Blogs

Recently, while traveling, I forgot to pack my hair brush. It was metal barrel shaped one with bristles for blow drying and styling. I’ve had mine for probably 10 years. While I was away, I picked up a similar brush at a store. It was inexpensive, ceramic instead of...

Recently, I was discussing with other Nosework trainers the usefulness of attending sniff-thrus and whether there can ever be too many. With official trials few and far between, it’s easy to feel rusty when you finally step to the line, so it makes sense to take...

One of the most common Nosework questions I get from students is how to build more duration at source. Stronger duration and intensity make it much clearer when your dog has truly found the hide. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by using markers...

It's my opinion that our goal for handling is that we establish a communication system that creates clarity for the dog. The question isn't whether we influence our dogs – we do, whether we realize it or not – but whether our handling fosters the outcomes we want. ~...

Starting a new dog in any sport is always a bit nerve-wracking! Katniss is just a year old, and aside from a few AKC Scent Work searches at a local trial, this felt like her first real test. We made the 1.5-hour drive to a fairground for a half-day of running three...

Thinking outside the box is so important in dog training. A few years ago I started doing box acclimation drills for my Into to NW classes. The container search element often has the lowest pass rate - not because dogs can’t find odor in a container, but because we...

In all aspects of life, our behavior is driven by consequences. When we do something that results in something negative - touching a hot plate - we will avoid doing that in the future. When a behavior results in something positive - a dog catching a mouse - that...

This is the sixth in my series of Hide Highlights. Some hides are just SO cool to watch being solved that it deserves a highlight! In this highlight I'm focusing on how our handling can support a dog while searching in a corner. In these video clips, there was a hide...

This is the fifth in my series of Hide Highlights. Some hides are just SO cool to watch being solved that it deserves a highlight! I have opinions about searching Vehicles! It is so easy to get stuck on an unproductive vehicle due to blowing odor or just how cars...

This is the fourth in my series of Hide Highlights. Some hides are just SO cool to watch being solved that it deserves a highlight! We all love a good crack hide! We see them more and more in trials. It's also a skill I teach earlier in my program. Our dogs are...