONG THE KITCHEN CUPBOARDS AND GET YOUR TO SEARCH.
FINISH WITH A JACKPOT REWARD AND CLEAN THE LUGGAGE AND THE KITCHEN DOORS

LESSON FOUR TABLE AND CHAIRS - THIS TEACHES YOUR DOG TO LOOK UP AND DOWN AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS. *GET A CHAIR AND PLACE 4 PIECES OF HAM ON IT AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND SPREAD AROUND THE CHAIR ON VARIOUS SIDES. *NOW PUT A SECOND CHAIR ALONGSIDE WITH A LITTLE GAP AND REPEAT ON BOTH CHAIRS. *NOW REPEAT BUT PUT THE FOOD ONLY ONE CHAIR – WITHOUT YOUR DOG WATCHING *CHANGE THE PATTERN OF THE CHAIRS AND REPEAT TWICE MORE. *NOW ADD THE TABLE AND PUT SOME PIECES ON THE CHAIRS AND SOME ON THE TABLE. *WATCH YOUR DOG AND WHEN THEY HAVE FOUND THEM ALL REWARD THEM *CLEAN THE CHAIRS AND TABLE FOR TOMORROW. LESSON FIVE EXTERIOR WORK - THIS GIVES YOU A PERFECT WAY TO GET YOUR DOG TO LEARN TO BE CALMER IN THE GARDEN.

CAREFULLY SPREAD 5/6 PIECES AROUND A SMALL AREA
MAYBE YOUR PATIO TABLE AND CHAIRS.
IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN'S PLAY EQUIPMENT, THEN TRY USING SOME OF THAT.
HAVE YOU A SHED, WHEELBARROW, WALLS FENCES?
SEND YOUR DOG INTO TO FIND IT.
REPEAT TWICE MORE MAKING IT HARDER EACH TIME.
DO YOU SEE YOUR DOG GOING BACK TO THE SAME PLACES WHERE THE FOOD

WAS BEFORE? CLEVER AREN'T THEY?

THEN USING THE BOXES YOU USED PREVIOUSLY SET UP A FEW ON THE GRASS

OR PATIO.

USE 5/6 PIECES AND TRY AND SEE IF YOUR DOG REMEMBERS THE AIRPORT LINE

UP SEARCH?

HOW DID THEY DO?
ADD SOME LUGGAGE AND JUST PUT 3 PIECES ON 3 ITEMS - BOXES OR LUGGAGE
FINISH OFF WITH JACKPOT AS THEY FIND IT

NOW THROW A FEW PIECES OF FOOD ONTO THE GRASS OR PATIO AS A FREEBIE SEARCH. CLEAN EVERYTHING AND THEN PUT AWAY UNTIL TOMORROW. LESSON SIX INTRODUCING EXTERIOR ITEMS - NOW WHEN WE DO A SCENT TRIAL, WE ASK THE DOGS TO SEARCH ABOUT 12/15 ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD NOT USUALLY ASK YOUR DOG TO SEARCH. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS HAND BRUSH, HOSE; DUSTPAN; PLASTIC BUCKET; BOWL; FLOWER POTS; TOW ROPE; METAL PIPE; METAL BOX; TOILET ROLL HOLDER; ?? WHAT ELSE CAN YOU THINK OF?

SPREAD ITEMS OVER THE PATIO OR LAWN
PUT THREE OR FOUR PIECES OF HAM ON SELECTED ITEMS – DON’T LET YOUR DOG WATCH
BRING DOG TO THE AREA AND TELL THEM TO FIND IT
STAND BACK AND WATCH
WHEN THEY HAVE FOUND ALL PIECES USE JACKPOT TO REWARD THEM
REPEAT TWO MORE TIMES
FINISH WITH BOXES AND LUGGAGE SEARCH INDOORS

REWARD AND CLEAN AWAY LESSON SEVEN WRAPPING IT ALL UP TOGETHER - IN A TRIAL YOU WOULD HAVE 4 SEARCH AREAS BUT WE HAVE TAUGHT YOUR THREE AND STILL HAVE TO GET YOUR DOG TO START LOOKING FOR SCENT – THAT COMES IN THE NEXT COURSE WITHOUT YOUR DOG WATCHING:

SET UP AN AIRPORT SEARCH OF BOXES AND LUGGAGE
SEND YOUR DOG IN TO FIND 4 PIECES OF HAM
NEXT SET UP YOUR TABLE AND CHAIRS AND GET THEM TO FIND 4 PIECES THERE
FINISH UP WITH AN EXTERIOR SEARCH – AGAIN FOUR PIECES

JACKPOT YOUR DOG BY THROWING FINAL FEW PIECES ONTO THE GRASS WHILE YOU CLEAN AWAY. CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR FIRST 7 DAYS OF SCENTWORK TRAINING. GIVE YOURSELF A PAT ON THE BACK AND NOW GO AND FIND AN OLD SOCK, A JAM JAR AND SOME CLOVES (LIKE YOU WOULD USE TO COOK WITH) FOR THE NEXT COURSE STARTING TOMORROW. #thewalkaboutway