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 advantage of sniff-thrus and mock trial opportunities. Unlike a sport like Agility, where teams can trial multiple days in a row several times a month, Nosework simply doesn’t offer that same frequency.

In the past, these opportunities were limited. Now, with more scent work training centers and organizers offering events, opportunities are plentiful – and that’s a great thing. More chances to practice trial skills can be incredibly valuable.

That said, I’ve also noticed that some teams use these matches as training when the underlying skills still need more preparation beforehand. A few of us have observed teams struggling – not because run-thrus aren’t helpful, but because the dog or handler wasn’t quite ready for the challenge of a new location or the complexity of the hide placements.

Be prepared that not all events are created equal. A mock trial will often look very different from a more informal sniff-thru. Depending on the setup, you may not get the experience or the appropriate skill level you’re looking for. Consider who is setting the hides and their level of experience. Are search areas being reused, or are nearby searches complicating the odor picture for your dog? If you have a reactive dog, it’s also worth asking how run order, waiting, and staging are being managed.

In general, I do find that trial-ready teams improve with run-thru experiences. These settings can help you settle into a rhythm with your scenting dog and reduce the nerves that naturally show up when you trial infrequently. Adding more formal, trial-like settings can also remind you how your dog naturally works, which strategies are truly needed, and how you work together as a team.

However, mock trials and run-thrus are not meant to replace training. They are a place to test skills, not build them from scratch. Below are a few tips to help you plan your training and decide when it’s time to test those skills.

Novelty is the name of the game in Nosework

Unlike many other sports, we can’t fully acclimate our dogs ahead of time. They’re expected to enter a novel environment and go straight to work. The more variety your dog experiences, the stronger and more confident they become. Many dogs begin to relish the challenge of a new search.

That novelty, however, needs to be built before entering a run-thru.

One of my favorite exercises is traveling to three pre-set search areas and running them back-to-back. For dogs who are generally ready to work right out of the car, you can set up several short searches in different locations around town, all within a short driving distance. Start with one hide per area, keep the search space small, and make the hide very easy. Even if your dog can handle more, keep these outings short and successful. This exercise is about novel location training, not pushing skills.

Running Known Hide Locations

What many teams don’t realize is that running known hide placements is one of the best training tools available. Known hides allow you to truly observe how your dog works within a setup you understand.

Are they walking past odor and failing to fully engage in the search? Do you see them pick up threads of odor and work back to source without interference? Can you recognize when your dog is encountering two scent cones that indicate multiple hides? Do you allow your dog to work through unproductive areas, or do you re-cue or redirect them simply because you know they aren’t near a hide?

These observations are difficult, if not impossible, to make during blind searches without practicing your eye.

Adding Consistency to Your Handling

Known hide placements also allow you to work on your handling, specifically learning to remain neutral even when you know where the hides are. This is critical. Helping when you know the hide location isn’t actually training you to handle a blind search.

On known hide placements, I never see handlers influence their dogs away from a known hide. Instead, we tend to orient toward productive areas because our focus shifts to the end goal of finding hides. But our focus should be on observing our dogs and allowing them the autonomy to solve the scent problems presented.

Specific Skills Training

Whether you’re training on your own or attending classes, it’s important to prepare for the types of hide placements your dog may encounter. Watch the NACSW Debrief videos for hide placement ideas, and video your own training sessions whenever possible.

Did you know NACSW publishes skill level expectations? Below are just a few examples I pulled from their Dec 2023 “[Did You Know?] Trial Levels: What to Expect” emails:

NW1/L1:

• Hides may be placed at ground level (for example: in a crack, under a rock or door mat, at the base of a bench or table leg and many more)
• Hides will be no higher than four feet – so train for four-feet hides!

NW2/L2:

• Hides may be inaccessible in Vehicles, Exteriors or Interiors searches (for example: inside a cabinet, behind a car wheel, in a stack of chairs and many more)
• Hides may be placed at ground level (for example: in a crack, under a rock or door mat, at the base of a bench or table leg and many more)
• Hides will be no higher than four feet – so train for four-feet hides!
• Container searches will contain distractors.

Level 3 and above – my list:

• Hides may be elevated six-feet high.
• Close proximity hides.
• Low/high hide challenges.
• Short search times.
• Large areas.
• Blank areas.

If you’re ready for these challenges, you may be ready to test your skills.

Mock Trials as a Polishing Tool

Once you’ve put the time into training, mock trials and sniff-thrus become a great opportunity to polish your trialing skills. Go in with a plan and be clear about your objective for that run-thru on that day.

Set process goals

Process goals are specific, actionable, and controllable short-term objectives focused on behaviors and skills. This is different from outcome goals such as finding all the hides or getting an award placement.

Examples of process goals in Nosework include:

• Managing a consistent staging routine.
• Focus on staying connected.
• Practicing clean leash handling.
• Pausing before calling alert.
• Avoid crowding or rushing your dog.
• Minimizing takeovers or unnecessary re-cues.

Be in the Moment

One of the most common challenges I see, and experience myself, is losing focus before a search. When we gather with friends, it’s easy to become social and informal. You’ve probably seen teams scrambling when it’s their turn, forgetting treats or not having their camera ready.

Staying connected and engaged with your dog before and after a search matters. It’s easy to get pulled into our own thoughts or distractions and lose sight of what’s important in the moment. 

This is a hobby, and it should be fun, but that doesn’t mean preparation and focus doesn’t matter. Learning to stay connected and grounded from beginning to end supports a more confident and cohesive team.

Ask for Help

You don’t even have to run blind searches. Depending on your goals, you can ask where the hides are or how many. If you are running blind, you can ask for help if the search is not going as expected. Are you in a productive area or stuck in pooling odor? That information can help you decide whether to remain patient or make a handling suggestion. We don’t want to help our dog find the hides, but offering support and regrouping can alleviate unnecessary stress.

Video and Evaluate

I can’t stress enough the value of video – not just during practice, but at trials and mock trials as well. Video is a proven learning tool. Our memory simply can’t compete with being able to review what actually happened.

Evaluate whether you met your process goals, what you liked, and what you’d like to improve. You don’t have to share the footage with anyone, this is for your growth and learning.

If you’d like more opportunity to increase your skill set and search skills, come join us at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy for two level appropriate courses if you are newer to trialing. Classes begin February 1st.

• NW120: Introduction to NW Search Elements. A few working Gold sports are still available. Note that Silver level as a new option to submit one 90s video per week. As always unlimited auditing for $65! TA – Denise Gormish
• NW320: Motivating Drills for Maintaining Skills. A few working Gold sports are still available. Note that Silver level as a new option to submit one 90s video per week. As always unlimited auditing for $65!  TA – Clare Groom