Scent Training Dogs

Scent Training Dogs. Scent-trained dogs do search-and-rescue, find missing children and assist in locating bombs and illegal drugs. Teaching your dog to follow a scent is simply developing a natural ability in the dog, whose sense of smell far exceeds that of most other animals. In addition to scent training your dog, you must train yourself to work with your pet. Scent trained dogs can sniff the air, follow a trail on the ground, or pick up scents from plants, grass and dirt.

The Nose

A dog's nose may be as much as a million times more sensitive than a human's nose. Your pet's nasal cavity is filled with blood vessels and nerve endings that connect to the highly developed olfactory center of his brain. This makes your dog the perfect animal for finding just about anything using his sense of smell.

Location

To begin scent training your dog, you need some treats and a grassy area about the size of a baseball field. You want an area that hasn't been walked on by lots of people. Some trainers take their dogs out early in the mornings, before other people have walked on the grass.

Track

Have your dog sit or "down," and give him a command to stay. Take a couple of treats and smash them into the grass. With the residue from the treat on the bottom of your shoes, walk a straight line. Stop in six to 10 feet, and drop a treat. Continue to do this until you are about 20 feet from your dog. Drop a toy, your scarf or another object that he can find at the end of the trail. Then place a treat on top of the object.

Find It

Stand beside your dog and release him from the "stay" command. Tell him to "find it" and let him begin to sniff. If he follows the trail you laid, encourage him with "good dog" and follow him down the trail. Don't try to lead him---he's the one with the super nose! Be careful not to distract your dog from his work. Do two or three such sessions each day, continuing as long as your dog seems to be having fun and is excited by his "game." As your dog learns the skills, increase the length of the trail, adding corners to it and more items along the way. Place treats only on the item you want him to find. You may need to begin marking the trail so you can determine if your dog is following it.

Search-and-Rescue

If you and your dog enjoy scent training, you might want to consider search-and-rescue training. Dogs who are candidates for search and rescue are in good physical condition and have an even temperament. They must have stamina, gentleness with people and respond well to strangers. For information about search and rescue training courses for you and your dog, and the steps toward becoming credentialed in this discipline, contact the National Association for Search and Rescue (see Resources, below).

References

• Dog Owner's Guide
• Dog Channel
• Best Bet Pet Supplies